Simplicity is worth the sweat.
There is no shortage of notable phrases about the power of simplicity from the greatest thinkers in history. Einstein, Pope, Emerson, Longfellow… they all give credit to boiling down, finding truth, and being direct. “Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex. It takes a touch of genius – and a lot of courage – to move in the opposite direction.” (Albert Einstein)
Within tech, Steve Jobs upended the entire industry with the notion of simplicity in design and conquering complexity. “It takes a lot of hard work,” Jobs said, “to make something simple, to truly understand the underlying challenges and come up with elegant solutions.” Apple’s relentless drive for simplicity in design continues to transform the world far beyond technology, setting off a ripple effect that has impacted countless aspects of modern life.
KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) is a reminder not to make anything more complicated than it needs to be. Why? Because we as humans want order and meaning. We avoid the unnecessary. In fact, we reject it.
the power of
simplicity
is known from
science to tech to art
So, if the power of simplicity is known from science to tech to art to… every aspect of life, why are so many marketers behind the curve?
Let’s start with the fact that Marketing has never been more complex – the digital explosion has created infinite ways to reach consumers and that, ironically, has made breaking through the morass of marketing clutter harder than ever. There are competing forces, like the need for privacy and the push toward personalization. And the drive for lasting brand development is often negated by the demand for fast results. We have an abundance of data, but it’s not easy to leverage. But, instead of embracing simplicity as a solution, so much of B2B marketing communication is over-complicated, larded with jargon, or just plain too much information. When marketers say too much, they end up saying nothing.
This complexity makes brains hurt, and the resulting anxiety is not a welcoming selling environment. The risk of over-complicating communication is not only that it will be passively ignored, but it will be actively disliked. If something is confusing, doesn’t track logically, or lacks focus, we resent it. Even worse, we end up hating the source of it – so forget branding, we end up un-branding.
On the other hand, simplicity is a pleasure, especially in communication. When communication is clear and meaningful, we are relaxed, positive, and open to persuasion. Tell consumers what you do for them, in an easily understood way – and you’re on the way to a mutual love affair. This is why simplicity sells.
Simplicity
sells
Of course, this is not a new concept. Mark Twain famously said, “I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.”
If simplicity in effective communication was easy, everyone would do it. It’s rare in Marketing, especially in B2B. It takes hard work and discipline to find the precise, often singular, alignment of product benefit with customer need. And it takes courage and talent to tell the story that not only gets noticed but also connects in a memorable way.
Simplicity is worth the sweat.
How Can We Help You?
Some of our best client relationships began with a single project. If what we do seems to match what you need, large or small, let’s talk.
