Simple is easy to understand
People love a simple message.
But we can’t help but make things complex. The more we discover, invent, and grow as a species, the more complicated our lives become.
The irony is that we love simplicity. We prefer easy-to-use products. We gravitate toward people who express themselves clearly. We love companies that have a distinctive, simple brand.
Marketing is made massively more powerful by a short statement that is easy to understand and throw your support behind. Look at the messaging of two of the most surprising political results in recent years.
Brexit: Take back control
Trump: MAGA - Make America great again
They’re simple statements that are difficult to disagree with - who wants to give up control and have no say in future decisions?! (ironically what the UK agreed to by leaving the EU) and who doesn't want to make their country great again?
These are massive oversimplifications, and there’s an inherent bias within them, that you don’t have control now and America isn’t great, it is somehow failing. However, these two examples show how people responded positively to easy to grasp sentiments on extremely complex and deep subjects.
So why do we overcomplicate things? Well, mainly because simplicity is really hard to attain. I’ll repeat that for dramatic effect.
Simplicity is hard.
It takes work to distil a company’s brand, to cut through layers of complexity, or to streamline a relatable narrative into something concise.
Simplicity, then – it’s something that looks easy on the outside, but is extremely tricky on the inside.
Simplicity is not about being simple – it’s about giving the impression of being simple.
Let’s take a look at a few examples in action:
Anything you could possibly want is just one click away. That’s what Amazon told the world when it brought e-commerce to the masses. Such a simple, compelling idea, with an impossibly complex logistical problem behind it.
When Steve Jobs returned to Apple, at a time when it was very close to failure, he simplified its mission:
“Provide relevant, compelling solutions that customers can only get from Apple.”
A strong culture can be a great simplifying tool: it helps establish a clear, consistent set of principles while unifying a company under one banner.
There’s a consistent thread running through all truly great companies. All have a simple, compelling brand that shines. And from this simplicity follows worldwide recognition, and with this recognition, exponential growth.
A strong, coherent brand is key to successful simplicity.
Simplicity can also lead to real love and admiration for a company.
After all, we’re attracted to simplicity over complexity, which is why simplicity can help customers come to love a particular brand. A company that offers ease of use and convenience will gain supporters.
These supporters will then become devoted to the brand.
Uber is a great example of a company that has achieved simplicity by removing friction. By providing a simple, convenient alternative to taxis, it has quickly gained a global fanbase.
Uber’s ease of use means that most customers remain faithful in the face of stiff competition, they have created brand loyalty.
It’s hard to “love” a bank. But there are ways to build meaningful connections with customers, like providing support when starting a business, which generates a kind of emotional attachment. A bank can set you on the path to saving for a house or a happy retirement. The Bank of Melbourne did this by aiming to help people out:
“Our goal is to help you and your business ‘make it’...”
A simple positive statement can go a long way to helping your marketing and business succeed. In 2022, more than any other time it's important to “Do good, to do good [in business]”
People instinctively prefer simplicity over complexity. Real simplicity, however, takes work.
By removing friction and focusing on a simple user experience, by simplifying your messaging, by having a simple strong brand - simplicity can inspire love and loyalty toward your company.
Simple is easy to understand, and when people really understand you, sales become effortless.
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