Why simple works

In communications, business and life, simple is a rare commodity.

Why? Because simple is harder to attain than complex. It requires discipline, craft and quiet thinking. Three qualities increasingly difficult to carve out time and focus for.

For that reason, simple is also a precious thing. Our audience is drawn to simple. An Apple ad with nothing but a dancer’s silhouette and white earbuds has a magnetic power over us.

I was trained in advertising and design to create messages that would attract people emotionally. If we could express a powerful idea in a few – or no – words, we would win eyeballs, and sales.

Think about it. Which ads in this newspaper attract you, and hold you? The ones with white space. Sure, the bold type starburst ads grab you, but intuitively they turn you away. Nobody likes to be screamed at. Bold type and starbursts are visual histrionics.

So how do you get to simple?

When you arrive at work today, try this.

If you’re writing a document, print out your ‘final’ version. Then go to the coffee room with a pencil and the printout. Start to cross out words that feel like filler. Sentences that repeat thoughts. Acronyms (yes, synergy and offline, we mean you).

Now ask a colleague to do the same with your scribbled up printout. You’ll be surprised how many more superfluous bits their cold, objective eye finds.

Finally, head back to your computer. Print out a clean copy of the wordy doc, and the newly edited simple doc. Give it to a few colleagues and see how they react. I’ll bet simple wins by a landslide.

Certainly, you may argue simple takes more time than complex. To which I’d say, would you like anyone to read what you write?

Keep it simple.

Read more from Marc Stoiber here.