Complexity is an inside job

The spectacular success of Apple is nothing short of magical.
While no single factor can explain Apple’s success, there is one common thread that runs through it all.
And that’s simplicity.

That’s not me talking.
That’s Ken Segall* talking in his remarkable book Insanely Simple: The Obsession That Drives Apple’s Success. (I highly recommend it. There’s a ton of useful ideas in Insanely Simple, don’t lend it to a friend—you’re unlikely to get it back.)

My 2:
You are trying to sell your service and/or product to people who feel overwhelmed.
Our smart phones have more functions that we can learn. The same is true for our TVs, cars, etc.
Everyone you deal with is overwhelmed.
This is why whatever you want to communicate to them, you must learn to do it simply.

Making your offers muddied, unfocused and complicated instead of simple is an inside job.
It’s true, complexity actually originates from within your own business. The biggest day-to-day problems, complexities and confusion are not caused by outside forces (e.g. competition), but instead come from how you react to those forces. It’s easy to forget that.

*Ken Segall is an advertising executive who worked closely with Steve Jobs for over 12 years spanning NeXT and Apple. Among other things, he started the i-frenzy by naming iMac and helped develop Apple’s famous Think different campaign.