Have you seen the documentary Happy? It’s available on Instant Netflix and explores what makes people around the world happy. Of course, this global perspective lends itself to showing the viewer the different ways in which people seek happiness and what is effective for them.
It may sound a bit Buddhist, but simplicity is the key to happiness in life. Over-stimulation leads us to feel unsettled and frantic rather than centered and calm. Make things easier on yourself and put attention back to what truly matters.
This is a business philosophy too, what we call Getting Back To The Basics, and not only will it help you reduce stress in your personal life, it will help you to reinvigorate your approach to business. Because simplicity ISN’T about taking the easy way out or being lazy, it’s about clear objectives, honest tactics, and productive engagement. Here’s a tip on how to enhance your brand.
Getting back to basics–Redefining Your Bottom Line
I have been in business for over 25 years. (Hard to believe, but true!) And I have struggled with the shiny object syndrome for many years. Meaning I have ADD of the business brain and can jump from one great idea to the next like many creative business owners. But I have learned over the years that when I stay the course with my one clear message to my one clear audience, I get the most powerful response with the greatest impact.
What is your core message to your clients or customers? What is it they can accomplish with your products or services?
You may have once known the answer, and maybe it got lost in your ROI shuffle. Use simplicity to harness your mission statement. Internalize this statement–it will bring a smile to your face as it illuminates your next steps forward.
Keep your visual media and verbiage consistent in order to echo and reinforce your message. Have you tried a hundred different social media campaigns, each with a different tone or visual aesthetic? Maybe you even have multiple logos or company designs. Simplify, simplify, simplify. Keep your branding consistent, reiterate and reinforce the core principles of your business. Your clients want to know what you’re all about, not what sounds catchy to you in the moment. Be authentic. Be real!
Project for the future, but live in the present. You can tell when someone isn’t engaged in the moment, when they’re just going through the motions. This is usually caused by stress or anticipation. In a business sense, not being engaged with the present leads to procrastination and inattentiveness. You should know the details of your business ventures inside and out, which means you must listen to your associates and clients responses to your work. Not just hear their voices, but actually listen. This will also create stronger, more trusting professional relationships.
Try it out…see if dropping some of the bells and whistles and simplifying your approach to business actually helps you embolden your brand and expand your sales.