The simplicity of business

When I consider all the research, time , and money spent on understanding consumers, businesses and customers I am often struck by how basic it all is. Now for the quantitative minded out there, engineering inclined who sail thought the acrobatics of code and equationary fortitude I gladly applaud and bow to you. My mind works well not writhing 21 century hieroglyphics or reveling in the statistical dexterity that offers me a additional .01% of understanding. I am in love with the creative and the minds of those who surround me, the desire for what we dont need, the drive to possess and mind that deems it all necessary. I love the idea that we have moved beyond the basics of necessity and blended the necessity with the irrelevant, I say this not in shame but in curious enjoyment of observation of the world around me. In striving to find my footing in the world of enterprise, big business and marketing understand, the more I learn the more I seem to find myself pondering why we as a group try so hard to understand what will make another thirst for our ideas, products and skills. Most will spend years to prove what others will simply show up and present knowing that words to show proof are simply wasted air, show up and be real or shut your mouth. As a young teen I was fascinated with magic, and admittedly still will read and study the mindset of these great thinkers flying silently under the radar. I learned more about consumers from books and lectures on hypnosis and misdirection than any marketing class. The "mystery" of what would drive someone to desire my product or idea is as true today as it was 15 years ago. Most know that the mind has developed personality and a wide range of thought processes, emotions, triggers, all before the age of eight or so. Past that most of us have been trying to learn and follow the rules that will allow us to thrive, blend, be independent, and multitube of other aspects that we question and even now strive to find a balance with. Do we buy based on fear? Perhaps. Social pressure's? Possibly? Let me offer you a secret that you may have forgotten about... ready, here it is... SIMPLICITY. Ever see a child and wonder why they are amazed, enthralled, brought to giggles or tears by the simplest of things? It is a fascinating thing to watch. Every child can create a story off the top of their head, express 10 emotions in 20 seconds, and so can the rest of us, we have simply trained ourselves not to. We have words like; control, emotional state, the right time, appropriateness, we have trained ourselves to control our minds for the most part. But it is not all under your control. Hearing a song that makes you think of a ex-lover, a photo that brings tears, a smell that regresses you to a childhood at the fair. The most primal of instincts, the raw brain that lingers behind our eyes, is very simple. We are very simple beings who have cloaked ourselves in complexity, but we are simple, we like laughing, sex, excitement and being surprised or amazed. we also like creating stories and the simpest of things allow us to create a impression or retrieve a past one. Why do the most successful companies seem to have VERY few choices of variations of product? Because at the core we dont need or want it. The more the variation, the more complex it seems and the more difficult most people view it. Give someone a service, consulting meeting or whatever with 30 different options and 50 different forms, they have every fucking option in the world at their fingertips for a rock bottom price and they will want more. Give them one option that works, simple, effective... you can charge them their first born. When it comes down to it we dont care how many mirrors, fancy card moves or brightly colored scarves the magician shows the audience, in the end all they want to see is if you can find their damn card. With simplicity you can create amazing results. Keep it simple, fun, and you will be beyond effective.