I just installed a new widget on my website where you can sign up to get my blog in your email (you can see it just to the right of this post at the top). So, at the end of every day, you’ll get an email telling you about any new blogs I’ve posted that day. Been wanting to do this for years.

So, I was sitting down with my pal and fellow marketing nerd Jaime Almond and we went a searchin’ for the best widget to use.

We came across two. Feedblitz and FeedBurner.

And they illustrate the point of making things easy vs. hard perfectly.

Feedblitz was half an hour of total frustration. Their website was confusing. I downloaded (and paid) for their software and couldn’t figure out how to install it. Jaime Almond (who’s a tech genius) couldn’t figure out how to install it. I actually started to get a headache. I never get headaches.

Finally, I said, “I hate this software.“

“Don’t use it then,” said Jaime.

I like Jaime’s common sense approach . . .

So, we checked out FeedBurner.

Feedburner was on my website in 3 minutes. And working. And free.

I love Feed Burner right now. They gave me something I was wanting. And they made it easy. The experience was pleasant.

The point: don’t make it hard on people.

If you make some computer software don’t just make it ‘easy’ make it ‘transparent’. They push a button and it happens.

If you’ve got a message – don’t confuse people. Don’t be clever. Just say it.

A thought to remember: the confused mind says no.

Read that again. It’s so important.

You want to make it easy for people to understand who you are and what you do – not hard. Don’t make them ‘work for it’. A client of mine wrote me this a year or so ago . . .

“The other day at and after my morning exercise class, one of the participants handed me what, by the looks of it was promotional flyer for an event (4×6 card). I thanked him but as it was visually ‘complex’ I just pocketed it and walked home. Later when I had the opp. to read it I found it visually over the place and was truly challenged when I found it to have no date, or event.  Puzzled by this I approached the gentleman the next morning and made inquiries. When I asked what he was promoting, and noted that it didn’t have an event listed or a date he responded, as if letting me in on a secret “You hafta read between the lines, it’s self promotion”. I repressed all of my urges in the moment (to burst out laughing, or to scream…”that’s really BAD marketing”) by thinking that I could just tell you about it for a giggle.”

Here’s another real life, example: This one is from a poster I saw recently might be a great example of how not to do explain the ‘Theta Healing’ work you do.

“Theta is an extraordinary healing modality where “quantum physics and metaphysics converge at the speed of light.”  By accessing the Creator from the unconditional 7th Plane of All That Is deeply entrenched unconscious beliefs that contradict and sabotage lasting efforts to heal core issues, soul wounds, past traumas are cleared when the Creator’s own definition/understanding/perspective are downloaded into your circuitry.  Old programmed cell receptors are closed down and new ones that are now God-encoded are opened up.  Simple, easy to learn, Theta will not only vastly increase your intuitive abilities, your life will be changed forever as the love held for the Divine expands exponentially within you.”

What the . . .?

Don’t confuse people. Confusion is low level pain for people. If you confuse and frustrate people they will tell all their friends not to use you.

Make working with you easy. Make it a delight. Make them feel smart and they will rave to their friends about your services and products.

Either way you get word of mouth marketing.

Do you have any stories about things that were incredibly hard or easy? Share it in the comments section below.

 

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