Simplification is a strategy

I’m writing to you from an eye-poppingly gorgeous converted barn in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by horses, sheep, and… peacocks, of all things. Think exposed brick walls, a roaring log fire, old wooden beams, soft ice-white bedsheets, and a roll top bath, where I will absolutely be turning myself into a prune every night.

I’m on my third annual solo business retreat where I look at what went well this past year, what didn’t go so well (PASS ME THE SCROLL), and get my plans rolling for next year.

Every year, no matter how vivid my vision, I encourage myself to keep things simple. Because:

SIMPLIFICATION IS A STRATEGY.

If you want to add more value to your life / brand / business / service / program, choose something to remove from it first.

You don’t need a full schedule to be a successful human.

You don’t need a fancy “out there” brand to captivate people.

You don’t need multiple sales channels to have a sustainable business.

You don’t need a huge pile of deliverables for your service to sell.

You don’t need to bolt 4 bonuses on to your program for people to be excited about buying it.

You might want “more.”

Your people might want “more.”

But what does “more” really mean?

Because the truth is, “too much” is overwhelming.

The more you throw at something, the more you risk diluting what really matters.

So decide what really matters, and then strip back the excess.

As part of my rebrand, I’ve had to remind myself to simplify my approach over and over again.

• I wanted to have a place on the new website for copywriters because I LOVE teaching copywriters how to run better online businesses. But, now that I’m positioned as a brand strategist first and foremost, adding this element risked confusing people, so I cut it.
• I wanted my group program, The Captivation Code, to cover the entire Brand Captivation Framework in 4-6 weeks. But, it was going to be too much for the timeframe, so I cut it down.
• I wanted to have different opt-ins for people who were at different stages in their branding / rebranding journey. But, the thought of making everything work together (especially tech-wise) made me anxious, so I created one opt-in that would be super valuable for any online coach, creative, or consultant building or rebuilding a personality-driven brand that captivates more ideal clients.

That opt-in is the Brand Captivation Framework which you can download here right now if you haven’t already:

When it comes to the way you’re showing up in and expressing your brand to the world, ask yourself:

1. What could you simplify to make YOURSELF feel lighter?

2. What could you simplify to make your prospects / clients feel lighter?

You might find that whoever said “less is more” was actually right.