KISS marketing strategy is the most successful business strategy for the 21^st century. Experts have been recommending it as an improvement methodology for small businesses for a long time because simplicity is the key to business success. KISS stands for Keep It Simple, Stupid. The theory behind the strategy is quite simple – people don’t like to read instructions or pay attention for extended periods. These could include your employees, customers, suppliers, investors, and even you. Likewise, nobody wants to waste time on things they don’t need.

Systems and processes should be as simple as possible in business for they improve customer experience and outlook towards your business.

Applications

Any business solution provider should be lighter, leaner, and simpler. Easy-to-use solutions are appreciated by the customer regardless of the industry. Otherwise, what’s the point?

So, make a deliberate and explicit attempt to inculcate simplicity in your systems. However, there are a few areas that you can easily apply the KISS strategy to – these include projects, processes, products, marketing, and reports.

1. Projects

Launching new projects and coming up with new ideas for execution are the drivers of change in business. There are a few basic phases that are common to every project. These include: manifesting an idea, defining the idea and planning, launching the idea, monitoring and measuring, and finally closing it.

Seems easy enough? However, it is far from reality. Though some projects can be a walk in the park, most will absolutely require gruelling effort and tenacity to fulfil. KISS strategy can be especially helpful in reducing stress and segmenting the effort required. First, target the smaller, more well-defined areas such as the project’s purpose, people involved or identifying deadlines. Then, employ KISS improvement methodology for small-medium businesses for smooth functioning.

2. Processes

Another region where small businesses lose their speed and agility is by the following routine. As the organization grows larger, certain idiosyncrasies become predominant in the office. These wonts are especially noticeable in the corporate environment. Nevertheless, these individuals and organizations follow their rules diligently and never question whether they could perform these processes better or more efficiently.

Automation is a great avenue to increase process mobility and employee agility. The best regions to automate are basic accounting, payroll processing, preliminary project management, email marketing, and social media management.

3. Product

Too many businesses start off great but eventually lose their momentum and tread the average corporate lane. They assume that complexity leads to a more positive outlook about their product. However, the opposite is true. The trend of minimalism had originated from simplicity. Complicated products and their ingredients go right over common people’s minds, and you lose ground in the credibility sector.

Hence, simplify your products and anything related to them with KISS improvement methodology for small-medium businesses. For instance, removing overtly complicated features, removing unnecessary ingredients, and simplifying instructions is a great place to start. Then, centre your product on the customer’s needs and answer all their questions regarding your service.

4. Marketing

Like their products, businesses tend to complicate their marketing efforts as well. Communication is key for the business to grow. If you can’t communicate well with your customers, you will lose them. Therefore, keeping your marketing efforts simple like your business is essential.

Navigation and product explanation should be very simple and consistent. So, try to lay out everything you want your customers to know about your product in your marketing efforts. Email campaigns and ads should also be succinct and accurate. Keep your marketing message simple and easy to understand.

The three aspects that your marketing efforts should cover and make perfectly clear are: the product sold, the method to purchase, and prices. On a side note, simplified marketing efforts boost transparency and increases credibility.

5. Reports

KISS marketing strategy for small businesses has other useful applications, too – getting investment. Company reports and data are lengthy, time-consuming and can easily lose the audience’s attention. Detailed reports are easily misread and could fail to put a point across. Hence, try to simplify your accounting reports and highlight your numbers if they are not already clear. Whatever reports you may be formulating, remember to keep it simple enough so that even the layman could understand it.

KISS marketing strategy is not an entirely new concept for small businesses. However, simplicity is far more difficult to maintain than letting the systems get complex. Simplicity requires certain forethought, but once workflow streamline is achieved, it will generate a great impact on your business.