Can Less Be More?
"Good things come in small packages." - Aesop
There was no way to ignore it!
The man came on the screen speaking at seemingly superhuman speeds.
His rapid-fire delivery was a seductive assault on your ears.
Whether you wanted to or not, you had to pay attention!
The year was 1987 and that man was John Moschitta, Jr. who has been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as The World’s Fastest Talker.
The forum for his rare talent was a television advertisement for Micro Machines; a line of tiny toy vehicles that were highly detailed and about one-third the size of the popular Hot Wheels toy vehicles.
From their introduction in 1987 they were an instant success.
Why?
Besides the aforementioned brilliant and brilliantly executed commercial campaign, their diminutive size was…unique.
In a crowded market of toy sameness, Micro Machines stood out as different.
Can Less Be More?
A decade or so earlier than the introduction of Micro Machines, I witnessed another phenomenon.
My Mother used an Automated Teller Machine for the first time.
Taking money out of the bank without the need to interact with a teller? This was a completely new paradigm!
Despite my young age, I got the sense that this was the foreshadowing of a transformation.
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Knowingly or not, the folks who invented Micro Machines and ATMs were using a method of thinking creatively
To summarize this method in a few words, it is:
Taking the whole or some part of what you're considering and greatly reducing it or dramatically scaling it down
The purpose of using that, or any other, Purposeful Creative Thinking
It’s a way of thinking that can help bring something to the marketplace that consumers have not experienced previously. It can make your offerings remarkable.
Can Less Be More?
McDonald’s is possibly the most successful elimination story of all time.
Prior to the world-famous iteration everyone is familiar with, the McDonald brothers ran a drive-in restaurant much like others that were in vogue in the late 1940’s and early ‘50’s.
But drive-ins were rife with problems. So, the brothers completely changed how they thought about what a restaurant was.
They eliminated every offering from their menu that didn’t sell well.
They trimmed it to only essential items and mostly sold four things; hamburgers, french fries, Coca-Cola’s and milk shakes.
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Gone were car hops, cigarette machines and juke boxes. They ditched anything that was attracting customers they would be better off letting their competitors have.
The dishes were even gotten rid of. McDonald’s food was served in disposable wrappers.
But, perhaps the most important thing they eliminated was the largest obstacle to customer satisfaction
By adapting the principles of the assembly line that Henry Ford utilized in the automobile business to fit their restaurant, the McDonald brothers literally invented fast food!
Did it work? Today, McDonald’s has over 39,000 restaurants worldwide and serves 1% of the entire population of the planet EVERY DAY!
Other Examples
Some other product and service examples of Minify/Eliminate:
Polly Pocket
A line of toys that features micro-sized dolls and everything else needed to play with them.
Vehicle Leasing?
Helping consumers obtain a vehicle in this way eliminates a portion of vehicle ownership and the accompanying cost.
Legal Zoom?
Ironically Founded by an attorney, it eliminated the lawyer from routine legal work.
Ordering Kiosks/Mobile Apps in Fast Food Restaurants?
Eliminate the need to stand in line and interact with a person, thus accelerating the already fast speed of quick service restaurants.
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Less Can Be More!
Here’s how to use this method. Look at each of your market offerings and consider the following questions:
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NOTE: These are the exact questions we address in the Purposeful Creative Thinking Training FUNshops we conduct to teach this method and that I use when developing business strategies for clients.
How will you use this method to position your offerings as unique in the marketplace
**Some of the content of this article was excerpted from an article originally published in FDI Alliance International Magazine. Find that article here.
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About?Bob Sager
The founder of SpearPoint Solutions, Bob’s professional background includes over three decades of experience in sales, leadership and training. Combined with creative thinking, he uses that experience to develop business strategies that help organizations increase sales and reduce customer acquisition cost. Additionally, his team of Certified Facilitators train organizations on methods of purposeful creative thinking that are crucial to thriving in the modern?economy.
Among other accomplishments, Bob is the?inventor?of the creative thinking game, What's the BIG Idea??, author of the books, Discovering Your Greatness and 101 Freaking Brilliant Business Ideas.
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1 年Absolutely love the concept of "Minify or Eliminate" thinking! The McDonald's and Micro Machines examples vividly showcase the power of stripping away the unnecessary for unparalleled success.
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1 年Wonderful and important topic highlighted from your side. This concept is not limited to design; it can be applied to various aspects of life and work encompassing simplicity, focus and efficiency. The principle of "Less is More" emphasizes simplicity, minimalism and the removal of unnecessary elements. Focusing on a few essential tasks rather than spreading oneself too thin can lead to increased productivity. Simplifying decision-making processes by focusing on critical factors and eliminating unnecessary complexities can lead to more effective and timely decisions. The key is finding the right balance and applying the principle judiciously based on the specific goals, challenges and circumstances at hand.
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1 年Absolutely agree, Bob! Your newsletters are always packed with game-changing insights. Can't wait to dive into this one.
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1 年It is easy to add more and more that eventually weigh us down, Choosing the right ones are crucial to move forward swiftly. Bob Sager Great article
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1 年Another valuable newsletter, Bob Sager. Simplifying or eliminating certain aspects can lead to remarkable offerings that stand out in the marketplace. It's a reminder that sometimes, less is more, and the art of simplicity can lead to truly groundbreaking ideas.