Commandment 3 – Thou shalt strive for Simplicity

Wow. We finally moved my family across town. I think that short of stomach flu, it’s the worst thing to do. We had so many friends help us load and unload the truck — and the process took about 7 hours. Not bad.

I love to people watch. Especially if they’re doing things that they don’t usually do. We had some that had moved in the past or helped others (they seemed like pros!) — and we had some that were willing to help do whatever they were told to do.

One person quickly took over the leadership in the truck. We had been putting lots of things in the back of the 26′ diesel monster and some people inside the truck were moving it forward as fast as they could. It was easy and efficient. Well…until we realized that we were filling up the truck too quickly and wouldn’t be able to fit it all in. Then “Don” (the new leader of the Pack!) took over. He slowed us down for a bit (that gave us time to eat Krispy Kremes and drink Cokes) and when we returned to the truck we were all amazed.

The boxes were all organized and in one area and the other non-rectangular things were organized in a small space. It was the start of a very successful day. Thank you Don!

When it comes to a website, often it takes a step back to realize that the majority of websites are crammed together, to many “things” not organized and the website looks full but not efficient. Simplicity and organization is key.

Stop and look at your menus. These buttons or words have to set the stage for organization. They are your “Don”. “Similar items are here!”, they scream. And they should be as few as possible. Without a well-thought-out menu, you can’t have simplicity.

When I think back to the beginning of the sale of our house, and we watched all the House Selling shows on HGTV — the first thing they talked about was “De-Clutter”! And that’s what happens when you start working with Menus. This organization makes your website look less cluttered and often it gives reason to get rid of information that doesn’t fit your website. It’s the first step for a great site.

Organizing the truck helped with unloading too. And that’s what is so important about your website. You want people to find information and unload it onto their screens. Quickly and efficiently.

On the truck, because all the smaller boxes were clustered together, someone would take a box and say “give me another, I can handle it too”. On your website, you want to tantalize your readers with a little more that might interest them. We’ve all been on sites that we get enthralled with and spend more time than we planned. Usually, that’s because they are uncluttered sites that tease you with links and menus so you can find out information that you didn’t even know they had. Wouldn’t that be great for your site too?!

The goal of simplicity is to put the fewest amount of clicks between your audience and the information it seeks. It sounds easy — but like a house move, it’s harder than you’d think. At least it’s a lot more enjoyable. Let us know if you want PinPoint to be your “Don”!