Last weekend, I disassembled the platform that formerly went under our mattress. As I started taking it apart, I was surprised to find how little there was to support our mattress. However, this platform had lasted through two mattresses - a total of 15 years or more. If I had built one myself, I probably would have used 4-5 times as much material. That got me thinking about marketing... yes, I think about it a lot :) One of the things people get when they hire a skilled marketer, or many other service providers, is that the job gets done with the minimal amount of inputs needed. However, some service providers try to hide this behind a lot of smoke and mirrors. I think it is better to show clients how simple it is if you know how to really execute. For example, I have a client who came to work with us after being frustrated with the results they were getting from an advertising agency. Each month, the agency sent them an 8-page report with all of the activity they were taking on their behalf. However, their cost per lead was increasing each month. Instead of an 8-page report, we provide a bulleted list of about 8 activities and 6 measurable results. We perform fewer activities than the agency did on a monthly basis. However, our results demonstrate that we are achieving the results the client wants. It is definitely an example of less is more. When you get really good at what you do, it’s tempting to make it look like you do more than you do. I say you should resist. Focus on the results your clients want to achieve and how you can deliver those results regardless of the time invested. That is real value for your clients.