Confused People Don’t Convert

Those who’ve been following me for a while know I love a good DIY project, especially home renovations. A few weeks ago, my project manager (my wife) put me in charge of adding a board and batten wall to the office. Like always, I started researching—watching videos, reading guides, looking at different approaches.

Then I came across one tutorial that had me cracking up. This guy managed to take a simple project and make it ten times harder than it needed to be. It was like watching a how-not-to video.

And it got me thinking—whether it’s sales, giving directions, coaching little league, or anything else, keeping things simple is key. Overcomplicating things might make you look like an expert, but in reality, people are just scratching their heads, wondering what in the world you’re doing. The clearer and more concise you are, the more people actually get it—and that’s what matters.

Confused People Don’t Convert

Ever had a machine operator stare at a work instruction like it’s written in a foreign language? That’s exactly what happens when your sales and marketing messaging is too complex.

In manufacturing, new people are joining the industry every day—whether they’re fresh out of trade school, switching careers, or stepping into leadership roles. If they can’t quickly understand what you offer and how it helps them, they won’t buy.

Think about it: If you’re selling a robotic welding system and describe it as an “automated fusion-based metallurgical joining solution utilizing AI-driven parameters,” you’re losing your audience. But if you say, “Our robotic welder cuts cycle times in half and improves weld quality with AI-driven precision,” you’re speaking their language.

Jocko Willink talks about this in Leadership Strategy and Tactics, emphasizing the power of keeping things simple: "If your team doesn’t understand your plan, they can’t execute it. Simplicity equals speed. Simplicity equals success." The same applies to sales and marketing—complexity kills conversion.

Simple sells. If a new hire on the shop floor or a plant manager unfamiliar with your solution can’t grasp it, it’s too complicated. Clarity builds trust—and trust leads to sales.

The Effective Syndicate is a family of brands dedicated to supporting U.S. manufacturing by addressing the industry's unique challenges:

• The Effective Syndicate: Delivering expert consulting services in Lean Six Sigma, leadership development, and operational improvement to help manufacturing companies achieve sustainable growth and operational excellence.

• TES Recruiting: Connecting manufacturing companies with top-tier talent, from the shop floor to the C-suite.

• Swiftemp: Providing fast, reliable staffing solutions, specializing in temporary-to-hire roles for manufacturing and metal fabrication.

• GSD Manager Training: Empowering managers with practical, no-nonsense training to lead confidently, enhance productivity, and build stronger teams.

Together, we help U.S. manufacturing businesses thrive. Want to learn more? Check out our website! www.tes.run