The term apparently originated not on sales floors, but in the US Navy. It is easy to see why the phrase is popular with sales managers. You can vary it to ‘keep it short and simple’ or ‘keep it simple and straightforward’. The message is always the same, don’t overcomplicate matters.
That’s not to say that sales people see their customers as simpletons or less knowledgeable. Underestimating a customer is always a route to failure. Instead, KISS is a call to get to the heart of the matter and not bombard the customer with speeds and feeds; the core principle behind any good “elevator pitch.”
Too much tech
