It’s no surprise that simplicity sells. Too many options can overload short-term memory, inhibiting the ability to process information, creating cognitive overload. In addition, excessive options can spark feelings of remorse after transactions as customers continue to wonder if they had made the right choice.

But creating “decision simplicity” presents only part of the brand simplicity picture. Sephora, Carrefour, and Amazon are examples of successful simple brands, despite providing a vast range of options to their customers.

Simplicity should be built into the very core of the brand, beginning with the product or service itself and extending through the interactions at each touch point and in all brand communications.

Achieving simplicity at this level is not easy, but the returns can be well worth the effort. The Siegel+Gale Global Brand Simplicity Index, an annual global study of 10,000 consumers (both customers and familiar nonusers) found that three out of four people are more likely to recommend a brand that provides simpler overall experiences and communications, and that people are even willing to pay more for a simpler brand’s product or service. In addition, brands that are perceived as being simple in their “products, services, interactions, and communications” outperformed indices on the stock market by as much as 100%.

So how can a brand achieve this form of simplicity? A look at the 2013 rebranding of the nonprofit Rotary can supply some clues.

Rotary is a highly complex organization, steeped in tradition, with 1.2 million members in 34,000 autonomously run clubs in 530 districts across the globe. Navigating its extensive and varied programming was difficult for members and the public alike, making it hard for the organization to stay relevant. Rotary also discovered, through an internal survey, that members had difficulty explaining the nonprofit’s role in the world.

Working with Siegel+Gale, they conducted two additional worldwide studies. The first one assessed a donor’s motivation to give money or time by comparing the nonprofit to 12 international peers and two local charities in each of four global regions to see how people perceived Rotary, as well as the respondent’s “brand preferences” among these organizations. This survey found that while some nonprofits were positioned clearly in people’s minds, Rotary wasn’t. The second study revealed that neither their members nor their staff could consistently answer the question, “What is Rotary?”

While the results were certainly disappointing, these surveys found two recurring and motivating themes: People join and stay with Rotary because of the connections they make with others and the positive feelings they get by giving back to their communities. Seeing the potential in these themes, Rotary adopted “community and connections” as their brand essence — the core benefit, promise, or purpose of a product, service, or organization.

Rotary organized all of their activities into three core areas at aligned with this brand essence: 1) “join leaders” for their club meetings; 2) “exchange ideas” for their work finding solutions to community problems; and, 3) “take action” for their work to create positive change in their local communities and in the world. As a result, Rotary was able to imply the benefits of getting involved with the organization, as well as explain how to do it, through one simple structure.

Finally, Rotary turned their attention to their website. Prior to the rebranding, this site was focused on internal operations, making it nearly incomprehensible to the general public. But with the new brand essence and architecture in place, they were able to simplify their messaging by using the three core areas as part of their navigation. They found they needed two websites: one for the public, helping them to understand Rotary’s role, and another for their members, where they could conduct their business. In addition, they updated their logo and imagery to underscore an experience centered on community and connections.

According to Rotary’s General Secretary, John Hewko, this simplification effort is showing positive results.

Based on Rotary’s experience, here are four key action steps to keep in mind for simplifying your brand:

Find your brand essence. Understanding what your brand stands for is not only essential for helping you focus your products and services, it is the key for helping you simplify your communications. A brand essence can be used as the screen for judging the appropriateness of everything from a group’s product and service offerings to their brand experience and communications. But be careful not to go too narrow with your essence. Focusing on one idea alone will be too limiting and handcuff your brand without providing the vibrancy needed for today’s world.

Hide your complexities. Many of the brands that rank high on the Siegel+Gale Brand Simplicity Index, such as Amazon and Google, have truly complex underpinnings, while providing a simple experience. Likewise, Rotary remains highly complex with its vast number of initiatives and programs. But the brand refresh simplified the experience into their three-item menu of “join leaders,” “exchange ideas,” and “take action,” making it easier for both members and non-members to get and stay involved.

Simplify your communications. Organizations that make their communications too complicated, have inconsistencies between their message and experience, or employ the use of fine print raise transparency questions and force consumers to work to align the promise with the reality. What consumers want is a clear presentation of the value a brand provides.

Realign your metrics. Measurements you once thought were helpful might not tell the entire story after your simplification process. When Rotary launched their new websites, they found that less time was spent on the site and there were fewer page views. But upon a further look, they learned that the change was because readers were now able to find their needed information more quickly — a key benefit of simplicity.

Taking these steps just might spark added recommendations and referrals, the ability to charge a premium, and greater brand value.