Tips We Love from Chip & Dan Health's Made to Stick

Why is it that some ideas are more memorable than others? Some stand the test of time, making their mark on the memory of their audience, and potentially may even drive them to act. Other ideas seem to exit our brains just as quickly entered, and may have not even been fully heard. 

In Made to Stick, Chip and Dan Heath unpack the reasons why some ideas remaining fresh in the audience’s mind. They also dive into the strategies that effectively shape an idea into one that will stick, and help shift an attitude or behavior. 

These strategies developed by the authors can be summed up in a mnemonic device, called the SUCCESs model. In order for an idea to become sticky, it must be Simple, Unexpected, Concrete, Credible, invoke Emotion, and tell a compelling Story. This model indicates that for communication to be effective, these six elements need to be present (although not every idea needs to contain them all.) 

If you’re looking to make your content more memorable, read on to discover our favorite tips from Made to Stick.

Find the Core of the Idea

In the noisy chaos of the world, it can be difficult to get your idea to stick with your audience. If we look at the Simple in the SUCCESs model, it tells us that rather than getting caught up in telling our audience everything, instead focus on one or two key points. Think of an inverted pyramid- communicate and prioritize the most critical information from the start, and everything else in decreasing order of importance. Your audience will get the overarching message before they have a chance to lose interest. 

Attract Attention

As marketers, one of our goals is to ensure we captivate our audience's attention, but it can sometimes be a struggle to keep their attention. Two principles are crucial in this: surprise, which creates attention, and interest, which keeps it. Surprises can change the way a human behaves, sometimes striking us speechless, making our eyebrows raise, and causing our muscles to go slack, temporarily jolting us out of reality. To maintain interest, we need to find a way to “hook” the audience. By using these, you can effectively create an Unexpected experience for your potential clients. 

Paint a Mental Picture

The easier it is for us to relate to something, the easier it is for us to understand it, and therefore, remember it. If we can visualize a concept or story and link it to our personal lives there is a much better chance of it being sticky. To develop more Concrete ideas, you must tap into more sensory language, painting a mental picture. Your audience is likely to remember the concrete details over the more abstract ideas. The tales that stand the test of time are remembered based on the facts, rather than the conceptual thoughts. 

The Power of Details

Scientific studies show that concrete details increase an idea or a story’s Credibility. It is in human nature to be mesmerized by the details, with the assumption that if someone can talk about a concept or idea in great detail then it must be true. When we support the essence of our message with appropriate details, you can effectively build validity into what you are trying to communicate. By making a claim tangible and concrete, details make it seem more real, more believable. 

Tap into Emotion

We know that feelings have the power to influence thoughts and behaviors. Instead of focusing on statistics, think of an Emotional story to drive your clients to action. In order to make your content sticky, you need to find a way for your audience to care by creating an association between something they do take an interest in versus something they do not. Additionally, you can also use the concept of WIIFM (What’s In It For Me.) Telling them how your product or service will benefit them, will also help its stickiness.

Pass It On

The most ancient form of stickiness is the art of Storytelling. Stories are told and retold because they contain wisdom, and are effective teaching tools. When we are effective storytellers, in a sense, we are walking side-by-side with our audience, and allowing an open form of communication between the teller and listener. If we’re using statistics, powerpoints, and charts, we can create a barrier between them. A story’s power is twofold: it provides simulation and inspiration, teaching us how to act while giving us the motivation to do so. 

If you’re looking to get your message across more effectively, using the SUCCESs principles can help you achieve stickiness. For an idea to stick, it must make your audience pay attention, remember, believe, care, and be able to act on it. If you’re looking to deploy more ideas that are made to stick, we can help! Contact us today for a complimentary 1-hour consultation.