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How sticky are your ideas?

Written by: Todd Youngblood

Article Overview: Every now and then I come across a book that really nails its topic. "Made To Stick" by brothers Chip and Dan Heath is one of them. Their insights into consistently creating memorable messages is must reading for anyone in sales.

How sticky are your ideas?

Have you seen that video floating around the internet where the guy pops popcorn with three cell phones? Have you heard about the business traveler who was having a drink at his hotel, and then suddenly wakes up in bathtub filled with ice next to a cell phone instructing him to call 911 who informs him that he's the most recent victim of a kidney theft ring? Do you remember or have you read about JFK's "landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth" speech?

Two of the stories are total baloney, but all three sure are "sticky." Wouldn't it be great if our sales messages and value propositions had that much punch and staying power? Well, the brothers Heath have, in my opinion, done some terrific research and put together one heck of a set of guidelines. A quick summary of their "Six Principles of Sticky Ideas" follows:

• Simplicity - Simple, but not simplistic. Ruthlessly cut the details and fluff down to the core. Think about the Golden Rule. It's simultaneously simple and profound.
  
  
• Unexpectedness - This is more about creating curiosity than surprise. Create gaps in knowledge. Gee, I have drinks in airports & hotels all the time - how do I make sure nobody's slipping me a mickey so they can swipe my kidney?
  
  
• Concreteness - Think in terms of action and sensory information. Land on the moon and safely return; razor blades in Halloween apples. (Sorry, maybe that last one is too concrete!)
  
  
• Credibility - Proof with hard data can be a big help here as long as it's simple. Strong references and endorsements too.
  
  
• Emotions - First pick the right emotion to tap. Example: Want a teenager to quit smoking? Tap into fear of bad health two or three decades from now? Or tap into resentment against how Big Tobacco exploits the public with misleading info and outright lies just to preserve their profits?
  
  
• Stories - Think about what is consistently rated as the best, most useful portion of a sales meeting or conference. It's always the interaction with other attendees. That's when all the stories get swapped!
  
  

That gives you a flavor for what's in the book. It's also loaded with examples, hints and tips. Here's a thought; buy a copy, read it, implement some of its ideas and regularly...

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Article Tags: baloney, bathtub, business traveler, curiosity, fluff, gaps, golden rule, jfk, kidney theft ring, li li, man on the moon, razor blades, sales messages, staying power, sticky ideas, style text, swipe, terrific research, text decoration, value propositions



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