If you’re like me, even a little bit, you’ve wondered why certain ideas or images have stuck in your mind for many years. One of the things that has stuck with me is the old McDonald’s jingle about the Big Mac. I don’t remember the last time I saw or heard this commercial, but it sticks with me to this day.
Brothers, Dan and Chip Heath’s 2007 book, Made To Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and others Die seeks to explain this phenomenon. Most interesting, they outline the steps necessary to make ideas or stories or even marketing strategies successful:
- Simple
- Unexpected
- Concrete
- Credibility
- Emotion
- Stories
This book is filled with stories, anecdotes and simple explanations on how we all can (either professionally or personally) ensure that our ideas remain in our audience’s mind years later.
I highly recommend this book. If you’re a coach leading a team, this book will help you understand what will make your players remember what they should be focusing on. If you’re a parent trying to understand how to make your kid complete her homework , you will find invaluable tips. If you’re a marketing professional, this book will ensure that your strategy becomes successful. No matter the profession, this is a book that will help you deal with the people around.
Do you have a favourite book? Have you read Made to Stick? Thoughts and comments are welcomed. Especially on the original post.