Last
week, we explored how changing one word can save your sanity and make
progress easier and more enjoyable. This week, we’re going explore what it
is that makes an idea the sort of thing you a) remember and b) want to pass
it on to other people - the holy grail of marketers, trainers product
developers. In this article, you’ll discover the 6 qualities that make an
idea sticky.
When I
was in my early twenties, the friend of a friend of mine (let’s call him
Patrick) had a dog, a golden retriever called Coltrane. One night, Coltrane
came padding in from the back garden with something in his mouth. To
Patrick’s horror, he saw that it was the limp, lifeless body of his
next-door neighbour’s black and white spotted rabbit, Flossy, dead & covered
in dirt. Patrick panicked – he knew how much the family next door loved that
rabbit, and he was mortified at the thought of the uproar when they
discovered Coltrane had killed her. Thinking fast, he washed the deceased
rabbit down in the bathtub, & blow-dried her fur, then crept next door to
place her back in her hay-filled hutch. The next morning, Patrick heard
shouts of shock and panic from next door’s garden, so he put on his most
innocent expression before going outside and asking “What’s wrong?” “It’s
Flossy”, his neighbour replied with a disbelieving expression. “She died
yesterday, and we buried her in the garden, but now she’s all cleaned up and
back in her cage.”
As you
may have guessed, this is an urban myth that did the rounds in the UK in the
80s. We’ve all heard urban myths, those apocryphal tales told to us by a
friend about a friend of one their friends or relatives. Successful urban
myths spread like wildfire, getting repeated from person to person. In their
superb book “Made to Stick”, Chip & Dan Heath ask (& answer) a great
question – what is it that makes some ideas sticky (& other ideas not)?
Here’s
what they discovered (in a nutshell). Sticky ideas have the following
qualities:
·
Simplicity –
They convey something in a way that is simple & straightforward.
·
Unexpected –
They use surprise, interest & curiosity to get & keep attention.
·
Concrete –
They connect with what we can see, hear, feel, smell & taste.
·
Credible –
They are believable (testable against your own experience, if possible).
·
Emotional –
They connect with us on an emotional level.
·
Stories –
Stories resonate deeply with human neurology – they’re the ultimate delivery
system for ideas.
These
are the keys to an idea’s SUCCES - while having these qualities doesn’t
guarantee an idea will be sticky, they sure help.
1) Think of
something you’ve been learned or discovered that you’ve told one or more
other people about. Which of the SUCCES criteria did it meet?
Let’s
look at the urban myth example I used:
Simple
Yes.
You could probably tell the story to someone else without having to re-read
it, & still get the essentials right. While you may not remember the
rabbit’s name (Flossy) or the breed of the dog (golden retriever), you could
probably still pass it on with the key structural elements intact.
Unexpected
Yes.
The punch-line (“we buried her in the garden but now she’s back in her
cage”) is very unexpected, & changes the entire meaning of the story. As an
aside, this kind re-framing is a staple of many jokes, & a key element of
NLP change work. It also comes up in many of the most memorable stories &
movies (Eg. Sixth Sense, Fight Club, The Usual Suspects).
Concrete
Yes.
This story includes plenty of tangible sensory details. Our minds & bodies
have developed for a world of things & experience, not a world of abstract
concepts. By using sensory experiences, it creates a more “concrete”
experience in your mind.
Credible
Yes.
In this case, the story was told to me by someone I trusted (a friend) about
their friend’s friend.
Emotional
Yes.
We can all identify with the strong emotions involved in this story –
Patrick’s panic at discovering the atrocity committed by his dog, the
neighbours shock at finding his rabbit back in her cage.
Stories
Yes.
This has a classic “story” structure.
2) Think of an idea
that you’d like to convey. How many of the elements does it have already?
People
get fed an overwhelming amount of information these days. It’s more
important than ever that your ideas stand out if they’re going to be
successful. In the weeks ahead, we’ll look at each of these elements in
detail, & play with some steps you can take to make your ideas even more
sticky.
Have a
great week
Best
wishes
Your friend
Jamie
Jamie Smart
director of training
jamie.smart@saladltd.co.uk
If you have found this tip useful, please share it with any friends,
family, colleagues and associates who you think will be interested. You are
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continue to enjoy the tips. I am always grateful for any comments,
criticisms or other feedback that you may have. Please send them to
jamie.smart@saladltd.co.uk
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