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July 11, 2007
Book Recommendation – Made to Stick
by Sridhar Ramanathan
Here’s a book you’ll finish in one sitting because it’s so good---entertaining yet insightful. Have you ever wondered why some “stories” or “urban legends” seem to pop up again and again? Chip and Dan Heath kickoff the book with the famous “kidney heist” story in which a man wakes up in a hotel room bathtub filled with ice. A note on his chest tells him to call 911 because his kidney has been stolen. Companies can learn a lot from understanding what makes some stories (or messages) stick and why most are unmemorable. They boil it down to six principles:
- Simple
- Unexpected
- Concrete
- Credible
- Emotion
- Story
I won’t elaborate on these here because it’s better that you just get the book and try it out the next time you’re working on a press release, a product launch, a company or board meeting, an analyst pitch, maybe even a job interview. Anything in which you want your message to stick. I tried this out with one client that’s struggling to stand out amidst a space with 40 other competitors. We distilled their elevator pitch down to a compelling little story that seems to be making a mark already with their customer prospects and industry analysts.
I’d love to hear your own tales of corporate messaging and how you’ve helped make them stick.
Posted July 11, 2007 | Permalink
Posted to Marketing Management