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Made to Stick - Chip & Dan Heath

By Josh Kaufman

Remember the last boring PowerPoint presentation you sat through? How much of it did you remember? Chances are, the talk contained important information – it just wasn’t “sticky” enough to stay in your mind

In Made to Stick, the Chip and Dan Heath clearly show that ideas that spread have six common characteristics: they’re simple, unexpected, provide concrete details, come from credible sources, have emotional impact, and take the form of stories and anecdotes. Not only do these characteristics have explanatory power, you can actually use them to identify your core message and improve its “stickiness” before you spread it.

One very useful concept you’ll be exposed to in Made to Stick is “The Curse of Knowledge.” Just because you know exactly what you mean when you’re communicating doesn’t mean your audience will always be able to follow you – you must take care to present contextual information in a way they are able to completely understand and remember. By using the principles the Heath Brothers explain in this book, you can overcome the Curse of Knowledge and craft an idea that will spread on its own.

Regardless of what idea you’re trying to spread, Made to Stick will give you a simple, useful framework that will help you design your message for maximum impact.

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