What We’re Reading: Made To Stick 2007 Qtr 2
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What We’re Reading:
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Do you recall this story?
A guy in a bar meets an attractive woman who buys him several drinks. Soon, he takes a final sip and falls unconscious. When he wakes, he’s in a hotel bathtub covered in ice. Next to the tub is a small table with the phone and a note saying: “DON’T MOVE. CALL 911.” He calls and is directed by emergency operators to see if he has a tube protruding from his back. He reaches back and finds the tube. The operator then informs him that one of his kidneys has been harvested and paramedics are on the way.
Truth or urban legend? As it turns out, it’s the latter. It’s also how Chip and Dan Heath kick off their new book on what types of communication leave a lasting memory and how ideas can be Made To Stick. In just a few short paragraphs, they pull you in and demonstrate the power of compelling communications.
Why do some ideas die while others survive? The authors believe there are five ways ideas become “sticky” — or, in other words: understandable, memorable and effective in changing thought or behavior. There’s a chapter for each of six principles that come into play, along with loads of examples, including one from our own back yard: the story of Indianapolis–native Jared Fogle, the Subway sandwich spokesperson. In addition, the book is rich in self–tests or “clinics” that pose example messages, then ask the reader to evaluate their “stickiness.”
It’s a quick, enjoyable read, so you can easily get through the book in just a few days while working out on the treadmill, or during a long flight. You might prefer to read a chapter a day, then see how you can incorporate one principle into your creative thought–processes or communications that day.
One final note: the cover. The hard–bound version of the book features an embossed duct tape design that looks so real, you’ll want to try and pull it off. A clever concept worthy of the book’s contents.
If you prefer audio books, Made To Stick is also available on CD. Enjoy.
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