“Made To Stick” is a recently published book and a highly recommended read that explores what makes ideas sticky.
The authors, Chip and Dan Heath combine an entertaining blend of case studies and startling research to illustrate a practical, tangible strategy for communicating ideas so that people will remember and act. Their formula is simple, powerful and has huge implications for crafting marketing messages with impact.
To craft a powerful marketing message follow the SUCCES formula:
1. Simple. Strip an idea or a message to its core. Prioritise what is most important and focus only on that. Create a simple mantra or proverb that clearly describes what you do.
2. Unexpected. To get an audience to pay attention and maintain their interest, one must violate their expectations. This often involves being counter-intuitive, controversial or clever.
3. Concrete. Ideas should be communicated in terms of specific human actions and concrete images. Avoid jargon (such as mission statements, synergies, strategies, visions) that often seems meaningless. Link your marketing message to action.
4. Credible. People are more likely to embrace ideas if believable images are conveyed or if people with credibility share the message.
5. Emotional. Why should people care? You have to make people feel or experience something, such as disgust at the unhealthiness of one thing, resentment at the duplicity of the villain or love and passion for what you portray.
6. Stories. Build stories into your messages. Stories create a richer, more complete feel for the product or service you are selling. People love stories, they relate well to stories and are far more likely to share a story.
The bottom line is: create messages that are simple, unexpected, concrete and credentialed and that contain an emotional story.