Do you want your idea to stick?
Then skip the statistics and the data and the graphs.
Just the thought makes me squirm and yawn.
Don’t tell me that one of every five little boys will do something creative with chocolate syrup. (I made up that statistic.)
I might keep the syrup under lock and key for a couple of weeks, but I’ll forget.
Until I come downstairs to find the hearth and fireplace brick and one little boy baptized in chocolate syrup.
Sticky, drippy syrup. (I did not make up that story.)
And chances are, if you have a little boy, after hearing my story, you might consider keeping your chocolate syrup out of his reach. Or anything else that could create a sticky mess if he decided to get creative.
Because stories stick more than statistics.
And the stars of stickiness are those who can spot an idea and tell a Simple, Unexpected, Concrete, Credible, Emotional Story that stresses a single point.
And then let it go to allow its essence to live on in the audience–even if not according to the original form.
That’s a sticky success.
We’re closing down our discussion of Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath with one more chapter to go. This post is based on the epilogue, What Sticks. Read what the others are saying over at The High Calling.
Yay! BElieve me, I have my own chocolate syrup stories. Two boys, you know. I’ll never forget that story. And I may hide the syrup. j
I’ll have one more sort of wrap up post on the book. Thanks for coming along for the journey, Sandra! It’s been fun.
“…spot an idea and tell a Simple, Unexpected, Concrete, Credible, Emotional Story that stresses a single point.”
Good advice for any blogger. Thanks.
I’m going to remember those simple suggestions. -thanks
Funny! I was just telling a story about when I found my older boy (at 2.5) sleeping with his face covered in chocolate. He “framed” his 1 year old brother by putting the bottle of syrup in his crib while he was sleeping.
Love it!
Thanks for this idea; I think it will stick. 😛 I’m all for writing ideas that use chocolate to illustrate!
Blessings,
Karen
Sandra, this is great. Perfect, actually.
Except my hands feel all sticky for the reading it and that always leaves me a little jumpy.
I’d have to question the statistic. I’m thinking 5 of 5.
Based on the testosterone quotient in my house… 🙂