"Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die" by Chip and Dan Heath

When I received the review copy of the book "Made to stick" by Chip and Dan Heath and started making dog-ears all over it I knew I had to share it with you all - at the same time I was kind of hogging it hoping to keep it my little secret ;) It's quite inspired by Malcolm Gladwell's The "Tipping Point", but an inspiring idea book in its own right where the brothers argue that the elusive thing that makes an idea stick can be boiled down to six critical elements: * Simple -- find the core of any idea * Unexpected -- grab people's attention by surprising them * Concrete -- make sure an idea can be grasped and remembered later * Credible -- give an idea believability * Emotional -- help people see the importance of an idea * Stories -- empower people to use an idea through narrative Add sexy and you spell success. Seems like common sense doesn't it? Yet with all the funny stories they share (the book is very entertaining with its anecdotes) you'll find that these elements are rarely seen in in business communication, or to quote the brothers:

"Business managers seem to believe that, once they've clicked through a PowerPoint presentation showcasing their conclusions, they've successfully communicated their ideas. What they've done is share data."

Spot on. So if you're looking for a pick-me-up book about making your ideas stick, do pick this one up. It seems so obvious and logical, and as you read on you'll how how easy it is to mess up along the way. Be sticky when you present your ideas. Keep things simple. From how to write to how to art direct, this is how you spell succes. The only issue I have with this book, which shows good real world examples and is an easy entertaining read, is that the examples will age. Pick it up now while it's fresh, and hang on to it for nostalgia factor later. And remember kids, sticky alone doesn't make things relevant or even true. But it makes them sticky.

You can buy "Made to Stick"... and other books by Chip Heath and Dan Heath at Barnes & Noble. 

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Whin-O's picture

Did anyone else read this yet? I just got it.