Made to Stick (eBook)

What is that makes urban myths so persistent but many everyday truths so eminently forgettable? How do newspapers set about ensuring that their headlines make you want to read on? And why do we remember complicated stories but not complicated facts?In the course of over ten years of study, Chip and Dan Heath have established what it is that determines whether particular ideas or stories stick in our minds or not, and Made to Stick is the fascinating outcome of their painstaking research. Packed full of case histories and thought-provoking anecdotes, it shows, among other things, how one Australian scientist convinced the world he'd discovered the cause of stomach ulcers by drinking a glass filled with bacteria, how a gifted sports reporter got people to watch a football match by showing them the outside of the stadium, and how high-concept pitches such as 'Jaws on a spaceship' (Alien) and 'Die Hard on a bus' (Speed) convince movie executives to invest vast sums of money in a project on the basis of almost no information.Entertaining and informative by turns, this is a fascinating and multi-faceted account of a key area of human behaviour. At the same time, by showing how we can all use such cleverly devised strategies as the 'Velcro Theory of Memory' and 'curiosity gaps', it offers superbly practical insights, setting out principles we all can adopt to make sure that we get our ideas across effectively.

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A NEW YORK TIMES AND INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER'This book is a gift to anyone who needs to get a message across and make it stick.' New Statesman'Smart, lively . . . such fun to read.' Guardian_________________________________________________Mark Twain once observed, 'A lie can get halfway around the world before the truth can even get its boots on.' His observation rings true: urban legends, conspiracy theories, and bogus news stories circulate effortlessly. Meanwhile, people with important ideas - entrepreneurs, teachers, politicians, and journalists - struggle to make them 'stick'.In Made to Stick, Chip and Dan Heath reveal the anatomy of ideas that stick and explain how to make ideas stickier, such as applying the Velcro Theory of Memory, using the human scale principle and creating curiosity gaps. Along the way, they reveal that sticky messages of all kinds - from the infamous 'kidney theft ring' hoax, to a coach's lessons on sportsmanship, to a vision for a new product at Sony - draw their power from the same six traits.Made to Stick reveals the vital principles behind winning ideas - and tells us how we can apply these rules to making our own messages stick. It will transform the way you communicate._______________________________________________________'An entertaining, practical guide to communication.' Financial Times'This is great for anyone planning a speech or trying to get their message across at work.' Psychologies'The Heaths push beyond what sounds like it should work and explain why it actually does.' Time Magazine'Anyone interested in influencing others . . . can learn from this book.' Washington Post