How To Make Your Ideas Stick
“A mediocre idea that generates enthusiasm will go further than a great idea that inspires no one. ”
Coming up with ideas is easy.
You probably have plenty of thoughts on better ways of doing things.
The tricky bit is thinking of something that sticks in people's minds.
So what can you do to ensure any brain waves you have become more than just a flash in the pan?
One way is to apply a framework to sense-check the stickiness of your proposed idea.
You can use it as a prompt to refine your thinking and give your idea the best chance of being remembered.
Introducing the S.U.C.C.E.S. framework
Brothers Chip and Dan Heath created the S.U.C.C.E.S. acronym based on a decade's worth of research for their book Made To Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive And Others Die.
By looking at the components of successful ideas, they could discern the following principles, which they argue are essential if you want your idea to be ‘sticky’.
1. Simple
Planning a military operation is no mean feat.
It requires an enormous amount of prep work and coordination. The problem is that no matter how organised you are, nothing goes according to plan.
You’re operating in a complex environment with so many variables that it’s inevitable that things will go wrong.
So how do armies account for this?
They ensure that those on the ground are given simple objectives.
In other words, they’re given the mission's ultimate goal, but it’s up to them to decide how to accomplish it - freedom within a framework, you could say.
Similarly, to make your ideas easy for people to remember, use simple words and keep things short.
And take advantage of the power of images. If you can explain something visually, that’s always better than using words.
This is why airline safety cards use pictures to explain the evacuation process rather than written instructions.
2. Unexpected
Sticking with the airline safety theme, one of the most important parts of a flight is the preflight safety briefing.
The challenge is it’s hard to get passengers to pay attention to the information. This is because the brain tends to filter out anything familiar.
It’s designed to pay attention to novel or surprising things.
Some airlines have cottoned on to this and changed their approach to inflight safety videos.
They’ve made them funny and enjoyable to watch, which makes passengers actually watch them. Humour is ‘unexpected’ in this context, so it makes it past the brain’s filter.
Having something surprising or unusual about your idea guarantees it will get noticed.
3. Concrete
Many people are afraid of investing in the stock market.
One of the reasons is they don’t understand the language of finance. The terminology appears complex, putting people off because they fear making mistakes.
In reality, you only need to follow simple rules and automate the rest. But the technical jargon creates ambiguity and makes it seem much more complex than it is.
Abstraction makes it harder to understand an idea and remember it.
This is why you should always explain your idea in concrete or relatable terms.
4. Credible
Society functions based on the principle of mutual trust.
We tend to trust people until they give us a reason not to. However, certain things act as signifiers of trust.
For example, if you get into trouble in a foreign city, you will have more confidence in asking a policewoman for help than a random stranger.
Her uniform suggests she’s a trustworthy person.
Similarly, your audience is more likely to pay attention to your idea if it looks authoritative or comes from someone they trust.
This phenomenon is sometimes referred to as ‘authority bias’ and explains why doctor’s are often used in adverts promoting health products. It’s also why websites feature customer reviews and use services like Trustpilot to give you confidence that they are a legitimate business.
5. Emotional
A rational idea may sound convincing on paper, but it’s unlikely to motivate anyone.
This is because human beings are led by their emotions.
For example, most heavy smokers know their habit is harmful, but it doesn’t stop them from continuing.
In other words, facts aren’t enough.
This isn’t to say we aren’t capable of rational thought. It’s just that the vast majority of our decisions are made quickly and intuitively without conscious thought.
To make any idea stick, you have to find an emotional ‘hook’ that drives someone to take action.
Charities are well aware of this.
Instead of focusing on the general problem of starving children in parts of Africa, they tell the story of one child in great detail.
This makes them relatable and invites the reader to invest emotionally in the plight of the child, which not only makes them more likely to donate, but it also increases the amounts they end up giving.
6. Story-focused
It’s not just children that love stories.
All human brains are optimised for them because storytelling predates written language. This explains the enduring popularity of Star Wars, Lord of The Rings, and Cinderella.
Not only are stories entertaining, but also they help us to better process and retain information.
Indeed, research shows that stories are twenty-two times more likely to be remembered than facts alone.
So to give your idea the best chance of lodging in someone’s brain you need to weave a narrative around it.
Why is the S.U.C.C.E.S. framework so helpful?
Ideas don’t win on their merit alone.
Just because an idea is brilliant doesn’t guarantee its success.
You have to make it ‘stick’ in people’s minds.
The S.U.C.C.E.S. framework helps you evaluate how you present your ideas to give them the best possible chance of adoption.
By working through the principles and applying them to your idea, you can help shape them for the better.
Good luck!
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