Quite often marketing messages fall on deaf ears as they are too focused on what the brand wants to say without thinking about how their audience receives messages or what they want to hear. In their book "Made to Stick," Chip Heath and Dan Heath share some tactics that can help marketers develop better brand messages that will actually stick with their audience.
Quick Notes:
Simplicity: The authors explain that a simple idea is more likely to be understood and remembered than a complex one. They suggest that you identify the core message of your idea and strip away any unnecessary details. Southwest Airlines is a great example of a company that has mastered simplicity. The airline's focus on being the low-cost carrier with no frills service can be summed up in their famous tagline, "THE Low Fare Airline." The simplicity of their message has helped the company become one of the most successful airlines in the world without having to labour consumers with detailed price comparisons.
Unexpectedness: Our brains like to run on autopilot whenever possible to save energy. So when we are confronted with something unexpected, our brain is shocked out of autopilot mode to process the information manually, giving it our full attention. An example of this is how frequent flyers may pay little to no attention to pre-flight safety demonstrations because they know it by heart already. However, if a flight attendant were to begin the demonstration by saying “Whilst there may be 50 way to leave your lover, there’s only one way off this plane,” she would have everyone’s attention.
Curiosity gaps: The authors suggest that there are two main challenges in spreading an idea - the first is getting people’s attention and the second is holding their attention. Curiosity gaps help achieve both. We allow ourselves to go on autopilot because we believe to some extent that we know everything that we need to know to get through the day. An effective way to grab someone’s attention is to show them that there is something they don’t know yet. This will break them out of autopilot mode as people have a need to fill their curiosity gap, even if they aren’t interested in the subject. This is why “whodunnit?” detective novels and headlines that present questions work so well.
Concreteness: According to the authors, concrete details make ideas more memorable. Instead of using abstract terms, jargon or generalities, use vivid descriptions that paint a picture in people's minds. For example, instead of saying "heart disease is a leading cause of death," a doctor might say "each year, more than 700,000 people in the US die from heart disease - that's enough to fill Cowboys Stadium twice." The latter statement is more concrete and helps people visualise the scope of the problem.
Credibility: The authors argue that people are more likely to believe ideas that come from credible sources. They suggest that you establish your credibility by highlighting your expertise, experience, or credentials. For example, a dentist might be more effective in convincing patients to floss if they mention their years of experience and education. You don’t always have to use an expert in a lab coat. If the source has shown direct personal experience in the subject, that is enough to make the idea stick. Further to this, you can use the audience itself as a reference as people often trust their own judgement and can personally verify your message. An example of this is Ronald Reagan’s electoral slogan “Ask yourself, are you better off now than you were four years ago?”
Emotional connection: The authors suggest that people are more likely to care about ideas that evoke emotions. Our emotions are more likely to drive action than our analytical mind, so if you want people to take action, appeal to their emotions as opposed to reasoning with data. They suggest that you tap into your audience's emotions by using vivid imagery, language, storytelling, or by making your message personally relevant to your audience. One example is the ASPCA's tear-jerking commercials featuring sad-looking dogs and cats in shelters. The emotional appeal of the ads is effective in convincing people to donate to the organisation.
Action: While emotional connection can encourage people to take action, people are more likely to take action when there is something in it for them. As much as we hate to admit it, we are most interested in ourselves. So, it is crucial to link your message back to the audience's own gain to get their buy in. According to the authors, ideas that inspire action are more likely to stick. They suggest that you provide clear and concrete steps that people can take to act on your idea. For example, the American Cancer Society's "Great American Smokeout" encourages smokers to quit for a day, which can lead to long-term behaviour change. By giving people a specific action to take, the organisation is able to help smokers break the habit and improve their health.
Stories: The authors argue that stories are a powerful way to make ideas more memorable and relatable. Stories provide context and help people understand the practical applications of your ideas. For example, the story of Jared Fogle, the man who lost weight by eating Subway sandwiches, helped turn the sandwich chain into a healthy eating brand. By telling a compelling story, Subway was able to communicate the benefits of their products in a way that resonated with customers. All good stories follow a few recurring patterns. There is the David vs Goliath stories that inspire people to follow in David’s footsteps to take action. There is the ‘reaching out’ pattern where a good Samaritan helps a stranger, inspiring better social behaviour in the audience. Lastly, there are stories about creativity that encourage people to see the world from a different perspective and think outside the box.
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