Made to Stick - Creating Ideas That Last

Make your messages unforgettable using the Heath brothers' SUCCESs framework

When to Use This Skill

• Crafting a core message for a product, campaign, or company that needs to stick
• Presenting complex ideas to audiences who may forget 90% of what you say
• Writing headlines, taglines, or slogans that people remember and repeat
• Training or educating when retention matters more than coverage
• Pitching investors or stakeholders where one memorable idea beats ten forgettable ones
• Fighting "corporate speak" that puts audiences to sleep
• Debugging communications that aren't landing or spreading

Methodology Foundation

Aspect	Details
Source	Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die (2007)
Experts	Chip Heath (Stanford GSB) & Dan Heath (Duke CASE)
Core Principle	"Sticky ideas share common traits. The SUCCESs framework—Simple, Unexpected, Concrete, Credible, Emotional, Stories—transforms forgettable messages into unforgettable ones."

What Claude Does vs What You Decide

Claude Does	You Decide
Structures production workflow	Final creative direction
Suggests technical approaches	Equipment and tool choices
Creates templates and checklists	Quality standards
Identifies best practices	Brand/voice decisions
Generates script outlines	Final script approval

What This Skill Does

This skill helps you diagnose why ideas don't stick and fix them using six proven principles. The Heath brothers analyzed thousands of sticky ideas—urban legends, proverbs, successful ads, powerful speeches—and reverse-engineered what makes them memorable.

Instead of guessing why your message isn't landing, you'll:

1. Find your core - Strip away everything except the ONE essential idea
2. Break patterns - Grab attention with surprise, hold it with curiosity
3. Make it concrete - Replace abstractions with tangible, sensory details
4. Build belief - Provide proof people can verify themselves
5. Make them care - Connect to emotions and identity, not just logic
6. Tell stories - Give mental flight simulators for action

The result: Ideas that spread, get remembered, and inspire action—instead of going in one ear and out the other.

How to Use

Prompt Examples

Analyze this message using the SUCCESs framework and tell me which principles
it's missing: "[paste your message]"

I need to communicate [complex idea] to [audience]. Help me make it sticky
by applying the Made to Stick principles. Start with finding the core.

Transform this corporate-speak into a sticky message: "[paste jargon-filled text]"
Apply all 6 SUCCESs principles and show me the before/after.

Create 5 headline options for [product/campaign] using the Unexpected principle.
Break a pattern or open a curiosity gap.

I'm presenting to [audience] about [topic]. Help me structure a sticky
presentation using the SUCCESs framework as my outline.

Instructions

The SUCCESs Framework

Use this checklist for every important message:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  S - SIMPLE      │  Find the core, share it compactly       │
│  U - UNEXPECTED  │  Surprise, then open curiosity gaps      │
│  C - CONCRETE    │  Sensory language, specific details      │
│  C - CREDIBLE    │  Proof they can see or verify            │
│  E - EMOTIONAL   │  Make them feel, not just think          │
│  S - STORIES     │  Mental flight simulators for action     │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Not every message needs all six. But the more you apply, the stickier it becomes.

---

Principle 1: SIMPLE

"If you say three things, you say nothing."

Goal: Find the core of your idea and communicate it compactly.

Simple ≠ dumbed down. Simple = prioritized. You must identify the single most important thing and lead with it.

The Commander's Intent Test: Ask: "If my audience remembers only ONE thing, what must it be?"

Techniques:

Technique	How It Works	Example
Forced Prioritization	If you can say only ONE thing, what is it?	Southwest: "THE low-fare airline"
The Lead	Put the most important info first (journalism rule)	Breaking news format
Generative Analogy	Simple comparison that generates new ideas	Disney: Employees are "cast members"
Proverb Format	Compact wisdom that's easy to remember	"A bird in hand is worth two in the bush"

Anti-Pattern to Avoid:

"We provide integrated, end-to-end solutions that leverage synergies across verticals to maximize stakeholder value."

This says nothing. Find the ONE thing that matters.

---

Principle 2: UNEXPECTED

"We're wired to pay attention to change."

Goal: Grab attention with surprise, then hold it by creating curiosity gaps.

Two-Part Process:

1. Get Attention → Break a pattern (surprise)
2. Hold Attention → Create a knowledge gap (curiosity)

Techniques:

Technique	How It Works	Example
Pattern Breaking	Violate expectations	"Nordstrom accepted a tire return—they don't sell tires"
Mystery Lead	Open a question that demands an answer	"What do successful people do in their first hour that you don't?"
Counterintuitive Statement	Say the opposite of what's expected	"The best salespeople never sell"
Gap Theory	Point out what they don't know	"There's one thing every millionaire does—and it's not what you think"

The Curiosity Formula:

Point out a gap in knowledge → Create desire to fill it → Provide the answer

Warning: Surprise alone isn't enough. A random surprise doesn't make your idea stick—it must connect to your core message.

---

Principle 3: CONCRETE

"Abstraction is the luxury of the expert."

Goal: Make ideas tangible through sensory language and specific details.

Abstract ideas are hard to remember. Concrete images stick because our brains evolved for sensory information.

Techniques:

Technique	How It Works	Example
Sensory Language	Engage sight, sound, touch, taste, smell	"The crisp snap of a cold apple" vs. "Fresh produce"
Specific Numbers	Exact figures beat vague ranges	"37 customers" vs. "many customers"
Named Examples	Real names, places, dates	"Sarah from Portland" vs. "one of our users"
Velcro Theory	More hooks = more sticks	Layer multiple concrete details

The Concreteness Ladder:

ABSTRACT (hard to remember)
├── "Improve customer experience"
├── "Respond faster to customers"
├── "Answer calls quickly"
├── "Answer within 3 rings"
└── "Pick up before the phone rings twice"
CONCRETE (sticks in memory)

JFK Example:

• Abstract: "Achieve international space leadership"
• Concrete: "Put a man on the moon and return him safely by the end of the decade"

---

Principle 4: CREDIBLE

"If you want people to believe, help them test it themselves."

Goal: Provide proof people can see, touch, or verify.

Six Types of Credibility:

Type	How It Works	Example
Authority	Expert endorsement	"9 out of 10 dentists recommend..."
Anti-Authority	Credible because they have nothing to gain	Ex-smoker warning about cigarettes
Vivid Details	Details signal authenticity	Courtroom witnesses with irrelevant details are more believed
Human-Scale Statistics	Make numbers meaningful	"Enough nuclear weapons to destroy 10 cities" vs. "25,000 warheads"
Sinatra Test	One example so strong it proves everything	"If we can do it for NASA..."
Testable Credential	Let them verify themselves	"Try it free for 30 days"

The "See for Yourself" Power: Wendy's "Where's the beef?" invited people to compare burger sizes themselves. Reagan's "Are you better off?" debate question let voters answer for themselves.

Statistics Rule: Never use a statistic that doesn't pass the "So what?" test. Always translate to human terms.

Bad: "5 million tons of plastic enter oceans yearly" Better: "That's a garbage truck of plastic dumped every minute"

---

Principle 5: EMOTIONAL

"We feel things for people, not abstractions."

Goal: Make people care enough to act.

Logic convinces, but emotion motivates. For ideas to spread and inspire action, people must feel something.

Techniques:

Technique	How It Works	Example
The One vs. The Many	One story beats statistics	"Meet Maria" > "20 million refugees"
WIIFM	Answer "What's In It For Me?"	Focus on benefits to THEM
Identity Appeal	"What would someone like me do?"	"Don't Mess with Texas" (Texan pride)
Maslow's Hierarchy	Appeal to belonging, esteem, purpose	Not just survival needs

The Mother Teresa Principle:

"If I look at the mass, I will never act. If I look at the one, I will."

Identity vs. Self-Interest: Sometimes identity is more powerful than self-interest. The "Don't Mess with Texas" campaign reduced littering by 29% by appealing to Texan identity—not by lecturing about environmental damage.

Question to Ask: "How does this affect ONE specific person I can name and describe?"

---

Principle 6: STORIES

"Stories are flight simulators for the brain."

Goal: Provide simulation (how to act) and inspiration (motivation to act).

Stories work because they let people mentally rehearse scenarios. They're remembered up to 22x better than facts alone.

Three Universal Plot Types:

Plot	Theme	Inspires
Challenge Plot	Overcoming obstacles	Courage, persistence
Connection Plot	Relationships that bridge gaps	Empathy, teamwork
Creativity Plot	Mental breakthroughs	Innovation, new thinking

Examples:

• Challenge: Jared lost 245 lbs eating Subway (underdog, willpower)
• Connection: Unlikely friendship across political divide (empathy)
• Creativity: Post-it notes invented from failed adhesive (eureka moment)

Key Insight: You don't have to create stories—you have to SPOT them. The best stories already exist in your organization. Find them and tell them.

Story Spotting Questions:

• "What's the craziest thing a customer ever did?"
• "What problem did we solve that no one thought we could?"
• "When did we break the rules to do the right thing?"

---

The Curse of Knowledge

This is the enemy of sticky ideas. Once you know something, you can't imagine not knowing it.

Symptoms:

• Using jargon and acronyms without defining them
• Skipping "obvious" steps that aren't obvious to beginners
• Abstract language when concrete examples would help
• Assuming shared context that doesn't exist

The Tapper/Listener Study: When tappers tap a song, they hear the melody in their head. They estimate listeners will guess 50% correctly. Actual success rate: 2.5%. The curse of knowledge makes communication hard.

Cure: Test your message on someone outside your expertise. If they don't get it, you haven't broken the curse.

---

Examples

Example 1: Product Launch Message

Original (Curse of Knowledge):

"Our AI-powered platform leverages proprietary algorithms to deliver actionable insights through an intuitive dashboard interface, enabling data-driven decision making across enterprise workflows."

After SUCCESs Framework:

Principle	Applied
Simple	"See what's working. Stop what isn't. In 30 seconds."
Unexpected	"What if you could predict a campaign failure before you launch?"
Concrete	"Last week, Sarah saved $47,000 by killing a campaign our tool flagged"
Credible	"Try it on your own data—free for 14 days. No credit card."
Emotional	"Remember the last time you had to explain a failed campaign to your boss?"
Story	"When Dropbox tried this, they found 3 campaigns bleeding money that looked fine on the surface..."

Final Sticky Message:

"Predict campaign failures before they cost you. Sarah saved $47,000 in one week. Try it free on your data—you'll find something in 30 seconds."

---

Example 2: Internal Change Initiative

Context: Getting employees to use a new expense reporting system.

Original Message:

"Please transition to the new expense management platform by March 1st to ensure compliance with updated financial policies and streamlined reporting processes."

After SUCCESs Framework:

Simple (Core): "Get reimbursed in 24 hours, not 3 weeks."

Unexpected: "The average employee wastes 4 hours per month on expense reports. What would you do with that time back?"

Concrete: "Snap a photo of your receipt. Done. No more saving crumpled papers or filling out PDF forms."

Credible: "Finance approved 94% of expenses same-day in the pilot program."

Emotional: "Remember waiting 3 weeks for that $400 client dinner to hit your account? Never again."

Story: "Last month, James submitted his Singapore trip expenses from the taxi on the way to the airport. By the time he landed in SF, $2,300 was already in his bank account."

Final Communication:

Subject: "Get reimbursed in 24 hours (not 3 weeks)"

James submitted expenses from his taxi. By the time he landed, $2,300 was in his account.

Starting March 1st, that's how it works for everyone. Snap a photo. Done.

No more crumpled receipts. No more PDF forms. No more waiting.

Try it now with your next expense: [Link]

---

Checklists & Templates

SUCCESs Diagnostic Checklist

## Message Stickiness Audit: [Message/Idea]

### S - Simple
- [ ] Core idea identified (the ONE thing)?
- [ ] Can be stated in one sentence?
- [ ] No unnecessary complexity?
- [ ] Commander's Intent clear?

### U - Unexpected
- [ ] Pattern broken or assumption violated?
- [ ] Curiosity gap opened?
- [ ] "Wait, what?" moment present?
- [ ] Surprise connects to core message?

### C - Concrete
- [ ] Sensory language used?
- [ ] Specific numbers instead of vague ranges?
- [ ] Named examples (people, places)?
- [ ] Avoids jargon and abstractions?

### C - Credible
- [ ] Proof provided?
- [ ] Can audience verify themselves?
- [ ] Statistics made human-scale?
- [ ] Authority or anti-authority cited?

### E - Emotional
- [ ] Makes audience FEEL something?
- [ ] Focused on ONE person (not masses)?
- [ ] Appeals to identity, not just self-interest?
- [ ] WIIFM answered?

### S - Stories
- [ ] Story included (Challenge/Connection/Creativity)?
- [ ] Story provides simulation for action?
- [ ] Story provides inspiration to act?
- [ ] Story is specific and detailed?

### Curse of Knowledge Check
- [ ] Tested on someone outside your expertise?
- [ ] No undefined jargon or acronyms?
- [ ] No assumed context?

## Score: __/6 principles applied
## Missing: [list gaps]
## Fix: [specific improvements]

Sticky Message Template

## Sticky Message for: [Product/Campaign/Initiative]

### 1. Core (Simple)
If they remember ONE thing: _______________

### 2. Hook (Unexpected)
What's counterintuitive/surprising: _______________
Curiosity gap to open: _______________

### 3. Proof Points (Concrete + Credible)
Specific example 1: _______________
Specific number: _______________
Way to verify/test: _______________

### 4. Emotional Hook
Who is the ONE person this affects? _______________
What do they FEEL? _______________
Identity appeal: "People who ___ do ___"

### 5. Story
Challenge/Connection/Creativity plot?
The story: _______________

### Final Message Draft:
[Combine above into 2-3 sentences]

Story Spotting Interview Questions

## Finding Sticky Stories in Your Organization

### Challenge Stories
- "Tell me about a time we overcame impossible odds."
- "What's our David vs. Goliath moment?"
- "When did we do something everyone said couldn't be done?"

### Connection Stories
- "Tell me about an unlikely partnership or friendship here."
- "When did we bridge a gap between very different people?"
- "What customer relationship surprised you?"

### Creativity Stories
- "How was [product/feature] invented?"
- "What happy accident led to something great?"
- "When did someone solve a problem in a totally unexpected way?"

### Surface the Stories
- "What's the craziest customer request we fulfilled?"
- "What would our best customer say about us at a dinner party?"
- "What makes employees stay when they could earn more elsewhere?"

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Skill Boundaries

What This Skill Does Well

• Structuring audio production workflows
• Providing technical guidance
• Creating quality checklists
• Suggesting creative approaches

What This Skill Cannot Do

• Replace audio engineering expertise
• Make subjective creative decisions
• Access or edit audio files directly
• Guarantee commercial success

References

• Book: Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip & Dan Heath
• Related Works: Switch (same authors), The Power of Moments (same authors)
• Source: sources/books/heath-made-to-stick.md

Related Skills

• storytelling-storybrand - Donald Miller's 7-part story framework
• headline-formulas - Unexpected and curiosity-gap techniques for headlines
• copywriting-ogilvy - Ogilvy's concrete, specific writing principles
• persuasion-cialdini - Psychology of influence and credibility
• sales-pitch-dunford - Making positioning messages stick