These pages in "Made to Stick" focus on two parts of the acronym: S for simple and U for unexpected. Simple is strangely enough, all about keeping things simple to get a message across. The example of the army and all of their planning is given, and how "no plan survives contact with the enemy". To be simple isn't simply shortening an idea or plan, or dumbing it down. It's about getting to the core of the idea in the quickest fashion possible. Keeping things simple. Or as Michael Scott says, KISS: Keep It Simple Stupid. Some examples are Southwest Airlines and their quest to be "the" low-fare airline, a very successful quest for over 30 years. Bill Clinton's campaign slogan "It's the economy, stupid", and the Dunn Daily Record and its core of local coverage are other examples the book provides of simple prevailing through finding the core idea.
Unexpected is all about doing something to stimulate your audience. You do something out of the ordinary that makes them remember your message, it makes it "stick". It's like the idea was made to stick or something. The flight attendant giving a different safety presentation is an example. She sticks to the facts of the presentation but presents them in an unexpected way. Surprise and interest get people's attention. The Nora Ephron example shows that its all about finding the core idea, not simply regurgitating facts. In her journalism class the lead to the story wasn't simply rephrasing the information they were given but getting to the core of the idea.
Some examples of unexpected would be the pet giraffe in the DirecTV commercials, which makes them instantly memorable. Also unexpected would be any other ads with talking animals, or other flashy stuff designed to make them stick in your mind. Simple is the general rule for car commercials, many of which stick to the point of : this is the mileage it gets, this is the price, this is how it compares to a Japanese car. Some car companies go the unexpected route, such as the new Chrysler one where they recount all the cities Detroit is not, while giving new life to a song that is suddenly nine years old and making me feel like an old person.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
3/8/11 Reading
This reading is about the "S" in RIBS, significance. Dr. Howard lists the ways that a community can become significant: be well recognized, established as the "go to" place for accomplishing your user's goals, valued by people your users respect, populated by people who are serious and passionate in their field, and distinguished as a reputable brand to your users. He also talks about the paradox of exclusivity. People want to be part of a group, but they don't want to be part of a crowd. If becoming a member is too easy, they won't value the other members. They want to not only be part of a group, but an exclusive group. The more exclusive, the more prestige. He uses the example of Facebook as a site that used exclusivity to gain popularity. Instead of making it public so that they could maximize users immediately, they made it private so that it would be more exclusive and therefore, more desired.
Dr. Howard offers these techniques for developing significance:
1. Provide a story that shares a vision. The power of storytelling has been a common theme in our readings this semester. It is something we all know how to do, and all can relate to. A good story can link people together through their understanding as well as their ability to pass on that story to others.
2. List Members Accomplishments. This is sometimes seen on message boards where users will have their number of posts next to their user name, or some other medals or awards for their participation in the social network.
3. Participate in Influential Communities to Create Trails Back to Yours. This is an interesting technique, for instance commenting on a high traffic area in order to draw them back to your "home base" or social network where the discussion may continue. What you post about may be relevant to your social network tangibly or abstractly, as long as it leads them back to you.
4. Build your social network or community in a custom space. This will increase feelings of exclusivity, if it is not in a public or commonplace space.
5. Make connections with other leaders in social media. This will allow you to stretch across platforms and reach even more users. For instance utilizing twitter and facebook, or amazon and linkedin as the book provides as an example.
6. Celebrate Celebrities. Utilize celebrity for your purposes.
7. Create a Contest, game or video. This will get members involved, as well as show who is the "best", and create more of an awareness of status on the site which others will hope to attain.
8. Mobilize your existing members. Use your group as a tool.
Dr. Howard offers these techniques for developing significance:
1. Provide a story that shares a vision. The power of storytelling has been a common theme in our readings this semester. It is something we all know how to do, and all can relate to. A good story can link people together through their understanding as well as their ability to pass on that story to others.
2. List Members Accomplishments. This is sometimes seen on message boards where users will have their number of posts next to their user name, or some other medals or awards for their participation in the social network.
3. Participate in Influential Communities to Create Trails Back to Yours. This is an interesting technique, for instance commenting on a high traffic area in order to draw them back to your "home base" or social network where the discussion may continue. What you post about may be relevant to your social network tangibly or abstractly, as long as it leads them back to you.
4. Build your social network or community in a custom space. This will increase feelings of exclusivity, if it is not in a public or commonplace space.
5. Make connections with other leaders in social media. This will allow you to stretch across platforms and reach even more users. For instance utilizing twitter and facebook, or amazon and linkedin as the book provides as an example.
6. Celebrate Celebrities. Utilize celebrity for your purposes.
7. Create a Contest, game or video. This will get members involved, as well as show who is the "best", and create more of an awareness of status on the site which others will hope to attain.
8. Mobilize your existing members. Use your group as a tool.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
3/1/11 Reading
This reading is all about credibility and how you earn it. They bring up the example of a rumor "endorsed" by the FDA and the Manheim research institute. The news story never appeared on the evening news, so that cast suspicion on it being true, no matter how much it was "credible" because of the names FDA and Manheim being associated with it. It just goes to show that authority is where a lot of credibility comes from. They bring up another rumor, although this one is actually more of an urban legend, in the "boyfriend story". It is an example of detail leading to credibility. The more detail you add, the more tangible and concrete your story, and that makes it seem more real, and thus more believable.
Vivid details are one way to establish credibility, and another is introducing statistics. These numbers can be persuasive on their own but when put in more relatable terms you have the "human-scale" principle. The "sinatra test" and the example of Safexpress show another use of an example to build credibility. Making testable claims will also build credibility. "See for yourself" type campaigns encourage usage of a product while also building trust and credibility.
Emotional appeals also are important. Ads like the "truth" commercials aimed at tobacco corporations appeal to your emotions while also using some facts, making them doubly effective because they make you have an emotional response-usually anger. You can also appeal to what some people care about more than anything-themselves.
Vivid details are one way to establish credibility, and another is introducing statistics. These numbers can be persuasive on their own but when put in more relatable terms you have the "human-scale" principle. The "sinatra test" and the example of Safexpress show another use of an example to build credibility. Making testable claims will also build credibility. "See for yourself" type campaigns encourage usage of a product while also building trust and credibility.
Emotional appeals also are important. Ads like the "truth" commercials aimed at tobacco corporations appeal to your emotions while also using some facts, making them doubly effective because they make you have an emotional response-usually anger. You can also appeal to what some people care about more than anything-themselves.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)