In Dan and Chip Heath’s book entitled “Made to Stick”, they discuss making content “sticky” – or highly memorable – by presenting principles under the acronym SUCCESs. Below is a paraphrased summary of the SUCCESs principles. Basically, your objective of making something “sticky” is by being Simple, Unexpected, Concrete, Credible, Emotional and by presenting it in a story. You don’t necessarily need to use all these principles at once, but it does help.
SIMPLE: Keep It Simple Silly (KISS) is the way to go. What is the purpose of your communication? What do you want the other party walking away with? By the end of your communication, can the other party use the language or handle the situation with simplicity? Avoid getting overly complicated and subsequently blurring the point.
UNEXPECTED: Keep your client on their toes with new materials. Don’t get repetitive. Consistency is important but make sure the content isn’t dull.
CONCRETE: What’s the hook in your offering? What will capture the other party’s attention so they stay focused for the whole time?
CREDIBLE: Is your communication practical? If you understand your prospect’s needs, perhaps you can cater the message with a higher quality. You should always focus on creating trust.
EMOTIONAL: Language is very flexible. In Japan, many students don’t put emphasis on their words. Are you paying attention to the tone of voice? Are you showing and getting others to put emotion into their words? It isn’t easy but emotion is important.
STORY: Practicing giving short stories. This makes the overall message and some details all that much easier to remember and helps them personalize the communication.
Good luck!