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Marketing Power

Tell, Gel, Sell: Motivate, Convince & Move to Action

John Stuppy, MBA, Ph.D. john@edumetrix.com www.edumetrix.com

JohnStuppy.com

Ideas That Stick

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Would you like to…

1. Convince customers your solutions are best?

2. Inspire with ideas & results people believe?

3. Increase your standing in your industry?

4. Move customers to action?

Want to increase sales, profit, credibility & value?

Then implement this six-point plan. It will

make your marketing and sales

messages STICK.

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Why Create Ideas that Stick?

We are inundated with messages Hard for consumer to differentiate

You need to rise above the “clutter” There are many voices but you want

your marketing messages to cut through

Sticky ideas produce results Tell, gel & sell – stand out & get results

Build your brand, increase sales & company value and achieve results.

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In the book “Why some ideas survive

and others die: Made to Stick” by

Chip Heath & Dan Heath, the

authors describe six things necessary

for ideas that stick…

A Good Read…

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Six Elements of Ideas That Stick

Stories

Simple

Credible Emotional

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An Example of a Sticky Idea

The Halloween Candy Scare

In the 60’s & 70’s you heard of sadists putting razor blades in apples & candy

Parents checked candy, hospitals x-ray

An ABC News poll in ’85 found 60% of parents worried about Halloween candy

To this day, parents are concerned

This candy scare (and urban legends) have all 6 elements

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6 Elements of Ideas That Stick related

to The Halloween Candy Scare

1. Simple – razors are scary!

2. Unexpected – why’d they do it?

3. Concrete – clear & present danger

4. Credible – it’s been widely reported

5. Emotional – this is terrible!

6. Stories – did you hear? Pass it on…

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The Halloween Candy Twist

Sticky idea Halloween is muddied by some wacko’s

who want to harm children

But the fact In 1985 researchers investigated and

discovered the Halloween Candy Scare was a myth!

Not one reported Halloween incident since 1958 was the result of strangers causing kids harm

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The Truth About Halloween Candy

Two children died on Halloween from 1958 to 1985

A 5 year-old found his uncle’s heroin & overdosed; his relatives tried to cover by sprinkling the heroin on the kid’s candy

A father poisoned his son’s candy with cyanide to collect on insurance

The take-away

Candy from strangers is OK. Worry about family!

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Sticky Ideas: Whether True or Not

Stories like tainted Halloween Candy & people waking up in an ice bath only to discover their kidney was surgically stolen are believed and retold because they have the 6 elements of sticky ideas

Learn to use the six elements to tell your worthwhile message!

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Elements of Ideas That Stick

1. Simple • Identify the simple truth of what you stand for; it

guides all decisions.

• “If you say 3 things you don't say anything”

• Complexity takes a toll

• When students were asked if they want to (1) attend a lecture by an author they admire or (2) study at the library, 21% chose the library

• When students were asked if they want to (1) attend the lecture, (2) go to the library or (3) watch a foreign film, 41% chose the library

• A more complex set of choices can significantly shift the outcome

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Elements of Ideas That Stick (cont.)

2. Unexpected

• Things are memorable when they surprise you

• At the start of a recent Delta trip, my flight attendant said “We’re now diming the cabin lights to make the person on your right more attractive.” We all paid attention after that.

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Elements of Ideas That Stick (cont.)

3. Concrete

• Give your customer a context within which to frame your solution or idea

• Provide statistics and examples to bring your idea or claim to life

• Concrete ideas appeal to the senses

• A V-8’s engine roar is concrete

• “Hi performance” is abstract

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Elements of Ideas That Stick (cont.)

4. Credible • In the 80's, 2 researchers in Perth Australia found

that ulcers are caused by bacteria. But no one believed them

• Common sense said stomach acid was to blame and would kill bacteria anyway

• The 2 didn’t fit the mold of typical researchers

• Perth is not the usual birthplace of innovations

• To persuade a skeptical audience to believe a new message, your spokesperson must be credible

• Details in your story add credibility

• Site important customers who have adopted your solution or idea

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Elements of Ideas That Stick (cont.)

5. Emotional

• An individual portrait or case study strikes a more impactful cord than a mountain of group statistics

• Relate your idea to individual audience members – solve their problems and address their concerns

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Elements of Ideas That Stick (cont.)

6. Stories

• A great way to weave the prevoius five elements together so they stick

• Politicians tell memorable & touching stories to illustrate their point

Stories

Simple

Credible Emotional

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6 Elements of Ideas That Stick related

to Jared’s Subway Diet

1. Simple – Eat a subway sandwich every day for lunch & lose weight

2. Unexpected – Eat fast food & lose?

3. Concrete – Subway food is healthy

4. Credible – The scale tells the tale

5. Emotional – I want to look great!

6. Stories – Did you hear? Let’s do lunch!

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Present Ideas & Solutions That Stick

Present your idea around these elements:

Simple

Unexpected

Concrete

Credible

Emotional

Stories

Your message will be remembered and talked about

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John Stuppy background…

EDUMETRIX, Principal Finds education technology products & services that work Secure the capital and provide the leadership companies need

to replicate, scale and dominate their market. Areas of expertise: funding, technology, startup, marketing,

sales, operations, e-learning, branding, student achievement, test-prep, face-to-face & online tutoring, charter schools, instructional supervision, professional development.

TutorVista, President Grew company 825%/year for 2 years to serve 500,000

students in 29 countries; Raised $36M from Sequoia, etc. Featured/interviewed on ABC, NBC, CBS & Fox News, NBC

Today Show; time magazine and in The NY Times, The Wall Street Journal & SF Chronicle.

Sold a stake to Pearson

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