Why Some Ideas Stick While Others Don’t: A Guide for Startup Founders

In today’s world of endless content, startup founders often struggle to make their ideas stand out. Whether it’s pitching to investors, communicating with customers, or rallying a team, ideas need to stick. 

That’s where Made to Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath comes in, offering a solution to a common entrepreneurial challenge: how to make your ideas unforgettable.

Book Overview

Made to Stick is a deep dive into the science of why certain ideas thrive and spread, while others are forgotten. Written by brothers Chip Heath, a professor at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, and Dan Heath, a senior fellow at Duke University, this book introduces a framework that helps individuals and businesses communicate more effectively.

At the heart of Made to Stick is the concept of “sticky” ideas—those that are both memorable and impactful. The Heath brothers break down the six principles of stickiness using the acronym SUCCES (Simple, Unexpected, Concrete, Credible, Emotional, Stories). For early-stage startup founders, understanding these principles can mean the difference between a pitch that gets forgotten and one that leads to success.

Key Insights and Lessons

1. The Power of Simplicity

To make ideas stick, simplicity is key. The Heath brothers emphasize that founders should distill their messages to the core, stripping away unnecessary details that dilute the main point. This resonates strongly with startup founders who often struggle with “too many features” in their products or pitches.

2. Unexpectedness Draws Attention

In a crowded marketplace, doing the unexpected is one way to grab attention. The book highlights that surprise or novelty can force people to notice and remember your idea. For founders, this means looking for ways to break common assumptions in your messaging or product design.

3. Use Concrete Details

Abstract ideas are easily forgotten. To make your idea memorable, you need to ground it in concrete details. The book provides numerous examples of how grounding concepts in sensory details can create a lasting impression.

4. Build Credibility

Credibility is crucial when trying to convince investors, customers, or partners. The authors suggest leveraging authorities, statistics, or personal experiences to make ideas more trustworthy. For startups, this could mean using data or testimonials in your pitches and marketing.

5. Engage Emotion

People care more when they feel something. Made to Stick underscores the importance of creating an emotional connection with your audience. For startups, storytelling can be an effective way to evoke emotions and make your mission resonate on a personal level.

6. Tell Stories

Stories are powerful tools for communication because they’re relatable and memorable. The book encourages founders to frame their ideas or products within a compelling narrative, making them more engaging and easier to spread.

Key Lessons

– Keep your messaging simple.

– Surprise your audience to grab attention.

– Use concrete examples to explain your ideas.

– Build credibility through facts, data, or personal stories.

– Connect emotionally with your audience.

– Frame your idea within a compelling story.

Quotes

– “If you say three things, you don’t say anything.”

– “The most basic way to get someone’s attention is this: Break a pattern.”

– “A credible idea makes people believe.”

Practical Applications

– Pitching to Investors: Make your pitch simple and focused. Use unexpected elements to grab attention, and back it up with credible data.

– Marketing Campaigns: Use stories in your marketing to connect emotionally with customers, making your brand more relatable and memorable.

– Team Leadership: Apply the SUCCES framework in internal communications to ensure your team stays aligned and motivated around the core vision of your startup.

Strengths

– Made to Stick offers practical frameworks that are immediately actionable, especially for startup founders who need to make their ideas stand out.

– The six principles (SUCCES) are memorable and easy to apply, making the book highly useful for refining pitches, marketing strategies, and even product design.

– Founders appreciate the book’s balance between theory and real-world examples, providing guidance that is both insightful and applicable.

Weaknesses

– Some readers find the examples in Made to Stick too focused on traditional businesses, making them less relevant for highly innovative or niche industries like tech startups.

– The book’s focus on simplicity might seem too basic for founders dealing with complex products or services, where nuance and depth are critical.

Questions for You

To help you apply the insights from Made to Stick to your startup, consider the following questions:

1. What is the simplest version of your core idea, and how can you communicate it more clearly to investors or customers?

2. How can you introduce unexpected elements in your marketing or product to grab attention in a crowded market?

3. What emotional story can you tell to connect with your audience and make your idea more relatable?

Join Our Founder Network

Want to apply the insights from Made to Stick to your startup journey? Join our Founder Network! You’ll gain access to expert advice, peer support, and valuable resources to help you refine your messaging, pitch your ideas, and build lasting relationships with investors and customers. Let’s make your ideas stick!