Dan Heath

Ask Dan Heath: The Problem With Monthly Reports

Dan Heath — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 14:24:03 -0500

Dear Dan,

Everybody on my team is required to submit a monthly report. Always have been, always will be. Every single month, though, I have to chase some people down to turn it in, like it's a surprise to them that it's due. I've tried being nice, and I've tried being mean, and neither seem to work particularly well. What can I do differently?

- Report Cop

Ask Dan Heath: The Scared Straight Approach to Teens, Texting, and Driving

Dan Heath — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:00:22 -0500

Dear Dan,

My daughter turned 16 about six months ago, so naturally I am terrified of her getting in a wreck. To make matters worse, I rode with her recently and she started texting while she was driving! I gave her an earful but I could tell she thought I was just being uptight. Any advice on how to pound into her brain how dangerous it is to text & drive?

Can You Make Complex Things Simple?

Dan Heath — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:28:50 -0500

Q: You always preach the value of simplicity in marketing. But let's face it: Some businesses aren't simple (like mine). So what then--oversimplify?
- Don't Simp Me In

How Do I Make My Resume Stick?

Dan Heath — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 11:00:56 -0500

Q: For the last 7 years, I've been working for a consulting firm--that is, until last week, when I was given my walking papers. This was basically my first "real" job since graduating from college. I am putting together a resume for the first time since the days when I listed student-club memberships and honor rolls on it. Any advice for making a resume stick?
- CV.v2

The Snuggie Is Everywhere. WTF?

Dan Heath — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:27:43 -0500

Q: Dear Dan: The Snuggie is everywhere. WTF?
- Shruggie

Dear Shruggie, if you think you're bewildered about the Snuggie, consider the Chinese people who make a living producing them. ("I make blanket-ponchos for Americans who are too lazy to put on a sweater.")

Presentations That Stick

Dan Heath — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:25:00 -0400

Chip and I devoted a Fast Company column to making presentations stick--we discuss similar themes as the video but in more detail. You can also check out a longer 4-page document we wrote called "Making Presentations that Stick"--just register on our Resources page to get free access.

Sparking Curiosity

Dan Heath — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:23:53 -0400

George Loewenstein is the behavioral economist who formulated the "gap theory" of curiosity--here's his original paper on the topic. In Made to Stick, we talk about the gap theory in our chapter on Unexpectedness.

Jared: The Power Story

Dan Heath — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:23:18 -0400

The story of how Jared was discovered--and why Subway initially rejected the campaign--is told in the Story chapter of our book Made to Stick.

Snapple, the KKK, and Making Ideas Credible

Dan Heath — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:22:49 -0400

Chip and I love Snopes.com, the urban-legend clearinghouse. See its write-up of the false Snapple/KKK legend. In Made to Stick, we have a long section about testable credentials in the Credible chapter of the book.

Motivating Employees: Get Out of Maslow's Basement

Dan Heath — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:21:28 -0400

Here's my brother Chip's research paper on the bias we have about other people's motivations. And In the Emotional chapter of Made to Stick, we discuss in detail what makes people care about an idea.

The Mighty Statistic: Making Numbers Stick

Dan Heath — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:20:59 -0400

Chip and I wrote a Fast Company column, "The Gripping Statistic," about making numbers stick. There's also a long section on sticky data in the Credible chapter of Made to Stick.

Writing a Mission Statement That Doesn't Suck

Dan Heath — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:19:49 -0400

Download this document Chip and I developed: "5 Tips for a Sticky Strategic Vision." Here's a funny and illuminating review of a book on Mission Statements. My opinion is that most organizations would benefit more from setting a clear, ambitious goal than from crafting the perfect mission statement.

Making Strategy Simple

Dan Heath — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:19:07 -0400

Start here, with the column my brother and I wrote about making your strategy simple enough to be actionable.

Anchor & Twist: How to Sell New Innovations

Dan Heath — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:16:17 -0400

For more on the "anchor & twist" concept, see our Fast Company column on the topic. If you're interested in learning more about how the automobile was introduced to a skeptical American public, read this book, Market Rebels.

Voodoo Doughnut: Getting Noticed in a Crowded Market

Dan Heath — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:45:21 -0400

If you're curious, check out Voodoo Doughnut and Zipcar--both businesses have managed to stand out brilliantly in crowded, mature marketplaces. My favorite book on the topic of standing out is Seth Godin's Purple Cow--it's a must-read.

Ask Dan Heath: Bringing a Potted Plant to a Presentation

Dan Heath — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:56:12 -0400

Dear Dan,

The Wacky Ad Firm: Am I Being Too Conservative?

Dan Heath — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 10:00:35 -0400

Q: I run marketing at my company, and our ad firm is always coming up with really over-the-top concepts. Sometimes the concepts are fun but more often they are wacky or outright embarrassing. This has become a constant source of tension. I feel like I'm always reining them in, and they always tell me we've got to be edgy if you want to generate word-of-mouth.

Making Nice: The Stops and Starts of Advertising for a Cause

Dan Macsai — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:00:00 -0400

1. Trident's Happy Face

Most sugarless brands claim that chewing their gum leads to better health. But Trident does more to support oral hygiene: Since 2004, the company has worked with Smiles Across America to provide dental services to 115,000 elementary-school children in need.

2. General Mills' Sugar Smack

Showdown At The Web Corral: Convincing Your Boss to Fix a Hideous Website

Dan Heath — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:00:12 -0400

Q: I work for a nonprofit with a hideous website. Hideous in the sense that the copy is generic and bland and filled with jargon. Supremely unsticky, in other words. Some of my colleagues and I have lobbied to change it but, whenever we suggest new copy, our executive director inevitably waters it down until it sounds like what we’ve already got. What can we do to convince her to stick-ify our site?

The Gripping Statistic: How to Make Your Data Matter

Dan & Chip Heath — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 23:56:28 -0400

Imagine that the federal government announces a second-stage bailout in the amount of 703,000 hectoshekels. (We've gone metric!) You're probably not sure how to feel about this. (Though if you're already incensed, you should probably cut down on the Fox News.)

To assess the bailout, you'd ask: How much money is that, exactly? Is it too much or not enough? (Also, in this crazy metric world, how many centiliters do I weigh? And do I look skinnier?)

Three Secrets to Make a Message Go Viral

Dan & Chip Heath — Fri, 01 May 2009 14:00:00 -0400

The police have issued this warning: "If you are driving after dark and see an oncoming car with no headlights on, DO NOT FLASH YOUR LIGHTS AT THEM!" Why? Because the no-headlights car is being driven by a gang member, and as part of an initiation rite, the first person who flashes him will be hunted down and killed. (But at least the gang member will turn his lights on afterward.)

How Setting Modest Goals Can Lead Toward Success

Dan Macsai — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 17:42:44 -0500

1. Debt Snowball

Financial struggles often feel insurmountable: Will I ever be able to retire if I can't get out of debt? Personal-finance guru Dave Ramsey recommends making a "debt snowball" by combining small amounts of money that would be spent on frivolities ("snowflakes"). The resulting lump sum, or snowball, can be used to pay off creditors.

2. Blockbuster Video

Set Smaller Goals, Get Bigger Results

Dan & Chip Heath — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 17:38:07 -0500

What do you dread at work? Maybe it's filling out expense reports. Making a cold call to a sales lead. Giving a long-delayed performance review to T.J. (aka "the Crier"). You dread it, you avoid it, you procrastinate. You check out Google News instead.

Dirty Marketing Campaigns

Dan & Chip Heath — Fri, 09 May 2008 17:07:11 -0400

A classic TV commercial for Wisk detergent opens with a housewife closing a suitcase she has packed for her husband. Suddenly, the suitcase springs open, and we hear, seemingly from within the suitcase as if it's possessed, a chorus of devil children shrieking, "Ring around the collar! Ring around the collar!"