I try not to gush about business books. But I must say that “Made to Stick” by Chip and Dan Heath is really worth reading.

The authors tackle the idea of what sticks in our minds and what doesn’t. They argue that there is a process you can use to help craft ideas that will stay with your intended audience. Could you benefit from being more compelling, and therefore more effective at communicating your ideas? Me too.

The authors break down the criteria of what makes an idea sticky into six components using the acronym SUCCESs.

Simple: It’s hard to make ideas stick in our chaotic environment. Strip an idea down to its most critical essence.

Unexpected: Break a pattern. Communicate your message in a way that breaks your audience’s guessing machines.

Concrete: Abstraction makes it harder to understand an idea and to remember it. Be specific.

Credible: Earn trust by talking the talk. Tell stories that show your expertise. Details matter.

Emotional: Appeal to your audience’s self-interest, but also appeal to their identities. Not just who they are but who they want to be.

Stories: Stories are the culmination of the other criteria. Weave a simple, credible story using the juxtaposition of the concrete and the unexpected so that it triggers an emotional response.

The book is filled with easy-to-grasp examples and applicable techniques that will have you wanting to take notes in the margins. But be careful where you write. I warn you; once you finish the book you’re going to want to read it through again, just to make sure you didn’t miss anything.

Drew McLellan is Top Dog at McLellan  Marketing Group and the  author of “99.3 Random Acts of  Marketing.” He can be reached at  Drew@MclellanMarketing.com.  © Drew McLellan