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Are you trying to promote an idea, a behavior change, a product\u2014say, your new book? Jonah Berger\u2019s Contagious: Why Things Catch On<\/a><\/i>, describes why things go viral. In the tradition of Malcolm Gladwell\u2019s Tipping Point<\/i> and Chip and Dan Heath\u2019s Made to Stick, <\/i>Berger illustrates his pared-down principles with real-life examples and embeds in them the results of behavioral research. The book is based on marketing lectures he gives at the University of Pennsylvania\u2019s Wharton School of Business, and the cover design\u00a0 is brilliant.<\/p>\n So, why do<\/i> things go viral? \u201cPeople love to share stories, news, and information with those around them,\u201d Berger says, and word-of-mouth is dramatically more effective in motivating someone to buy your idea or product or service\u2014your \u201cit\u201d\u2014than any paid ad. If you present your it in a way that makes people want to talk about it, you\u2019ve increased your chances of success many-fold. But what kinds of messages make someone want to share?<\/p>\n Messages that become contagious have at least some of these common elements, Berger says:<\/p>\n Every one of us is trying to \u201csell\u201d something. We may want to persuade people about the good works of our favorite charity so they will donate, we may want to promote a public health message on gun safety, we may be in the actual selling business\u2014real estate, securities, lipstick. In my case, I want you to visit my website (and you have!). Berger has a persuasive chapter on each of the six elements that will help you analyze your messages and create more effective ones.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve read about the tipping point and stickiness, some of this will sound familiar, but if you haven\u2019t read these books lately, Contagious<\/i> is full of useful reminders.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Are you trying to promote an idea, a behavior change, a product\u2014say, your new book? Jonah Berger\u2019s Contagious: Why Things Catch On, describes why things go viral. In the tradition of Malcolm Gladwell\u2019s Tipping Point and Chip and Dan Heath\u2019s … Continue reading \n