I’m going to break down exciting lessons from Contagious by Jonah Berger.
This book has been a bestseller for years and teaches us how to make our work or product more contagious – causing it to catch on like wildfire.
While reading it, I’ve pieced together some key lessons that are vital for every early-stage startup.
1. Social Currency
One of the most well-known phrases from Contagious is Social Currency. People do things that make them look good to their peers. For example, people might buy a product or change their behaviour to gain social status with friends or family, even if it costs them personally. The idea is that people want to be the first to tell their social group about good experiences they’ve had. It builds trust that if someone else is talking about this product or experience, it must be good.
This is where the phrase “Tell Your Friends” comes from – it’s a way to bond with people by explicitly saying you want them to tell others. But don’t overdo it and come across as desperate or too pushy.
With social currency, we can leverage it to market our products and services to others. This happens in a few ways: 1) Getting influencers like celebrities, bloggers, or experts to share their experience with your product 2) Providing bonuses such as discounts for referrals 3) Letting people spread your message by sharing it with their social circle.
2. Triggers
Berger also describes “Triggers” – things that can tell us to take action, such as buying a product or service, before we even consciously think about doing so. For example, when you get hungry and go out looking for food without necessarily thinking of what you’re going to eat, that’s an example of a trigger.
That can also be said about “keystone” triggers – something that has the power to trigger other things. For example, hearing your favourite song on the radio may make you remember how much you love it and give you a craving for Mcdonalds’. Knowing your triggers is essential for marketers – it can help you narrow down your target audience.
3. Public
Berger uses the Public principle to describe how people like to do things in front of others and get social recognition.
This is where we see a lot of viral videos that go “viral” because they show everyday people doing crazy stunts or seemingly impossible feats. People also love sharing images and videos of other people – even if they’re not in them.
This also means that we can leverage the power of social currency/social proof to promote our products and services – by having a well-known company or celebrity endorse them.
4. Practical Value
People like things that make their lives easier or tasks less complicated. For example, people usually prefer spending money on products that make them look good or save money rather than ones that are challenging to use or don’t benefit them.
This is why Apple’s marketing campaigns often show how easy it is to learn how to use their technology, with statements like “it just works” and “there’s only one button.” It’s also why new features for apps are often focused on making the product easier to use.
5. Stories
People love hearing about stories, almost more than statistics or facts. They are drawn to them and remember them better because of the emotional connection with these tales. It’s why celebrity endorsements are so powerful – people want to emulate their favourite star, so they use the same products.
It’s possible that stories also make our products more relatable to others, which helps us build rapport and makes customers more likely to want to do business with us – because they feel like we understand what they’re going through.
6. Unexpectedness
People like things that are unusual or unexpected (especially when it comes to an incredible package).
This is why the typical “hand-drawn” style of cartoons and comics can often attract a lot of attention. People are so used to seeing polished, perfect artwork on social media that anything different or quirky manages to stand out.
7. Simplicity
People love things they don’t have to think too hard about, even in financial decisions.
This is why a lot of market research focuses on how people feel about a product or service rather than the actual features – because it’s straightforward for respondents to give an opinion based on what they’re feeling at that moment, not necessarily what might happen in the future.
8. Credibility
People are more likely to trust you if they can tell that your information is legitimate and correct. This means doing things like getting third-party reviews of your products or having testimonials from customers.
This also applies to how people view the person advising about a service or product – meaning our social status can play a significant role in influencing what other people think about our opinions.
9. Emotion
People are more likely to remember things when they have an emotional connection with them. This means that it can be beneficial for companies to have a relatable tone to their target audience rather than focusing on being overly “professional” in how they communicate. It also helps if there are elements in your campaigns that make people feel something (like happiness or excitement, for example).
Conclusion
When it comes to creating content, “stickiness” can often be attributed to these nine factors. First, people respond more to things they find exciting and memorable because they are drawn to what moves them emotionally or makes their lives easier, simpler, or better.
As Jonah Berger mentions at the end of the book, there is no formula for going viral or creating a campaign that people share with friends and family. But there are guidelines you can follow to help improve the chances of your content attracting an audience.
The next time you write a blog post or create a video or infographic, think about what might make your content more enjoyable, memorable, or valuable so it has a better chance of catching on.