gh-lyndonkl-claude/skills/writer/resources/success-model.md

SUCCESs Model: Making Messages Stick

Table of Contents

• Workflow - Step-by-step stickiness enhancement checklist
• The Heath Brothers' Framework - Overview and philosophy
• S - Simple - Strip to core essence
• U - Unexpected - Get and keep attention
• C - Concrete - Make it visualizable
• C - Credible - Make people believe
• E - Emotional - Make people care
• S - Stories - Use narrative for mental simulation
• Stickiness Scorecard - Rate your message (0-18 points)
• Complete Example - Before/after demonstration

Workflow

Copy this checklist and track your progress:

Stickiness Enhancement:
- [ ] Step 1: Analyze against SUCCESs framework
- [ ] Step 2: Improve weak principles
- [ ] Step 3: Score and refine

Before starting: Review The Heath Brothers' Framework to understand the six principles and Complete Example to see transformation from weak to sticky message.

IMPORTANT: Analyze the ENTIRE document first and output findings to an analysis file in the current directory, then read that file to make improvements. This ensures complete coverage. The analysis file remains in the project for your review.

Step 1: Analyze against SUCCESs framework

Read ENTIRE draft. Create analysis file writer-stickiness-analysis.md assessing the entire document against all 6 SUCCESs principles: Simple (identify core message ≤12 words, list competing messages, rate 0-3), Unexpected (identify surprise/curiosity gaps, note where expectations could be violated, rate 0-3), Concrete (list visualizable details, identify abstract sections needing examples, rate 0-3), Credible (identify credibility sources like statistics/testability/authority, note unsupported claims, rate 0-3), Emotional (identify emotional connections and personal benefits, note where motivation could be strengthened, rate 0-3), Stories (identify story/human elements, note opportunities to add narrative, rate 0-3). Calculate total current stickiness score out of 18. See each principle's section (S - Simple, U - Unexpected, C - Concrete, C - Credible, E - Emotional, S - Stories) for detailed guidance.

Step 2: Improve weak principles

Read analysis file. Work through ENTIRE draft making improvements for each weak principle: Simple (refine core message to ≤12 words), Unexpected (add surprise or curiosity gaps), Concrete (add visualizable details and specific examples), Credible (add statistics, testability, authority, or vivid details), Emotional (strengthen personal benefits and emotional connections), Stories (add narrative or human elements). See each principle's section for specific techniques and examples.

Step 3: Score and refine

Score final result using Stickiness Scorecard. Aim for 12+/18 for good stickiness, 15+/18 for excellent. If score is below 12, identify the weakest 2 principles and do another improvement pass focusing on those. See Complete Example for before/after transformation showing how to apply multiple principles together.

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The Heath Brothers' Framework

From "Made to Stick" by Chip and Dan Heath - a systematic approach to creating memorable messages based on research into why some ideas stick and others fade.

The Six Principles

SUCCESs:

• Simple
• Unexpected
• Concrete
• Credible
• Emotional
• Stories

Apply these six principles, and your message will stick in readers' memories.

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S - Simple

Principle

Strip your message to its core essence. Find the single most important idea. Proverbs are the ultimate model of simplicity.

Why It Works

Simplicity forces priority. If everything is important, nothing is important. One core idea sticks better than five competing ideas.

How to Apply

Find the Core:

• What's the single most important thing?
• If readers forget everything else, what must they remember?
• Can you say it in one sentence?
• Can you say it in 12 words or less?

The Commander's Intent: Military concept - the single essential goal. Everything else is tactics, but this is the mission.

Example: "Take the hill" vs. "Execute a coordinated flanking maneuver utilizing suppressive fire while maintaining radio silence and..."

Examples

The Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

• Profound principle
• Twelve words
• Lifetime of learning
• Universal application

Southwest Airlines: "We are THE low-cost airline."

• Core strategy in six words
• Every decision tested against this
• Simple doesn't mean simplistic

Bad Example: "Our strategic initiative focuses on leveraging synergies between departments to optimize resource utilization while enhancing stakeholder value through integrated solutions."

• What's the core?
• Too many ideas
• Nothing sticks

Better: "Work together. Save money. Deliver value."

• Three simple ideas
• Clear and memorable
• Actionable

Application Questions

• Can I state my core message in 12 words or less?
• Is this the single most important idea?
• Have I stripped away everything non-essential?
• Is it simple without being simplistic?
• Does it guide decision-making like commander's intent?

Common Mistakes

❌ Confusing simple with simplistic ❌ Including too many core ideas ❌ Using jargon or corporate-speak ❌ Burying the core in complex language ❌ Hedging with qualifiers

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U - Unexpected

Principle

Get attention through surprise. Keep attention through interest. Violate expectations, then create curiosity gaps.

Why It Works

Surprise: Breaks patterns, demands attention Interest: Curiosity gaps make people want to close the loop

How to Apply

Get Attention (Surprise):

1. Identify readers' schema (what they expect)
2. Violate that schema
3. Do it early (first paragraph ideal)

Keep Attention (Curiosity):

1. Open a loop (ask a question, create mystery)
2. Make them curious about the answer
3. Close the loop (but not too quickly)

Schema Violation Examples

Expected: "Budget your money carefully." Unexpected: "You're wasting $4,000 a year. On coffee."

• Violates expectation with specific, surprising claim
• Creates curiosity: "How am I wasting $4,000?"

Expected: "Regular exercise is healthy." Unexpected: "Exercise is more effective than medication for depression."

• Counter-intuitive claim
• Demands attention
• Creates curiosity about evidence

Curiosity Gap Technique

The Gap: People feel a need to close information gaps. If you create a gap between what they know and what they want to know, they'll keep reading.

Example: "Three mistakes kill most startups. You're probably making at least one right now."

• Gap: What are the three mistakes?
• Curiosity: Am I making them?
• They must keep reading to close the gap

Bad Example: "This article discusses three common startup mistakes."

• No surprise
• No curiosity
• No urgency to keep reading

Real-World Example: CSPI Popcorn Campaign

The Message: "A medium popcorn at a movie theater contains more artery-clogging fat than a bacon-and-eggs breakfast, a Big Mac and fries for lunch, and a steak dinner with all the trimmings - combined!"

Why It Worked:

• Unexpected: Movie popcorn is WORSE than all that?
• Concrete: Specific foods people recognize
• Surprising: Violates schema (popcorn seems harmless)
• Result: Massive media coverage, industry change

Application Questions

• What does my audience expect? How can I violate that?
• Where's the surprise in my message?
• Have I created a curiosity gap early?
• Do readers want to know what happens next?
• Is the surprise relevant (not just random)?

Common Mistakes

❌ Being random instead of surprising (unrelated weirdness) ❌ Violating schema but not delivering substance ❌ Opening curiosity gaps but never closing them ❌ Being predictable and formulaic ❌ Surprise without connection to core message

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C - Concrete

Principle

Use sensory, tangible details. Make it visualizable. Avoid abstractions. Ground everything in physical reality.

Why It Works

Brains think in images, not abstractions. "High quality" is abstract. "Silk-smooth surface, zero scratches" is concrete - you can picture it and feel it.

How to Apply

Make It Sensory:

• What does it look like?
• What does it sound like?
• What does it feel like?
• What does it smell like?
• What does it taste like?

Use Specific Examples:

• Not "vehicle" → "2015 Subaru Outback"
• Not "experienced problems" → "crashed every morning at 9 AM"
• Not "many users" → "847 out of 1,162 users"

The Ladder of Abstraction: Move from abstract to concrete:

• Abstract: "Transportation"
• General: "Vehicle"
• Mid-level: "Car"
• Specific: "Station wagon"
• Concrete: "Battered 2015 Subaru Outback with 180,000 miles"

Examples

Abstract: "The project experienced quality issues that impacted user satisfaction."

• What were the issues?
• Can't visualize it
• Doesn't stick

Concrete: "The dashboard crashed every morning at 9 AM when 200+ users logged in simultaneously. Users saw a spinning wheel for 3-5 minutes. Support tickets tripled."

• Specific time: 9 AM
• Specific number: 200+ users
• Specific symptom: spinning wheel
• Specific duration: 3-5 minutes
• Specific impact: tickets tripled
• Can visualize every detail

Abstract: "We need to improve our communication processes."

• What does this mean in practice?
• Too vague to act on

Concrete: "We'll do daily 10-minute standups at 9 AM. Everyone shares three things: what they did yesterday, what they're doing today, and what's blocking them."

• Specific format: 10-minute standups
• Specific time: 9 AM
• Specific structure: three things
• Visualizable: can picture the meeting

Real-World Example: Save the Children

Mass Statistics (Doesn't Work): "Millions of children in Africa are starving."

• Too big to grasp
• Can't visualize millions
• Abstract suffering

Individual Story (Works): "This is Rokia. She's seven years old. She lives in Mali. Her family is very poor. Rokia is desperately poor and faces a threat of severe hunger or even starvation. Her life will be changed for the better as a result of your financial gift."

• One specific child
• Specific name: Rokia
• Specific age: seven
• Specific place: Mali
• Can visualize her
• Can imagine helping her

Result: Individual stories generate more donations than statistics about millions.

Mother Teresa: "If I look at the mass, I will never act. If I look at the one, I will."

Application Questions

• Can readers visualize this?
• Have I used specific sensory details?
• Am I showing one individual rather than masses?
• Are numbers human-scale (not billions)?
• Can I replace abstract words with concrete ones?

Common Mistakes

❌ Using abstract language ("improve quality") ❌ Talking about masses instead of individuals ❌ Using jargon instead of plain language ❌ Missing sensory details ❌ Leaving readers unable to picture it

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C - Credible

Principle

Make people believe you. Use statistics (but human-scale), testability ("try it yourself"), authority, anti-authority, or vivid details that ring true.

Why It Works

People won't act on messages they don't believe. Credibility converts skeptics.

Types of Credibility

1. Authority

External Authority:

• Experts
• Celebrities
• Authorities in the field
• Research institutions

Example: "According to a Stanford study..." or "Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman found..."

2. Anti-Authority

Personal Experience: Sometimes everyday people are more credible than experts.

Example: "I tried this for 90 days. Here's what happened..." beats "Experts say this works."

3. Statistics (Human-Scale)

The Problem with Big Numbers: "Billions spent" is too big to grasp.

Human-Scale Statistics: Make numbers relatable.

Examples:

• Not: "The universe is 93 billion light-years across"

• Better: "If Earth were a golf ball, the nearest star would be 50,000 miles away"

• Not: "We saved 1 million hours of productivity"

• Better: "We saved each employee 30 minutes a day - enough to leave work early every Friday"

4. Testability

"Try It Yourself": Most powerful credibility.

Example: "Don't believe me? Count how many times the letter 'e' appears in this paragraph. Then try writing a paragraph without using 'e'. You'll see how hard it is."

• Reader can verify immediately
• No need to trust authority
• Personal experience creates belief

5. Vivid Details

Details That Ring True: Specific, concrete details create credibility even without statistics.

Example: "The old mechanic had grease under his fingernails that no amount of washing would remove, and he smelled like motor oil and coffee."

• Specific details (grease, fingernails, smell)
• Rings true to anyone who's met a mechanic
• No statistics needed

The Sinatra Test

"If I can make it there, I can make it anywhere."

If you pass the toughest test, you must be good.

Examples:

• Security system used by Fort Knox
• Accounting firm that audits the Fed
• Consultant hired by Google

If they trust you, everyone should.

Application Questions

• Why should readers believe this?
• Can I add a statistic (human-scale)?
• Can readers test this themselves?
• Do I have authority or compelling anti-authority?
• Have I included vivid details that ring true?
• Does it pass a Sinatra Test?

Common Mistakes

❌ Using statistics too big to grasp (billions, trillions) ❌ Relying only on authority without evidence ❌ Making claims without support ❌ Using vague language instead of specific details ❌ Missing the "try it yourself" opportunity

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E - Emotional

Principle

Make people care. Appeal to identity, self-interest, or values. Focus on individuals, not masses.

Why It Works

People act on emotions, then justify with logic. If they don't care, they won't act, no matter how logical your argument.

How to Make Them Care

1. Focus on Individuals, Not Masses

Mother Teresa's Principle: "If I look at the mass, I will never act. If I look at the one, I will."

Example:

• Statistics: "2 million refugees displaced"
• Individual: "Meet Ahmed. He's 9. He walked 200 miles to safety, carrying his little sister."

Which makes you care more?

2. Appeal to Identity

"This is who you are": Connect your message to readers' self-image.

Examples:

• To developers: "You care about code quality. You take pride in your work."
• To parents: "You want the best for your children."
• To professionals: "You're not the kind of person who settles for mediocre."

3. Appeal to Self-Interest

"Here's what's in it for you": Show direct personal benefit.

Examples:

• "Save 30 minutes every day"
• "Avoid the embarrassment of..."
• "Get promoted faster by..."

4. Appeal to Values

Tie to deeper principles:

• Fairness
• Justice
• Freedom
• Security
• Family
• Achievement

Example: Not: "This policy affects many people." Better: "This policy violates basic fairness - people doing the same work should get the same pay."

Real-World Example: Blue Eye/Brown Eye Exercise

The Lesson: Iowa teacher Jane Elliott wanted third-graders to understand prejudice after MLK's assassination.

What She Did:

• Divided class by eye color
• Gave blue-eyed students privileges, treated brown-eyed poorly
• Next day, reversed it
• Students experienced discrimination firsthand

Why It Worked:

• Emotional: Students felt the pain of discrimination
• Personal: It happened to them
• Memorable: They never forgot the lesson
• Not lecture (abstract) but experience (emotional)

WIIFY ("What's In It For You?")

Always answer this question for readers:

• Why should I care?
• How does this affect me?
• What's the benefit to me personally?

Example: Not: "Our new process improves efficiency metrics." Better: "You'll spend 30 minutes less in meetings each day. That's 2.5 hours a week - time you can use for actual work or leave early on Friday."

Application Questions

• Why should readers care emotionally?
• Have I focused on one individual (not masses)?
• Does this appeal to their identity?
• Have I shown personal benefit (WIIFY)?
• Have I connected to values?
• Will readers feel something?

Common Mistakes

❌ Focusing on statistics instead of individuals ❌ Missing the emotional core ❌ Appealing only to logic ❌ Not answering "What's in it for me?" ❌ Being too abstract or distant

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S - Stories

Principle

Use narrative to create mental simulation. Stories make readers experience ideas, not just understand them.

Why It Works

When we read stories, we mentally simulate the experience. We put ourselves in the protagonist's shoes. We feel their emotions. We learn through vicarious experience.

The Three Plot Types

1. Challenge Plot

Structure: Protagonist overcomes obstacles against the odds.

Emotional Takeaway: "I can overcome my obstacles too."

Examples:

• David vs. Goliath
• Startup competing with giants
• Person overcoming illness or hardship

Example: "Sarah joined the team knowing nothing about coding. For six months, she studied every night after work. She built small projects. She failed often. But she kept going. Today, Sarah is our lead developer. She deployed the feature that tripled our revenue."

What Readers Learn: Persistence pays off. They can do hard things.

2. Connection Plot

Structure: Bridge a gap between people, groups, or ideas.

Emotional Takeaway: "I can connect with others different from me."

Examples:

• Unlikely friendships
• Cross-cultural understanding
• Bringing together opposing sides

Example: "The sales team and engineering team hated each other. Sales blamed engineering for bugs. Engineering blamed sales for impossible promises. Then we started monthly joint lunches. Just eating together. Talking as humans, not departments. Within three months, collaboration tripled. Within six months, they were finishing each other's sentences in meetings."

What Readers Learn: Connection is possible. Small bridges can heal big divides.

3. Creativity Plot

Structure: Someone solves a problem in a new, creative way.

Emotional Takeaway: "I can think differently and solve my problems."

Examples:

• Innovation stories
• Lateral thinking
• Unconventional solutions

Example: "We spent months trying to make the app faster. Faster servers. Optimized code. Nothing worked enough. Then Maria asked: 'What if we don't make it faster? What if we make waiting feel faster?' She added a progress bar showing what the app was doing. User satisfaction doubled. Same speed, better experience. We were solving the wrong problem."

What Readers Learn: Reframe problems. Think creatively.

How to Use Stories

Show, Don't Tell:

• Not: "Code reviews are important."
• Story: "Mark's code review caught a bug that would have crashed the system on Black Friday. 50,000 orders saved because Mark took ten minutes to review carefully."

Use Real Examples:

• Real people (with permission, or anonymized)
• Real situations
• Real outcomes
• Specific details

Keep It Relevant: Story must serve the core message. Don't tell stories just for entertainment.

Application Questions

• Have I included a specific narrative?
• Does it show a challenge, connection, or creativity?
• Can readers simulate the experience mentally?
• Does the story serve my core message?
• Is it concrete and specific?

Common Mistakes

❌ Telling instead of showing ❌ Using hypotheticals instead of real stories ❌ Stories that don't serve the message ❌ Too vague or abstract ❌ Missing the human element

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Stickiness Scorecard

Rate your message on each element (0-3 points):

Simple

• 0 = Multiple competing ideas
• 1 = Core idea present but cluttered
• 2 = Clear core, mostly focused
• 3 = Single crystal-clear core (≤12 words)

Unexpected

• 0 = Completely predictable
• 1 = Mildly interesting
• 2 = Surprising or curiosity-inducing
• 3 = Violates schema AND creates curiosity gap

Concrete

• 0 = Mostly abstract
• 1 = Some specific examples
• 2 = Largely concrete and visualizable
• 3 = Fully sensory, specific, visualizable

Credible

• 0 = No evidence
• 1 = Weak support
• 2 = Good evidence (stats, authority, or details)
• 3 = Multiple credibility types OR testable

Emotional

• 0 = No emotional connection
• 1 = Slight appeal
• 2 = Clear personal benefit or value connection
• 3 = Strong identity, individual focus, or values

Stories

• 0 = No narrative
• 1 = Brief example
• 2 = Clear story with some detail
• 3 = Vivid story with mental simulation

Total Score: __/18

Interpretation:

• 15-18: Highly sticky message
• 12-14: Good stickiness, could improve weak elements
• 8-11: Moderate stickiness, needs work
• 0-7: Weak stickiness, major revision needed

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Complete Example

Original Message (Weak): "Our new project management system offers improved efficiency and better collaboration features for teams."

SUCCESs Score: 3/18

• Simple: 1 (vague core)
• Unexpected: 0 (predictable)
• Concrete: 0 (abstract)
• Credible: 0 (no evidence)
• Emotional: 0 (no personal benefit)
• Stories: 2 (brief example)

Revised Message (Strong): "You're wasting 10 hours a week in pointless meetings and searching for files [Unexpected, Concrete]. Sarah's team was too. They switched to our project management system. Now they spend 2 hours a week in focused standups - that's it [Concrete, Simple]. Where did those 8 hours go? Real work [Emotional - self-interest]. Sarah says, 'I leave at 5 PM now, not 7 PM' [Story, Credible]. Try it for two weeks. If you don't save 8 hours, we'll refund you [Credible - testable]."

SUCCESs Score: 17/18

• Simple: 3 (save 8 hours a week)
• Unexpected: 3 (10 hours wasted opens with surprise)
• Concrete: 3 (specific hours, specific times)
• Credible: 3 (testable, specific numbers, real person)
• Emotional: 3 (personal benefit, leave work earlier)
• Stories: 2 (Sarah's brief story)