60 Second Book Brief: Contagious by Jonah Berger

Do you want to know the science behind getting your ideas to spread? The the best-selling book Contagious — by Jonah Berger — is for you.

Jonah Berger has done the research to figure out exactly how ideas spread, boiling it down to 6 STEPPS that we can follow to make our ideas “catch on.”

Social Currency. People share things when it helps make them look good, like being the first to find the new great restaurant in town. Create something worth talking about.

Triggers. People talk about the things that are top of mind. Find ways to attach your product or service to things that are regular everyday occurrences. 
 
Emotion. People share things with high levels of emotion. Things that make people feel anger, lust, awe, and joy spread much better than neutral emotions. Create something infused with a strong emotion.

Public. If it’s built to show, it’s built to grow. Think Apple’s now eponymous white earbuds, or logos on expensive clothes. Allow your product or service people part of people’s identity.

Practical Value. People like to share practical and useful information. Like this 60 second summary. Go ahead, share it, you know you want to.

Stories. Finally, people think in terms of narratives, not facts. If you have a compelling narrative, think deeply about how you can help your customers and prospects share it.

So there you have it. Contagious in 60 Seconds.

If you like this video and want to learn more, buy the book on Amazonor at your local bookstore, and then grab our full 12-minute version (along with hundreds of others) by signing up for a free Readitfor.me account here.

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