Impossible to Ignore: Creating Memorable Content to Influence Decisions - Carmen Simon (2016)

CHECKLIST FOR MEMORABLE CONTENT

Imagine your content as a sequence of segments (e.g., slides in a sales deck, paragraphs in a blog, messages in a marketing campaign, or sections in a training program—each of which has a strong meaning if viewed in isolation). At a macro level (e.g., deck, campaign, or training session), include, on average, 9 of the variables from the checklist in at least half of your segments. This will help with gist memory (people will retain the general meaning of your communication). To ensure that a variable is present in your content, use the checklist to score its level of intensity on a scale from 1 to 5, where 5 is the highest.

To create precise memories and compel action, at a micro level, 40% of the segments in your content need to be intense, meaning you must include at least 7 of the variables in the same segment. For example, you might create a slide that establishes context, is distinct from other slides, offers facts that are new and relevant, provokes an emotion, and makes you look good in front of others.

For an electronic version of the checklist, e-mail your request to info@carmensimon.com.