Why Clarity Beats Charisma

Sadly, there are some things that just don't stick, even though you really, really want them to.

The fake Post-it Notes you bought online. German grammar. Weak communication.

People often assume a 'sticky' message is the result of charisma. Or personality. Or some mysterious sparkle that only certain superstar topics have.

If stickiness were about glow or charm, every big announcement, campaign launch or corporate update would be unforgettable. Imagine the thrill of opening your inbox.

But most messages slip out of your mind faster than you can say 'per my last email', and not because they're boring.

They're simply not built to be remembered.

Sticky messages don't happen by accident. They happen because the brain is given something it can actually keep hold of.

And what the brain likes is surprisingly simple.

Clarity tops cleverness

A sticky message has intent. The point is clearly made - not buried under six paragraphs of warm-up or a gazillion adjectives.

Cleverness gets noticed, but its space in the spotlight doesn't last. Clarity earns attention and retains it.

Emotion is the glue

Not in the melodramatic sense, but in terms of relevance.

Why should the reader care? What's the value of this message? What shifts for them now that they've read it?

Even the driest information has an emotion tucked inside it. Find that, and you've found the thing that sticks.

Simplicity is a kindness (and a strategy)

Simplicity isn't dumbing down. It's removing obstacles.

People remember what you help them understand, not what you force them to untangle.

Every time you strip away jargon or compress a sprawling idea into a clean sentence, you make space for the message to lodge itself where it needs to be.

Give the audience one thing to understand, or feel, or do. ONE. ONLY.

Shape is memory's best friend

A good message has a rhythm. A narrative spine, with a sense of direction.

Like your favourite joke, if information arrives in a sensible order, the brain thinks: 'Yep, that makes sense. I'll keep that.'

When the shape is missing, the information skitters all over the place.

Brains love patterns, and delete anything that feels like boring, annoying admin.

Stickiness is built, not sprinkled

Memorable messages aren't made of pixie magic. Flashy graphics and a famous voice over won't help them stick.

They're engineered, with structure, precision and an understanding of what people need in the moment they meet the message.

The messages people remember aren't the ones with the biggest personality, or the ones that shout loudest.

Sticky means crafted and relevant - built to stay with people after they've read it.