POP! Book Summary - POP! Book explained in key points
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POP! summary

Sam Horn

Create the Perfect Pitch, Title and Tagline for Anything

4.1 (54 ratings)
19 mins

Brief summary

POP! by Sam Horn is a guide to help you create and deliver memorable presentations. It contains practical tips and techniques to grab your audience's attention and leave a lasting impression.

Table of Contents

    POP!
    Summary of 10 key ideas

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    The key to a sticky message is to make it POP!: Purposeful, Original and Pithy.

    Every single day, from the moment we connect to the internet or walk out onto the street, we are bombarded with ads that fight for our money and our attention. But have you ever wondered why some ads are more successful than others?

    The answer is simple: the ads that grab your attention are the ones that POP! – or that are Purposeful, Original and Pithy.

    Let’s examine these elements one by one.

    First comes Purpose. Whether you’re trying to spread an idea or sell a product, your message has to instantly communicate your purpose – and how it positively affects your audience.

    In fact, the best wordplay in the world won’t POP! unless it does two things: it must precisely articulate the essence of your message and show your audience what’s in it for them.

    Then comes Originality. You’ve got to remember that no matter how brilliant your product or message is, someone else is probably trying to do something similar. Therefore you need to distinguish yourself by every means possible, and in particular, by being original in what you do.

    Keep in mind that people’s yearning for something fresh is so strong that even if the essence of what you’re doing is not new, it still has a chance of taking off if you can make it original.

    Finally, there’s Pith. The word pith means the essence of something – a concept that’s crucial, as the human brain can actually only hold about seven bits of information in short-term memory! This means that you have to be pithy and convincing in a second, or your idea will soon be forgotten.

    It’s no coincidence that the top slogans of the twentieth century, as selected by Advertising Age magazine, are all less than seven words: De Beers’ “Diamonds are forever,” Nike’s “Just do it,” and Avis’ “We try harder.”

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    Key ideas in POP!

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    What is POP! about?

    This book shows you how to craft messages and ideas that stick in the minds of your audience because they are Popular, Original and Pithy. Author Sam Horn offers a highly adaptable and systematic approach to creating pitches, titles and taglines that grasp people’s attention and win them over to your brand, product or idea.

    Best quote from POP!

    I have six honest servants... Their names are what, why, and who, and when and where and how. – Robert Louis Stevenson

    —Sam Horn
    example alt text

    Who should read POP!?

    • Anyone who wants to learn how to sell
    • Anyone who has to deliver professional pitches or create titles or taglines
    • Anyone who wants to share their ideas and make them stick

    About the Author

    Sam Horn, communication expert and founder of Intrigue Agency, is widely known for her award-winning speeches and highly interactive workshops on effective communication. An expert on branding and innovation, she has written books such as INTRIGUE and Tongue Fu!, and worked as a pitch coach for Springboard Enterprises, helping entrepreneurs design and deliver effective pitches.

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