Why do some ideas continue to engage while others wither away? Chip and Dan Heath found a common chord for "stickiness" in their debut book. Find out the four key elements that make ideas work.

The first element to hone is simplicity. Yes, the idea has to be simple enough to be memorable. Expressing your core message concisely and clearly gives it a strong chance of being memorized and implemented frequently.

Creating a connection with the familiar gives the core idea a boost. Find out how an American non-profit sent out a powerful message by simply associating a bag of popcorn with three heavy-duty meals, with the former surpassing their combined fat content!

Understand and use the power of surprise to work in your idea's favor. But beware of some common pitfalls. Witness the exemplary customer service displayed by the staff of American luxury departmental store chain Nordstrom. Make these twists work for you.

One major element in grabbing attention is curiosity. These pointers highlight your audience's knowledge gap and drive stickiness. It is time to study whodunits and clickbait strategy. The idea is to tease by revealing a little and leaving vital bits out.

Brush up your storytelling expertise and read up. These skills will come in handy when you want your ideas to stick. Don't tell, show, that is the message in this video. Try concrete examples and avoid the abstract.

Stories that raise empathy tend to make more impact than hard-hitting facts alone. Initiate an emotional response to your idea and watch your audience sit up and take notice. And this very fact reveals another astonishing truth. Watch the video to find out what it is.

Turns out all those exchanges of stories in water cooler conversations are not in vain. Pick up vital cues for later use through these seemingly mundane chats. How the boss wants work done, which client is tricky, the one thing to watch out for in appraisal meetings, you get the drift. Here's why stories tend to stick.