Cambridge Business Association
Yes!
Book

Yes!

50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive

Noah J. Goldstein, Steve J. Martin and Robert B. Cialdini
Free Press, 2008
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Editorial Rating

9

Qualities

  • Innovative
  • Applicable

Recommendation

Yes! is an entertaining book – to match the title, it’s a blast! Noah J. Goldstein, Steve J. Martin and Robert B. Cialdini provide, as the subtitle indicates, 50 distinct examples, explanations or techniques to help you become more persuasive. They present the general principles of persuasion and discuss an abundance of specific, detailed uses. The authors offer numerous studies (their own and others’), hypothetical situations, and elucidations of what to do and what not to do. They advocate the idea that you can and should test persuasive strategies. They are convincing, and they write wittily and breezily. getAbstract recommends this useful book to anyone engaged in persuasion, including executives, marketers, trainers and salespeople.

Summary

The Nature of Persuasion

Persuasion is a curious thing. Because it is based on human psychology and because life gives everyone direct experience of that psychology, people depend too much on their own experiences when they try to persuade others. In fact, people aren’t even especially good at figuring out what persuaded them or at understanding why they did something. Instead, they jump to conclusions based on faulty data. The result is that persuasion is seen as an “art” and treated as a mysterious phenomenon. But whether you are innately gifted at persuading other people or not, you can use specific scientifically tested techniques that have proven to be reliably persuasive. Many of these techniques draw on one or more of “the six universal principles of social influence”:

1. “Reciprocation” – People Want to Treat Each Other Fairly

If you give someone something, even a soft drink, he or she will want to repay you. This can take the form of agreeing to your suggestions or making a larger purchase from you. To apply this principle, consider what you could do for others. How could you help them? What could you give them? You will have an automatic persuasive...

About the Authors

Noah J. Goldstein teaches at the UCLA Anderson School of Management. Psychologist Robert B. Cialdini also wrote Influence and Principles of Ethical Influence. Steve J. Martin is managing director and Cialdini is president of a consultancy that helps organizations improve performance by using the principles of influence.

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