This review was submitted by mauzenne.
This book is fascinating. It will both intrigue you, and make you feel like you can trick anyone into doing anything. And, you would be able to. There is much in this book that could be used for unethical purposes. Manager Tools doesn't often talk about ethics, but we assume our members and listeners will always behave professionally, which is to say with high ethical standards.
Cialdini lays out how to influence and persuade others by teaching basic principles about why we act the way we do, and why we respond to others the way we do. This is a core book for sales and marketing professionals, and any manager who has to use more than just positional power to make things happen (that would include YOU).
Comments
Follow up book - may be helpful
FYI- Robert Cialdini has come out with a follow up book that takes many of these concepts and makes them a more digestable.
Yes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive
http://www.amazon.com/Yes-Scientifically-Proven-Ways-Persuasive/dp/1416570969
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Absolutely Brilliant
If you're in sales, promotions or marketing and you haven't read this book, you're not serious about your job!
An amazing piece of work for anyone who needs to influence (everybody)!
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Great refresher for me
Many of the concepts in this book were familiar to me but it was great to have my thinking refreshed. A real bonus for me was having academic references to add weight to the topics covered.
My only criticism is that some of the examples are a little dated - but thinking up more recent examples helped to cement my understanding.
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A Classic I Am Glad I Finally Read
A classic that spells out many of the ways we all - but espcially salespeople and marketers - use quirks in the way the brain works to influence others behavior. It will really open your eyes to the science a psychology behind many of the sales tactics and marketing practices you see every day. Particularly enjoy Cialdini's tone, and the practical guidance he gives for avoding influence tricks.
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