Product Description

Some people just won't take no for an answer. In Influence, Dr. Robert Cialdini explains the six psychological principles that drive our powerful impulse to comply to the pressures of others and shows how we can defend ourselves against manipulation (or put the principles to work in our own interest).

Influence guarantees two things: Readers will never say yes again when they really mean no, and they'll be more persuasive than ever before.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #25992 in Books
• Published on: 1998-10-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 336 pages

Amazon.com
Arguably the best book ever on what is increasingly becoming the science of persuasion. Whether you're a mere consumer or someone weaving the web of persuasion to urge others to buy or vote for your product, this is an essential book for understanding the psychological foundations of marketing. Recommended.

Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology
The materials in Cialdini's Influence is a proverbial gold mine.

Contemporary Psychology
Influence is a joy to read. Cialdini deserves a pat on the back for breaking the mold.

Customer Reviews

Be conscious of non-rational influences
Cialdini demonstrates various ways -- other than rationality -- in which people are influenced into doing things. He categorizes the influences, and suggests how to deal each type. All this is done without taking a cynical attitude about the futility of reason or any such thing.

Not an earth-shattering book if one has read similar ones; otherwise, a good place to start.

Powerful, Scientific, and Fully Engaging Work on the Powers of Influence
Everything Dale Carnegie accomplished regarding individual influence, Robert Cialdini has equally achieved on the topic of mass influence. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion offers an exceptional scientific look into the realm of persuasion backed by substantial logic and examples. Based on the premise of society's need for quick solutions for analyzing an abundance of issues in everyday life, Cialdini illustrates how marketers, salespeople, and pushers in all fields take advantage of these tools to exploit the public at will.

Years ago a great friend and I ran a sales business that involved an immense amount of persuasion to arouse people to take action. Using a considerable amount of trial and error, we discovered there were certain actions we could take that vastly changed the reactions of people, almost mechanical in nature, and we therefore drastically increased our effectiveness. We knew it worked, but had no way to explain what was happening. Cialdini clarified so much of the psychology behind these influences and added considerable amounts we had never even considered.

The beauty of Cialdini's work is his ability to delve into the scientific nature explaining why people react in certain ways in response to particular actions or unconscious stimuli. The science is backed with substantial examples and authoritative studies that prove beyond doubt how powerful even simple methods of persuasion can be.

Anyone in sales, marketing or any position where influence is imperative (really, in what line of work is it not?) absolutely needs to be aware of the content within this book. Perhaps even more importantly, this book should be essential reading to anyone as it's of equal importance to understand how you are being exploited as it is to learn the craft for your own benefit. Cialdini spends a section on each chapter detailing how to defend yourself against the ongoing psychological warfare that causes you to take actions you would otherwise avoid, thus the scope of his work provides equal time and value to both exploiter and the exploited.

I have not encountered another book on psychological influence that I would rate higher. I also can not recall a book I would recommend for both business associates and my family, including my mother; yet I genuinely feel this book warrants such high regard.

also good for keeping others from manipulating YOU!
I read all these sales books in my early 20's but then never went into sales. Having said that, this is a good book for anyone. It teaches skills of influence, which can help keep YOU from being manipulated by others, I have found...