Influence

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion

by Robert B. Cialdini

Influence, the classic book on persuasion, explains the psychology of why people say "yes"—and how to apply these understandings. Dr. Robert Cialdini is the seminal expert in the rapidly expanding field of influence and persuasion. His thirty-five years of rigorous, evidence-based research along with a three-year program of study on what moves people to change behavior has resulted in this highly acclaimed book.

You'll learn the six universal principles, how to use them to become a skilled persuader—and how to defend yourself against them. Perfect for people in all walks of life, the principles of Influence will move you toward profound personal change and act as a driving force for your success.

BK Takeaways

Certain words can trigger an automatic compliance response
Ask for much more than you want, then scale down to what you'd accept. The chances of someone saying yes to you goes up dramatically
We are phenomenal suckers for flattery
We will use the actions of others to decide on popular behavior for ourselves, especially when we view those others as similar to ourselves
It's amazing to read all of the ways our brain can be persuaded to do something we normally wouldn't do
Reciprocation: The old give and take
What we believe to be true is who we are
The more we like someone, the higher the likelihood that we will buy from them