Yes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive (Hardcover)

by Noah J. Goldstein (Author), Steve J. Martin (Author), Robert B. Cialdini (Author)
Key Phrases: social proof, United States, Post-it Note, Coca-Cola Company (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Goldstein, Martin and Cialdini meld social psychology, pop culture and field research to demonstrate how the subtle addition, subtraction or substitution of a word, phrase, symbol or gesture can significantly influence consumer behavior. Interspersing references to Britney Spears, the Smurfs and Sex and the City with more academic concepts such as loss aversion and the scarcity principle, the authors illustrate the simple and surprising approaches that can hone a company's marketing strategies. Witty chapters detail the allure of the yellow Post-it, the tip-garnering capabilities of an after-dinner mint, how highlighting a product's weaknesses can increase its appeal, the powerful role of third-party testimonials, how doctors can convince patients to adopt healthier choices by prominently displaying academic credentials in their offices, and how mirroring another person's gestures can elicit a more generous response by strengthening a perceived bond. While written primarily for a marketing audience, this amusing book has equal value and appeal for executives, salespeople—even parents trying to persuade their kids to do homework. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review
"This easy-to-read summary of the social-psychological research on persuasion really does tell people how to get to 'yes.' Since we are all selling something, including ourselves, all the time, everyone can, and will be, reading this amazing book."-- Jeffrey Pfeffer, professor, Stanford Graduate School of Business, and author of What Were They Thinking? Unconventional Wisdom About Management

"Yes! is the single best introduction to and distillation of research and wisdom on how to change people's minds, including your own."-- Warren Bennis, Distinguished Professor of Business, University of Southern California, author of On Becoming a Leader and coauthor of Judgment: How Winning Leaders Make Great Calls

"Yes! is the Freakonomics of social psychology. This book changed my way of looking at the world. This thinking is the real deal. Don't miss out!"-- Daniel Finkelstein, Comment Editor, The Times (London)

"If you had a team of bright guys looking for research that you can actually use to improve your effectiveness, and they wrote it up for you with wit and style, putting it in nifty little reports of three to five pages, would that be useful? YES! This book is the trifecta: first-rate research, lively writing, and practical advice. Read it, enjoy it, use it."-- Dale Dauten, nationally syndicated King Features columnist and author of The Gifted Boss

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Free Press (June 10, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416570969
• ISBN-13: 978-1416570967
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (107 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,192 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

103 of 104 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Say "yes" to yes!, September 20, 2008

By	Allison Rodgers (Nevada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In 1984, social psychologist Robert Cialdini published Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. He did his research by studying car salesmen, Hari Krishnas, telemarketers, and other master persuaders, cataloguing the tricks of their trade and distilling the underlying psychological principles. The result was a field guide on how to apply -- or resist -- the bait-and-switch, the lowball, the reciprocity effect, and the other tools of the persuasive class. An instant classic, the book is still taught in Psych 101 courses everywhere. Now, in Yes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive, Cialdini -- along with his research collaborators Noah J. Goldstein and Steve J. Martin -- revisits the same terrain, bringing to bear the latest advances in the science of mind. As it turns out, the laws of influence don't work the way we think. Take social proof -- the fact that when we see other people doing something, we want to do it, too. It's why product testimonials work so well. But it also explains why some marketing campaigns backfire: One anti-littering campaign bears the slogan, "This year Americans will produce more litter and pollution than ever before." By communicating that littering is common, these ads actually make the problem worse. For the same reason, a sign warning that a national park was threatened because so many people were removing pieces of petrified wood resulted in a tripling of the rate at which people stole. Presented in short, engaging chapters, each illustrating one principle of persuasion, the book is filled with similarly jaw-dropping insights. It also provides concrete suggestions on how to harness this wisdom in real-life situations. Like Influence before it, Yes! will no doubt prove indispensable for anyone curious about the art of persuasion.

Another outstanding book on the subject that I strongly recommend is Emotional Intelligence 2.0

147 of 176 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Dale Carnegie's Classic How to Win Friends - Turns Scientific, June 5, 2008

By	James East (Orlando, FL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Much like the Dale Carnegie classic, one could consider this the scientific version with current and updated studies and field tested facts. Though many will probably purchase this book primarily due to Robert Cialdini's authorship based on his polymath classic "Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion", I had to rate this book (in my view a sequel) at only 3 stars. This somewhat lower grade is mainly due to the fact that it is very hard to surpass oneself after one has published a masterpiece (no disrespect to the other co-authors). Regardless, this book still holds its own and the stories are fast moving with heavy doses (50 to be exact) of social influences, such as:

1) Social Proof Studies
2) Reciprocation Tendency
3) Authority Respecting
4) Commitment & Consistency Response
5) Scarcity Reaction, and
6) The Liking & Loving Response

If you have previously read Influence, you will like this book. If you have not, this book is a good introductory start on the subject matter of social influences. If one really likes this subject and wants to pursue it in more depth, please also refer to other fine books on the subject such as, How We Know What Isn't So (very good), Mean Markets and Lizard Brains (Hidden Gem), The Psychology of Judgment & Decision Making (Classic), or Poor Charlie's Almanack (Charlie's Insights). Good reading and enjoy :)

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wake up call!, August 4, 2008

By	Christian (Charlotte, NC United States) - See all my reviews

I do not enjoy reading. I loved this book. Very straight forward, easy to follow, scientifically proven ways to get what you want. Some of this you already know, you just have never thought about it in a context that made sense. I very rarely review anything, much less a book, but this book is going to make me a better communicator, a smarter businessman, and possibly...RICH. By all means, get this book if you want to make it through when others wont.