Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (Book)

You are currently viewing Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (Book)

By Dr. Robert B Cialdini

If you want to understand and harness the power of persuasion for your business, this book is well worth your time. Author Dr. Cialdini is an expert in the fields of influence and persuasion (with 35 years of evidence-based, peer-reviewed scientific research), and in this New York Times bestselling book he explains the psychology behind why people say yes. 

The book explores 6 universal principles of influence: reciprocation, commitment & consistency, social proof, liking, authority, and scarcity. Reciprocation, as one example, refers to people’s sense of wanting to reciprocate or repay what someone has provided to them. To show this principle in action, the book includes a study in which waitstaff leave a mint or multiple mints (tiny free gifts) on customers’ checks. With one mint, tips increase 3.3% on average. With two mints, they increase 14% on average. And when the waiter adds a personal touch (saying to the customer, “for you, two mints!”) the tips are 20% higher than average, compared with no mint offering. Dr. Cialdini offers in-depth explanations of each of the 6 principles (or “weapons” of influence), with examples that bring them to life.

These key principles can not only help you become an effective persuader in business, but they can also reveal the ways in which you may be being manipulated by others and how to defend against such tactics. The eye-opening ideas in this book will arm you with an understanding of human psychology that will not only inform your sales, marketing, and business strategy, but also your path to success broadly speaking.

Get the book: Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion

At Moonshot Collaborative, we can provide unique insights to help you understand your consumers and maximize your ability to ethically persuade them to say “yes” to your products.

Moonshot Collaborative

Moonshot Collaborative is a consumer research firm that provides unparalleled access to thousands of plant-based and sustainability-minded shoppers to help you understand their purchase decisions and how you can appeal to them more effectively.