Sometimes there are lucky coincidences. I tried to find time for writing a review of this extremely fascinating book, which I finished reading a couple of days ago. But today Guy Kawasaki has an interview with the author:
There are some books that are “must reads” for entrepreneurs; some for marketers; some for salespeople; and some for programmers. And then there are a handful that everyone should read. IMHO, one such book is Influence—Science and Practice by Dr. Robert Cialdini, a psychology professor at Arizona State University.
The main theme of the book is that people are not very rational in their decisions, but use all kinds of shortcuts without much thinking. We assume that higher price means higher quality, that professors must be smart, that it’s correct to do what other people around us do. Cialdini explains the most important shortcuts that we use in interactions with other people. And he points out how “compliance professionals” — salesmen, evangelists and con artists — use this to their advantage. And how to defend against their tactics.
The book is readable, full of real-life examples, and quite useful to better understand everyday life. Highly recommended.