Most people have covered what's good about this, and there is no doubt that the author knows his stuff. What I like, in addition to the solid materials, is that the author has used a lot of these theories in the field, it's not just some stuff observed in a lab. Also, I really like the bite-sized format of giving each relevant topic a one or two page treatment, along with real world example. It makes is really easy for you to pick it up, give it a read, and get back to what you are doing, and still able to remember what you read about days later.

Yes! is a quick read with short easy chapters, the kind you can flip back to and read to a friend or co-worker. The fact that the authors (and others) put these ideas to the test lend the book more credibility. The examples and stories are useful but I wonder if the quirky titles add to the chapters or take from them.

I found this book useful and at time enjoyable. Some stuff I started using minutes after flipping the last page; with other ideas I can see a use for them in the future; and some of the stuff will likely go unused in my lifetime. The bottom line: there's something for everybody.

"Just because yes is simple and obtainable, we shouldn't be fooled into believing that anyone can easily secure it from others"

"Yes!; 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive" by Noah J. Goldstein, Steve J. Martin, and Robert B. Cialdini

The title says it all really; the book is filled with 50 ways (I'd rather say "examples") of persuasion. They are (for examples);

"What one word can you start using today to increase your persuasiveness by more than fifty percent?"

"Which item of stationery can dramatically increase people's responses to your requests?"

SPOILER ALERT!! (the answer to the two questions are; "because" and "Post-It notes")

...

I'm not going to list all 50 ways from the book; I'll go right to my Six Elements Review that the ideal business book is "easy to read, distinct, practical, credible, insightful, and provides great reading experience"

Ease of Understanding: 8/10; the small book is separated into 50 chapters and each chapter takes less than 5-10 minutes so, it is easy to understand. However, the drawback of Yes! is its lack of structure; 50 ways are loosely tied (if at all) together.

Distinction: 8/10; it is undoubtedly a great compilation of persuasion techniques. The highlight is the word "50; it is difficult to provide readers with 50 ways "persuasively" but Cialdini, Goldstein, and Martin could do it.

Practicality: 4/10; as interesting as those fifty ways are, I can say that it is very difficult (if possible at all) to implement any of them appropriately. Each situation in the book or in your lives is unique. It is more possible to successfully persuade others and look back to the techniques in the book and match them than the other way around.

Credibility: 6/10; the gook point is that every way is backed with good and, sometimes, amazing example(s). The bad point is, it might not be enough to use one example (or a couple of them) to describe the ways and claim that they are "scientifically proven".

Insight: 5/10; I think 5 is fair because as you know that there are fifty ways! It is impossible to dig deep into every (any) way.

Reading Experience: 9/10; This is, by far, the most outstanding element of Yes!; this book is fun. Take this book with you along with another book and if you're bored with the other book, take some times off and read Yes!; it is refreshing. I would compare the book to Aesop Fable not that they are childish and fictional but they are;

1. Concise and precise

2. Every story teaches you a valuable lesson

3. You mention it in a hindsight when something already happened! ("Oh, this situation is like the story of "The Hare and The Tortoise"... "I persuaded my friend and it was like the way no.XX from Cialdini's book"!)

Overall: 6.7/10; I'd say "buy it"; it's fun and won't waste your time because you'll learn many things from the book and you'll find those examples and stories amazing. However, be careful when you try to do any of those ways; make sure you think of the other 49 ways first!

Viriya Taecharungroj
www.tedded.net

i love this book! Not only is the research explained but the authors give suggestions on how to use the techniques in real life.

I bought this book based on a reference in Secrets of the A Game by Logan Edwards. I originally purchased this book to help with attracting women, but I actually got much more out of it. Of course, it DID help out with attracting women, but also gave me a better perspective on interacting at work and with family. I highly recommend it.

A very practical book with 50 short stories ( a couple of pages each) about persuasiveness. Examples are depicted in a real-world environment and you can apply the ideas straight away to your life and business environment.

The title has nothing to do with the content of the book. The content is boring.

I read Robert Cialdini's book, "Influence" many years ago and found it to be fascinating. This book is a kind of dumbed down version of that book. I liken it to the "How to Pick Up Beautiful Women Even If You're Fat and Ugly" type books. It has 50 chapters each with a little vignette about how to influence or persuade people to your point of view.

It's not awful. It's not great. It is a quick read.

Although many of the ideas presented here are marketing fundamentals, this book provides clear and accessible reminders. The chapters are short, pithy, and practical, making this a good book to turn to when you're unsure of how to solve common marketing problems. It is focused largely on consumer marketing, but business to business sellers will also find useful ideas in the book.

Haven't read the whole book, but the title is catching and it has a lot of anecdotal evidence.

I just finished this book today, and I absolutely loved it !!! I am actually buying more copies for my friends and family in sales, own their own business or have positive ambition :)

There are like 50 chapters with 3-5 pages each, kinda. It makes it easy to read a chapter or 2 at a time.

Loved the book sooooooo much ~ Paul (Dusty)

This is an absolutely fantastic book. It is great how it makes reference to real life scenarios.

This book has several excellent suggestions for sales and marketing copywriters, ranging from strategies to very specific techniques. Examples -

Strategic - The power of reciprocity. A hotel persuaded guests to reuse towels by making a donation to an environmental group first, and then asking for participation.

Technique - "Because" is the most persuasive word in the English language. The research testing used to validate this claim, involving a man trying to cut in line at a copy machine, is fascinating and very revealing.

The authors present 48 more ideas along these lines. Some are not so obvious, but even for the obvious ones, scientific validation never hurts.

Yes! could have been more appropriately titled as Influence 2 because the book is simply a series of brief examples that illustrate Professor Robert Cialdini's key principles described in his book, Influence (social proof, authority, commitment/consistency, scarcity, reciprocity, and personal liking). If you loved that book and want to dive deeper into its lessons, Yes! is a perfect choice.

If you haven't yet read Influence, I recommend that you read that book before this one. Without Professor's explanations of why these principles work, the case histories in Yes! don't seem so special and interesting. Otherwise, you will probably just see Yes! as a bunch of unrelated stories, many of which don't apply to your marketing challenges. I would expect most people who read Yes! who haven't read Influence to rate Yes! with three stars.

When you do read Influence, be sure to get the latest edition (the fifth edition came out in August 2008). Otherwise, you'll miss out on insights.

I hired Professor Cialdini to speak to one of my research organizations, Share Price Growth 100, a number of years ago and the members rated him very highly for being able to apply the lessons of his research to the financial markets. I was intrigued to see some financial market examples in Yes!

Be more persuasive in getting an ethical point across!

I didn't take long in reading this book. It was a quick read, and that is part of why this book was given three stars. I am not involved in marketing and this book was really written for that purpose. When I originally decided to buy the book, I felt it would have more of a universal application, buta person will have to look hard to find practical use in everyday life for the info in this book. For a book that has emediate application in every walk of life -a book that applies to the business world as well as relationships in general, read "how to win friends and influence people" by dale carnagie. It is a much, much more usefull book for the average person, reguardless of what they do for work. Hope this review helped. -j hardie

I ordered the sample for my Kindle, received it quickly enough and it contained the introductory material but not one of the first of 50 chapters.

All I got was hype: no meat. One of the 50 chapters would have been much more helpful in judging the book.

As a writer I must know how to express myself in ways that win over the reader. This exhaustive review of research on persuasive techniques fascinated me.

Reading this book reminds me of listening to my uncle recite statistics to back up his arguments or memorizing the Periodic table. Interesting,but nevertheless a mind numbing experience that brings on a great desire to fall asleep.

Yes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive

Yes is a major asset for Sales professionals, teachers, especially execs and most important for the Marketing Department. Now, you will be able to persuade the stubborn, the fearful and the people who do not like change. "Yes" has save me time, energy and help form great business relationships.

I listened to the author on NPR the day before this book arrived at home. While the author is boring to listen to, the science in the book is hardcore.

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 great book on the subject is The Emotional Intelligence Quick Book

Yes! is an entertaining book - to match the title, it's a blast! Noah J. Goldstein, Steve J. Martin and Robert B. Cialdini provide, as the subtitle indicates, 50 distinct examples, explanations or techniques to help you become more persuasive. They present the general principles of persuasion and discuss an abundance of specific, detailed uses. The authors offer numerous studies (their own and others'), hypothetical situations, and elucidations of what to do and what not to do. They advocate the idea that you can and should test persuasive strategies. They are convincing, and they write wittily and breezily. getAbstract recommends this useful book to anyone engaged in persuasion, including executives, marketers, trainers and salespeople.

With this book, I had hoped for a truly educational read that would present new unexpected ways to be persuasive. What the book actually offered was shallow "sound-byte" treatments of largely obvious techniques. Chapters read more like a sidebar in a magazine with an emphasis on short takeaways. If you're looking for more than a light treatment of this topic, I'd pass on this book.

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 book I recommend that I really enjoyed this week (and it helped me at work) is Squawk!: How to Stop Making Noise and Start Getting Results

This book is exactly as advertised. It is a quick easy read with ideas you can use immediately. Some of the information is well known but there are others you might not be aware of so in my opinion it was worthwhile.

This book is a must for anyone in advertising or sales. The simplest of changes to what you are doing may make all the difference. Get the book and find out what it takes to make the sale or bring someone over to your thinking.

I have long used Dr. Cialdini's principles in my university lectures on persuasion, so I anticipated the release of this book with enthusiasm. I am not at all disappointed. Each chapter contains a proven principle, a specific research anecdote, then suggestions for using the principle in an applied setting. (mostly business settings, but there were even some parenting suggestions here!) I highly recommend the book, and I'm already planning some creative lecture additions based on the material.
Suzanne Stromberg, Denver, Colorado

As a corporate director of human resources, the bulk of my day-to-day existence is convincing people - whether subordinate or superior - to do what I believe is best for the organization. I have just finished the new book, "Yes!" Three things in this great book stand out for me.

1. Real world case studies in the actual business arenas.
2. Contains a wealth of techniques that are easily implemented.
3. An easy and fun-filled read. Truly well-written.

I find the new book highly useful and a must-read for everyone that must persuade others in order to survive in the corporate jungle. I highly recommend it to all managers of all stripes.

Michael L. Gooch, SPHR Author of Wingtips with Spurs

This is one of the most useful books I've read in a long time. Short, to the point, easy to digest.

Too often, many writers in order to fill the book with pages, ramble on and on with no purpose. Even worse, many of these books do not provide any realistic advice.

This book provides practical guidance on being persuassive. Not only that, it's very easy to learn and absorb. I've immediately put what I read into real life practice. Simply AMAZING!

If you haven't read "Influence" by Robert Cialdini then I would strongly recommend skipping this one for now and starting with that one. Cialdini's original book was one of the best psychology books I have ever read. This one is more like a sequel and like most sequels, it is not as good. In Cialdini's "Influence", he talks about 6 weapons of influence:

1) Reciprocity
2) Liking
3) Social Proof
4) Authority
5) Scarcity
6) Commitment and Consistency

This book consists of 50 short chapters where these weapons are at work. Very entertaining and insightful, but I felt that the authors violated some of their own advice by having so many chapters and not organizing them in any particular way. For example, the chapters each demonstrated one of the weapons of influence at work and perhaps the book should have been organized more formally into 6 parts with each part representing one of the weapons. I was very entertained but I am not sure if the book will have any long lasting educational value unlike "Influence".

This is a quick read and I highly recommend it AFTER you have read Cialdini's "Influence".

I loved the practical examples that are included in the book ... and how sometimes such small adjustments can make such huge improvements in persuasion. For example, how survey responses jumped from 30 percent to 56 percent just by adjusting the name of the sender!

The best thing I liked with Yes! is that I can relate the information easily to a business environment -- and see how I can make simple changes to tactics and copy to have a more effective and persuasive marketing piece. It's not really academically focused and that's a good thing.

I loved Cialdini's "Influence" and think this book is good in combination -- I'd buy both if I didn't already own them. I also enjoy Kevin Hogan on the persuasion topic ... both are great persuasion resources.

The way the information is presented in the 50 examples should really make Yes! essential business reading. I'll also be using this book to help improve the communication and presentations made by our Rotary Club -- the content is useful for more than just a business setting.

Having read the book, before reading the reviews, I'm a bit taken aback but not surprised by the reviews I just read. The reviews have the zesty air of a sales team meeting.

Why so?

What sales or marketing person doesn't get excited about "scientific proof" that a "sales or marketing technique works", right? So, add 1 star to the review.

What modern consumer of information isn't easier to please if the information is sliced and diced into little digestible chunks? Add a few more stars.

Lastly, show me a sales or marketing person who isn't hepped up by the promise of "the answer" and I'll show you a salesman in a morgue or casket. (Caveat: Whisper "I've cracked the code to selling widgets" and the dead may rise. :P )

"Yes", the book, is a tasty little snack, but more a book of re-affirmations than a shift in the sales and marketing winds. (I wonder to what degree this book, by virtue of its content "mirroring" the minds of reviewer/readers - (mirroring is a topic covered in the book) - is generating buzz simply because it is simply "reading back to the readers" their own "sales menu orders"? You get that nuance?)

Social proof? Since when is "keeping up with the Joneses" new science? Since when if following the herd, the pack or one's peers a surprise? Oh, I get it: It's scientific this time! Tell strangers to a social setting "Everyone is doing this (bad thing) so don't you do it too" and the "message consumers" do what everyone else is reportedly doing? That's a surprise? I guess past marketing studies don't count since they didn't use exactly these words: social proof.

Reciprocity? Hello? News? How long have you engaged in the art or practice "of giving" - with intent?

Authority (Expertise) and Respect? Scarcity? Commitment and Consistency?

I hate to rain on the party but the sun only shines so bright here and a little rain would be healthy for the lawn. Translated: Buy the book and read it on the plane, instead of blowing the same $16. on a latte and a magazine. It's a good read. It affirms much that you already know "with the aura of expertise and science" but really . . Buy the steak, not the sizzle.

You and you and you already are in touch and know, most by experience, what is being presented in this book, especially if you are paying attention and aren't asleep at the wheel. This isn't "the book" that will make you a better salesman or marketing person if you already know the business, but the book might confirm that you already are pretty good at what you do. For some (apparently a great many) - gaining that (perceived) extra inch - is enough to generate all sorts of ~sales and marketing excitement and buzz.

But, really, given the audience, is that any surprise? :P

Closing affirmation: YOU alread are pretty good at what you do. The "gain" of this book is inches, not miles, and more a matter of confirming what you already know if you have been paying attention. If you haven't been paying attention, or if your results are in a downward spiral, then this book is some great revelation, . . unless it's the economy, and not your sales or marketing skills, that sucks right now. Then this book won't fix the problem. :)

Robert Cialdini has done it again, another brilliant book about persuasion and influence. This book in my opinion has very practical ways on being persuasive. You can easily apply each specific cases Cialdini describes in your own unique situation and life.

This is a book I'll probably refer to over and over again in my business, life and relationship. Well worth it!

We've been to school, we've worked in marketing, and attended training after training on how to persuade the client to see things our way. Some of that stuff works and some of it doesn't.

This book is the next step.....taking great marketing/persuasion techniques, refining them and then quantifying them. This book takes the guesswork out of marketing/negotiating. There are finally methods that are proved to work !

Whether you are in marketing or the head of a family, we are all in the business of helping others to make good decisions. This book simplifies the process of persuading others to see your point of view and hopefully, to embrace it.

This is a great book and highly recommended !

Before commenting on this book I need to disclose one very important piece of information. I've been a big fan of Dr. Cialdini for fifteen years. And I'm happy to say that I'm met him on several occasions. Now that I've disclosed this to you, I must tell you that this book is such a wealth of information that you can literally take one page at a time and put it's power to use over and over again.

Based on the most current scientific research and studies, YES! is a cookbook of the most effective, useful and powerful techniques of persuasion and influence ever laid out for the public to see.

I was surprised when I read Persuasion Secret #15. It's right out of STAR WARS. But STAR WARS is a movie. This technique is real! Clinical studies sited show absolutely the science behind the psychological principal Luke Skywalker used to turn his father away from the Dark Side.

Its so simple you too can put it to work immediately after reading the short three pages detailing it's precise method and use.

And maybe even more important, there are a tremendous amount of unethical people out in the world trying to influence you without your knowledge. Protect yourself from these unscrupulous people!

This is one book that has the power to enhance anything you seek to accomplish in your life.

This is Dr. Cialdini's most important publication since Influence: Science and Practice.

Based on real research, not merely anecdotal evidence. Its scientific conclusions are the basis for a whole new branch of psychology. Neuro-Linguistic Programming students, take notice. You could model these techniques.

This is essential reading for all marketers, sales people, lawyers, business owners -- anyone who wants and needs to understand ethical persuasion and negotiation.

Not to be missed!

A few years ago, I was told of a speech given by the billionaire business partner of a really famous billionaire from Omaha.

The Internet being what it is, I was able to track down the speech, "The Psychology of Human Misjudgment" and read it.

In that speech, the billionaire referred to only one author, influence expert Robert Cialdini. Munger called him a "hot shot professor."

The billionaire went on to tell his audience:

"...Cialdini does a magnificent job...and you're all going to be given a copy of Cialdini's book. And if you have half as much sense as I think you do, you will immediately order copies for all of your children and several of your friends. You will never make a better investment."

I figured if that billionaire felt that strongly about it, it was worth a look from me.

Having read that book, I've since given friends lots of Cialdini stuff, and connected over 500 friends and clients to his work. I'm now giving friends this, Cialdini's newest and most useful book.

As for "Yes", I consider it a greatest-hits compilation of how to be effective in business and life.

Although Cialdini's works have helped me achieve great business success, he's helped me more by my learning how to be a much, much better friend and husband.

I fully endorse this book and recommend it highly.

Very similar information presented in a different format could be a book about evolutionary psychology or a book about etiquette. The fact is, it matters that we communicate with a sensitivity as to how we are likely to be perceived. This collection of little known scientific studies documents what the "people person" seems to know intuitively. That these nuances are received on a partially subconscious level makes them all the more powerful.

Cialdini divides social psychology into six divisions:

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

As another reviewer has pointed out, the chapter titles are designed to create curiosity. If you need to get up early in the morning, resist reading the title to the next chapter.

An easy five stars for this extremely well-written and useful book.

DB

If you don't care about selling, marketing, success, managing people, long term relationships, nothing!

And YES you should buy it if do care about those things, and about becoming a truly successful person in the world of getting people to move in your direction with ease.

Mr.Cialdini's new book is like a toolbox you open to find a goldmine of ideas, and scientifically tested and proven strategies that move people to YES.

Yes is a well researched, well thought out, well written book that offers the student of selling a core of information to support the notion that selling is truly a science and not an art. The authors provide solid evidence that any of us can become more effective influence practitioners by understanding the psychology of influence.The authors offer solid evidence that science not luck lead to sales success. This work is a great marriage to the early work done by Cialdini in the Psychology of Influence. This is a must read if you want to continue your quest to become a student of influence and selling.

Not only does Dr. Cialdini present easy to understand ways to be persuasive, he does it while making a concerted effort to be ethical. You will be happily surprised to read the process and results of each of these psychological studies.

Yes! was a great book and I highly recommend it! I am in sales and I learned about 5 simple yet profound ways to increase my persuassion and it worked immediately! Simple truths that are scientifically proven that added thousands of dollars into my pocket!

The ideas in this book are scientifically validated and easy to implement. This knowledge will help anyone become a master of influence. With its short chapters one can process new ideas each day.

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.

Dr. Robert Cialdini teaches proven theories, not speculation. His earlier book, Influence, is a classic among professional persuaders. Many have cashed in by "borrowing" the good doctors research. Many so-called persuasion experts have attempted to out-do Cialdini and none have succeeded. In fact, most of them make serious misinterpretations.

Yes! is a potpourri of fascinating persuasion principles. Not speculations, but proven theories. It's an enjoyable read.

I found Dr Cialdini's book to be a must read for me. I am in the sales field and have struggled at times with trying to be both ethical and sales driven at the same time. In today's world where people believe that the ends justify the means, it's wondeful to learn techniques that make me more sucessful while allowing me to keep my principals in tact.

This was the most fascinating book that I've read in several years. I found it to be very helpful and I've begun to implement some of the ideas already at work. The short and easy to read chapters were perfect for me.

I found this book very insightful with lots of helpful hints which are applicable to my work. I learned from each piece of research and the vast majority of the findings were transferable and helpful.

Any social psychologist will tell you Dr. Cialidini is a thought leader and esteemed researcher in the study of influence. This book brings his knowledge to all in a highly readable format which includes plenty of humor. In one word: Digestible.

Each short chapter highlights and weaves together practical influence tools and tips. This is as simple as you can get in influence research. Yet it maintains its usability. The book provides specific, easy to use tools. It includes countless ideas for sales professionals, marketers and public communicators of all types. Much of the advice also will serve you well in your personal life, too.

Pick this up today for a quick yet very useful read. And make sure you accompany your read with a list of what tips you are going to start implementing TODAY!

Mollie Marti, Ph.D.
Author, The 12 Factors of Business Success

This book was well worth the wait! It's jam-packed with ready to implement ideas for work and personal life.