Pre Suasion: Channeling Attention for Change by Robert B Cialdini - Free Audiobook Summary and Review

The author of the legendary best seller Influence, social psychologist Robert Cialdini, shines a light on effective persuasion and reveals that the secret doesn't lie in the message itself but in the key moment before that message is delivered.

What separates effective communicators from truly successful persuaders? Using the same combination of rigorous scientific research and accessibility that made his Influence an iconic best seller, Robert Cialdini explains how to capitalize on the essential window of time before you deliver an important message. This "privileged moment for change" prepares people to be receptive to a message before they experience it. Optimal persuasion is achieved only through optimal pre-suasion. In other words, to change minds, a pre-suader must also change states of mind.

His first solo work in over 30 years, Cialdini's Pre-Suasion draws on his extensive experience as the most cited social psychologist of our time and explains the techniques a person should implement to become a master persuader. Altering a listener's attitudes, beliefs, or experiences isn't necessary, says Cialdini - all that's required is for a communicator to redirect the audience's focus of attention before a relevant action.

From studies on advertising imagery to treating opiate addiction, from the annual letters of Berkshire Hathaway to the annals of history, Cialdini draws on an array of studies and narratives to outline the specific techniques you can use on online marketing campaigns and even effective wartime propaganda. He illustrates how the artful diversion of attention leads to successful pre-suasion and gets your targeted audience primed and ready to say yes.

Most interesting book I have read this year

Someone recently recommended that I read his new book Pre-suasion. This book is about research into “Priming”. This is the idea that our decisions are substantially influenced by seemingly trivial items.

For example, a company was introducing a new soft drink and had representatives stationed in a mall. Their job was to stop shoppers, explain the features of the new soft drink and attempt to gain the shoppers email address in exchange for the promise of a sample. The success rate was less than 33%. But when a Pre-Suasion question, “Are you adventurous?” was asked prior to launching into the discussion about the new soft drink, the results were astounding. First 97% of the people responded that there were in fact adventurous. They all had a better than average sense of humour as well . But what was really amazing was that once people had affirmed they were adventurous, the success rate shot up to 75%.

A key message of the book is that we like those who are like us, be it liking the same sports or sharing a nationality. This is also a key message of the Humm-Wadsworth. [...] If two individuals share a dominant Humm Component, it is highly likely they will get along with each other.

A wonderful example of this “liking” effect were the Lithuanian Jews who had escaped to Shanghai and Japan during WWII after gaining Japanese travel visas. The Japanese, post Pearl Harbour, had become allies of the Nazis who in turn demanded these Jews be killed. The Japanese asked the Jews why they were so hated by the Nazis. The answer by Rabbi Kalisch was telling, “It is because we are Asians, just like you.” Understanding the social power of saying the right thing at the right time saved a large group of Jews from death.

Another interesting application discussed in the book is when to use “I think” or “I feel.” Normals and Engineers are logical in their decision making and “I think” is the best approach. By contrast the other five Humm components are emotional in their decision making and “I feel” is the best approach. This is a great example of Practical Emotional Intelligence in action.

I found Pre-suasion to be a lively and engaging book. It’s a tour through social psychology. Note the actual book is 233 pages long but the references and end notes are about 150 pages.

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