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Win the Crowd: Unlock the Secrets of Influence, Charisma, and Showmanship
Would You Like to Become More Commanding, Convincing, And Charismatic?
In this book, Steve Cohen, master magician and star of the long-running Chamber Magic show in New York City, will reveal the secrets of all great showmen and magicians—how to persuade, influence, and charm, and ultimately accomplish the things you've always wanted to do. As Cohen writes, "You'll discover how to take over a room, read people, and build anticipation to a feverish pitch so people are burning to hear what you have to say."
Win the Crowd will teach you Steve Cohen's Maxims of Magic, simple rules you can use to take charge of practically any situation, from on-the-job disagreements to dating to important cocktail parties. The Maxims of Magic will wash away insecurities and hesitations, and replace them with confidence, poise, and leadership. What's more, Steve Cohen will show you:
How to Create a Magic Moment. Capturing people's imaginations and attention so they listen carefully to every word you say.
How to Command a Room. Showing everyone in the room that you are speaking right to them, making them all feel unique—and completely focused on you.
How to Read People. Learning to sense what people are feeling and thinking as you speak, what they want from you, and how to make them feel like they are getting it.
Misdirection. The most important trick in all of magic—getting inside people's heads, and directing what they are thinking at every minute.
When you strip away the sleight of hand tricks, magicians are essentially masters of attracting and holding attention and impressing audiences, exactly the psychological secrets you need to be successful in life and business.
In this book, Steve Cohen, master magician and star of the long-running Chamber Magic show in New York City, will reveal the secrets of all great showmen and magicians—how to persuade, influence, and charm, and ultimately accomplish the things you've always wanted to do. As Cohen writes, "You'll discover how to take over a room, read people, and build anticipation to a feverish pitch so people are burning to hear what you have to say."
Win the Crowd will teach you Steve Cohen's Maxims of Magic, simple rules you can use to take charge of practically any situation, from on-the-job disagreements to dating to important cocktail parties. The Maxims of Magic will wash away insecurities and hesitations, and replace them with confidence, poise, and leadership. What's more, Steve Cohen will show you:
How to Create a Magic Moment. Capturing people's imaginations and attention so they listen carefully to every word you say.
How to Command a Room. Showing everyone in the room that you are speaking right to them, making them all feel unique—and completely focused on you.
How to Read People. Learning to sense what people are feeling and thinking as you speak, what they want from you, and how to make them feel like they are getting it.
Misdirection. The most important trick in all of magic—getting inside people's heads, and directing what they are thinking at every minute.
When you strip away the sleight of hand tricks, magicians are essentially masters of attracting and holding attention and impressing audiences, exactly the psychological secrets you need to be successful in life and business.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
July 27, 2020
A very intriguing book which turned out to be a winner. I chose it superficially because my step dad is named Steve Cohen, and just like him, it was better than I believed it could be. Insightful in the world of public speaking, he details ways in which to make every time you present or speak, you can make them the best possible opportunities. I have already taught my children some key principles outlined in this book and watched them use them to their benefit.
Here are some highlights:
Its not what you do or how you do it - it is WHO does it. If they like you, if the WHO is right, the what and how must be right.
The aim is to present yourself with peak levels of confidence and charisma so that your audiences are eager to listen to your suggestions, consider your advice, and take actions on your words.
Once you learn how to lead people, you will need to learn how tor read them too.
Maxims:
1 - be bold
2 - expect success
3 - dont state - suggest
4 - practice practice practice
5 - be prepared
The first step at making this maxim part of your life is to stop being afraid of other people and what they think of you.
You will never know the outcome until you decide to take a risk.
If you are shy challenge yourself to compliment five people daily.
If your caught with a tricky question steer your answer toward one of your multiple core messages.
Stand firm on your messages and you will never appear to be flustered.
People will believe their own opinions before believing yours.
Make the difficult look simple (or even invisible)
If the seems are showing - if customers can sense the flow chart as they are talking to you - the sale is lost. You have to take all your theory and make it conversational. How can you do that? the answer lies in carefully orchestrated practice.
Outs are the way that we get out of precarious situations.
readiness translates into confidence, which is the aim of practicing in the first place.
They give you temporary authority status. This converts into full authority once you have proven you can complete what you have proposed.
Because the sugar packet was in the bowl, you implied the packet was full of the sweet stuff.
I know that if I want people to believe in me, I must believe in myself first.
conviction is contagious!
When you believe in yourself, your actions become more definite.
When you raise the bar of expectation, people will rise to the new level you have set!
You will be surprised to find that your behavior automatically adjust to your ideal level. Others will recognize the respect you have for yourself and they will offer you theirs in return.
Move with a definitive purpose.
people are always watching you whether you are aware of it or not.
Each time you are rejected by someone you are one step closer to building your relationship with that person.
Strive to be genuine not unreachable.
if they like you, they will like what you do. - nate Leipzig
"Greatness is he who reminds you of no other."
Sigfreid and Roy
dare yourself to stand out. dare to do things that others aren't doing. when you dare to be bole you also dare to be great.
I don't know the key to success but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.
take an honest look at yourself. uncover the traits you already have. Developing a character is a process f self discovery it requires you examine your motivations, your physical traits and your values. the worst thing you can do is to attempt to copy someone else. think of the traits that make you distinctly you.
He wasn't just performing at them. He wanted them to become part of the experience.
people should feel like you are talking to them for the first time.
never turn your back to the audience
zigzag your focus from group to group around the room.
there is a subtle attractiveness about someone who has poise and grace.
planned failure failure only makes the success more exciting.
sometimes you have to intentionally your fallibility to keep people on your side.
we have more respect for people who successfully overcome adversity.
Half is on what you are saying and half is on what they will say next.
We all need short breaks to relax recenter and refocus our though.
Save the highlights of your speech, comment, or argument for the ned so you will have somewhere to go.
Instead, make your first point and then pull back. Make your next point with more enthusiasms, then pull back again. Finally, make your last point - the most important one - once you have already cleared the first several peaks. i guarantee that the reaction to your presentation than if you had tried jumping directly to the top.
The right moment will present itself you do not need to force it.
there is no room for mediocrity!
charisma is not something you are born with it is something you develop.
the more comfortable you are with yourself the more attractive you are to othes.
leaders are able to voice the thoughts that there followers wish they could clearly express.
stop trying to impress everyone.
upon witnessing greatness people often feel inspired.
if you have a skill, there is no need to flaunt it.
less is always more.
people can only accept a certain amount of new info each minute.
in search of something novel your mind glosses over the stuff you already know so you move quickly through the info you are familiar with other people, however, are being exposed to your ideas for the first time. Their brains need extra time for the new stimulation. the key here is to speak and move slower than you normally do - give people time to let your info sink in.
you have to know what your pace is and how you work most effectively.
you can influence people thoughts by the words you use when you speak. one way to become a better speaker is to find an author that you like and try to incorporate hios vivid words into your language.
customize your vocab so you don't sound like everyone else. I SC do this by keeping a word book.
review
inflection
Herman Melville wrote, "It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation."
page 114
Here are some highlights:
Its not what you do or how you do it - it is WHO does it. If they like you, if the WHO is right, the what and how must be right.
The aim is to present yourself with peak levels of confidence and charisma so that your audiences are eager to listen to your suggestions, consider your advice, and take actions on your words.
Once you learn how to lead people, you will need to learn how tor read them too.
Maxims:
1 - be bold
2 - expect success
3 - dont state - suggest
4 - practice practice practice
5 - be prepared
The first step at making this maxim part of your life is to stop being afraid of other people and what they think of you.
You will never know the outcome until you decide to take a risk.
If you are shy challenge yourself to compliment five people daily.
If your caught with a tricky question steer your answer toward one of your multiple core messages.
Stand firm on your messages and you will never appear to be flustered.
People will believe their own opinions before believing yours.
Make the difficult look simple (or even invisible)
If the seems are showing - if customers can sense the flow chart as they are talking to you - the sale is lost. You have to take all your theory and make it conversational. How can you do that? the answer lies in carefully orchestrated practice.
Outs are the way that we get out of precarious situations.
readiness translates into confidence, which is the aim of practicing in the first place.
They give you temporary authority status. This converts into full authority once you have proven you can complete what you have proposed.
Because the sugar packet was in the bowl, you implied the packet was full of the sweet stuff.
I know that if I want people to believe in me, I must believe in myself first.
conviction is contagious!
When you believe in yourself, your actions become more definite.
When you raise the bar of expectation, people will rise to the new level you have set!
You will be surprised to find that your behavior automatically adjust to your ideal level. Others will recognize the respect you have for yourself and they will offer you theirs in return.
Move with a definitive purpose.
people are always watching you whether you are aware of it or not.
Each time you are rejected by someone you are one step closer to building your relationship with that person.
Strive to be genuine not unreachable.
if they like you, they will like what you do. - nate Leipzig
"Greatness is he who reminds you of no other."
Sigfreid and Roy
dare yourself to stand out. dare to do things that others aren't doing. when you dare to be bole you also dare to be great.
I don't know the key to success but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.
take an honest look at yourself. uncover the traits you already have. Developing a character is a process f self discovery it requires you examine your motivations, your physical traits and your values. the worst thing you can do is to attempt to copy someone else. think of the traits that make you distinctly you.
He wasn't just performing at them. He wanted them to become part of the experience.
people should feel like you are talking to them for the first time.
never turn your back to the audience
zigzag your focus from group to group around the room.
there is a subtle attractiveness about someone who has poise and grace.
planned failure failure only makes the success more exciting.
sometimes you have to intentionally your fallibility to keep people on your side.
we have more respect for people who successfully overcome adversity.
Half is on what you are saying and half is on what they will say next.
We all need short breaks to relax recenter and refocus our though.
Save the highlights of your speech, comment, or argument for the ned so you will have somewhere to go.
Instead, make your first point and then pull back. Make your next point with more enthusiasms, then pull back again. Finally, make your last point - the most important one - once you have already cleared the first several peaks. i guarantee that the reaction to your presentation than if you had tried jumping directly to the top.
The right moment will present itself you do not need to force it.
there is no room for mediocrity!
charisma is not something you are born with it is something you develop.
the more comfortable you are with yourself the more attractive you are to othes.
leaders are able to voice the thoughts that there followers wish they could clearly express.
stop trying to impress everyone.
upon witnessing greatness people often feel inspired.
if you have a skill, there is no need to flaunt it.
less is always more.
people can only accept a certain amount of new info each minute.
in search of something novel your mind glosses over the stuff you already know so you move quickly through the info you are familiar with other people, however, are being exposed to your ideas for the first time. Their brains need extra time for the new stimulation. the key here is to speak and move slower than you normally do - give people time to let your info sink in.
you have to know what your pace is and how you work most effectively.
you can influence people thoughts by the words you use when you speak. one way to become a better speaker is to find an author that you like and try to incorporate hios vivid words into your language.
customize your vocab so you don't sound like everyone else. I SC do this by keeping a word book.
review
inflection
Herman Melville wrote, "It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation."
page 114
August 26, 2011
It was OK. Most of the techniques are too cliche.
September 26, 2014
Although I have no interest in becoming a magician, the idea of a magician revealing his secrets appealed to me. Steve Cohen, a master magician gives a set of rules that anyone can apply to increase confidence, influence, and reading people.
This is another book that would be great for teachers as well as students and sales people.
This is another book that would be great for teachers as well as students and sales people.
July 16, 2017
Excellent!!! I can't say enough good things about this book. I learned so much from this short little gem. Cohen is a great writer. Anyone who wants to learn about being better in front of the public, read this.
December 25, 2018
A lot of it has been said in other books about personality improvement and psychological tricks to influence people. Nonetheless it was written in a brief and easy-to-read manner from a perspective of a magician, which made it ever more interesting. A day or two read worth a try.
March 25, 2019
Whom better to learn about on stage presence other than from a public performer, a magician himself. “Win the crowd” by Steve Cohen is a practical guide to techniques one may apply to improve their public speaking skills. It includes practices one may perform before and during the delivery of one’s public speaking gig. These practices aim to boost one’s confidence which enhances the way one comes across to the audience. A must read for anyone wiling to implement the practices detailed in the book and are aiming to improve their public speaking presence.
November 26, 2020
Useful Tricks
Charisma can be magic, and this well written book by a extremely talented magician shows the connection between showmanship and charisma. In the end, it is all about confidence and influence on your audience, and that’s the magician’s craft in trade. An easy read and a good one as well.
Charisma can be magic, and this well written book by a extremely talented magician shows the connection between showmanship and charisma. In the end, it is all about confidence and influence on your audience, and that’s the magician’s craft in trade. An easy read and a good one as well.
April 24, 2019
Win the Crowd
This book and ebook version is highly recommended by me as it has helped me in so many things that I do. This should be read by any magician, or anyone else, to improve your self and show.
This book and ebook version is highly recommended by me as it has helped me in so many things that I do. This should be read by any magician, or anyone else, to improve your self and show.
March 15, 2018
Interesting premise - apply the tricks of a magician to developing personal self-confidence. Fun to read. Not sure magic tricks will help me, but who knows?
June 16, 2015
a great book with useful techniques provided to practice. most importantly, they are making great sense with logical reasoning. For instance control of time, space, words, and presence. it is about guiding and direction people's attentions. The author is a magician. he talks about influence, charisma and showmanship with your voice, body, and presence. The book rings a bell about another book I just read: leadership presence. the two are very different. the magician's books talk about more his personal experiences, while the other focuses on theoretical framework. Both books worth revisiting in the future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 6, 2014
This is an interesting book as Steve Cohen "The Millionaires Magician" shows how to apply the magician's psychological secrets of influence, charisma and showmanship to business and life in general. I have seen Steve perform live at The Magic Circle and he is a wonderful magician. Some of the exercises he suggests in the book seem strange but I can see how they are effective with practice. There are plenty of stories based on Steve's experience as a performer to illustrate the points he makes.
December 21, 2012
Full of decent, but very basic advice about how to show up with energy, confidence, and charisma. Cohen is a magician, and I felt like I was getting the standard magician's patter of "I'm going to show you how I did this trick" -- and then of course never does. He's not dishing out his best stuff.
September 10, 2013
As a guy with an above average interest in magic, this book really appealed to me. Steve Cohen explains how principles used by professional magicians can be applied by anyone who wants to improve their speaking and presentation skills. You will learn how to boost your confidence and charisma, how to read and influence people, and even some magic words.
October 24, 2014
I enjoyed reading this book since it talks about how to dare and bring out your ideas as an entrepreneur for example with self confidence. He points out simple practical points to conquer your fears and shyness.
February 20, 2015
it was a fast read for me. Chapters felt short. Got to the point clearly and it read well for me. Some stuff felt common sense if one has ever read any self help/ sales book. Will definitely try some of the suggestions.
August 8, 2007
good book about charisma and persuasion. recommended
November 21, 2009
シンプルだけどよく書かれた自己啓発書。
書かれたことが身に付くまで何度でも読み直したい。
購入候補。
書かれたことが身に付くまで何度でも読み直したい。
購入候補。
June 23, 2010
Surprisingly detailed and helpful book to improve your presentation skills, whether for individual communication or large group presentation.
December 7, 2014
Author seems a bit full of himself, but information is absolutely quality, and well presented.
December 18, 2015
Real secrets!!!
July 29, 2013
Magic!
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews