Persuasion: The Subtle Art of Getting What You Want

by Mark Morgan Ford, Will Newman

What do you want from life?Money? Fame? Respect?Mastering the skill of persuasion will make all your ambitions more achievable. It will make you feel smarter and shrewder and more confident in almost every situation. You won’t have all the answers, but you will have a good idea about how to get people to embrace the answers you believe in. The Subtle Art of Getting What You Want will help you master the persuasive techniques you need.It doesn’t matter whether you are having a conversation at breakfast with a group of friends, responding to an email from your boss, chatting with a colleague on a break, writing a memo, talking to your banker about a loan, making a speech to get your candidate elected, drafting a sales letter or a letter to raise money for a favorite cause… what you learn in this book will give you the power to succeed.

112 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2014

Reviews

[Mallet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mastering persuasion can make your ambitions more achievable, boosting confidence in various situations. Whether in conversations, emails, speeches, or writing, Persuasion: The Subtle Art of Getting What You Want equips you to succeed.

Key Takeaways
Clarity and Readability

Flesch-Kincaid Readability: Aim for a score below 8.0.
Active Sentences: More powerful and easier to understand.
Sentence Structure: Use simple sentences; avoid jargon.
Paragraph Length: Keep paragraphs short for readability.

Specificity

Details: Use specific details and numbers for credibility.
Research: Thorough research enhances persuasiveness.

Storytelling

In Medias Res: Start stories in the middle of action.
Hero and Problem: Structure stories with relatable heroes overcoming problems.

Editing Strategies

First Draft: Focus on ideas first, edit later.
Editing Tips: Use active sentences, simple words, short paragraphs, and add specifics.

Call to Action

End with Action: Clearly state the next steps for the reader.
Memorable Phrases: Use emotionally charged, repeatable phrases.

Persuasive Writing Formula

Emotion: Engage the heart and mind.
Clarity: Express ideas clearly.
Specific Proof: Support ideas with details.
Rule of One: Focus on one compelling idea.

These tips help improve the clarity, specificity, and overall effectiveness of persuasive writing.

Additional Concepts

Emotionally Compelling Idea: Inspired by Aristotle, engage readers emotionally and rationally.
Persuasion Principles: Apply Cialdini's principles: Reciprocity, Consistency, Social Proof, Authority, Likeability, Scarcity.
Writing Structure: Lead with a compelling idea, prove it with details, and conclude with reassurance and a call to action.
Storytelling and Editing: Use stories and refine content to maximize impact.

Final Tips: Focus on one idea, use a strong call to action, and practice regularly to develop persuasive writing skills.

[Christopher Goins · Rating 3 out of 5]

It gets the job done and its point across.

I think the before-and-after examples are worth rereading when one wants to trim their sentences and improve their clarity. Some of these are good for repeated references. Some genuinely helpful tips in here.

Great for beginners.

But for someone who’s been reading about persuasive writing for a while, you might not read more than twice. Great all-in-one “reminder” of the fundamentals if you’ve been slacking off.

Section on “specifics” is great. Pages 66-68 are gold. Dissect it.

The headlines on p. 71-72 are great to study as well.

[Troy · Rating 4 out of 5]

While Persuasion provides a nice and simple framework for effective communication, it read a bit like an ad for AWAI (AWAI's products are very good, and I'm a member myself). I also felt the use of sample pieces overly used, which made them feel somewhat like filler. Still, the value is there and you get clear instruction on how to craft an "emotionally compelling idea," clearly and specifically, leveraging the power of a good story. A quick read that covers the basics well.

[Jatin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent for its size.

[Ietrio · Rating 1 out of 5]

Adam, Eve, the Greek philosophers, and smarty quotes. A poser wanting to impress.