The Ultimate Book of Influence

Master the power of influence and persuasion to achieve more in work and life

For business leaders and managers, as well as those who work in sales, the power of influence can be a potent advantage. The ability to persuade others based on what you know about them is the first step to convincing someone to buy your product or buy into your business vision. In The Ultimate Book of Influence, author Chris Helder—a master of communication and one of Australia’s most sought after speakers on influence—shares ten essential tools that will enable you to influence others so you win the sale or seal the deal.

The tools in this book will show you how to read body language, uncover what’s most important to a client, convince others to take action, understand the four essential types of people at your workplace, and much more.

• Written by one of Australia’s most successful speakers on the art of influence
• Includes ten powerful tools that allow you to understand what matters most to a client or colleague and use that knowledge to influence their actions and behaviors
• Ideal for salespeople, business leaders, corporate executives, and anyone who must regularly convince others to take action

Before you can truly influence people, you need to learn how to communicate effectively. The Ultimate Book of Influence teaches you how to choose the right kind of communication technique for any situation, so when you speak, you know people are listening.

Foreword ix

About Chris Helder xi

Introduction: the new reality xiii

Part I Influencing yourself — action and clarity 1

1 Tool number 1: breaking down the e-wall 3

2 Tool number 2: the butterfly 15

3 Tool number 3: the sunset 25

Part II Influencing others: getting your own way 45

4 Tool number 4: act as if 47

5 Tool number 5: FORD 65

6 Tool number 6: positive, positive, positive — negative 83

Part III Reading people 95

7 Tool number 7: the colours 97

8 Tool number 8: reading body language 117

Part IV Selling and winning: certainty and simplicity 133

9 Tool number 9: same, same but different 135

10 Tool number 10: move to the side 149

Conclusion 163

Appendix: How are you tracking? 165

Special acknowledgements 171

Index 173

CHRIS HELDER is one of the world's most outstanding speakers on the topic of communication, leadership and influence. He is also the author of Useful Belief.

What if you could magically increase your power to influence people? Imagine how it could increase your bottom line!

Better yet, what if you could influence yourself to achieve greater success? Imagine the impact that would have on your life and fortunes.

The Ultimate Book of Influence takes these ideas out of the realm of what-if and turns them into reality.

This book will give you the powerful tools to:

• understand what drives your team to boost results
• make stronger connections with customers and close more sales
• zero in on people's feelings, dreams and desires and appeal to them directly
• engage, inspire and motivate your staff to achieve more than they ever thought they could.

Whether you're a new manager looking for direction, an experienced leader looking to hone your skills or a sales professional looking for better ways to connect, The Ultimate Book of Influence is for you!