The Science of Influence

This revised second edition by a leading expert of influence continues to teach a proven system of persuasion. Synthesizing the latest research in the field of influence with real-world tested experiences, it presents simple secrets that help readers turn a "no" into a "yes." Every secret in this book has been rigorously tested, validated, and found reliable.

• Learn dozens of all-new techniques and strategies for influencing others including how to reduce resistance to rubble
• Make people feel instantly comfortable in your presence
• Decode body language, build credibility, and be persistent without being a pain
• Expert author Kevin Hogan turns the enigmatic art of influence and persuasion into a science anyone can master

The amazing secret of The Science of Influence is its simplicity. After you read this book you will immediately understand why people say "no" to you and learn how to turn that "no" into a "yes" from that moment on.

About the Author ix

Preface x

Acknowledgments xiii

1 Influencing Others to Change 1

2 The First Four Seconds 13

3 The Delta Model of Influence 33

4 Credibility: The Pivot Point of Persuasion 57

5 The New Principles of Influence 65

6 Introduction to Omega Strategies 85

7 Framing Principles, Persuasion Techniques, and Influential Strategies 107

8 Applying the Laws of Influence 131

9 The Influential Secret of Oscillation 157

10 Mind Reading: How to Know What They Are Thinking 167

11 I’ll Think About It 173

12 How Their Brain Buys . . . You! 207

13 “I Will Do the Work for You”: Magic Words That Unlock Minds 219

14 The Power of Thinking without Thinking 233

15 Influence in Sales and Marketing Online and in the Real World 243

16 The Problem and Opportunity of Memory in Influence 259

17 Women: Influencing Women to Buy 267

Bibliography 287

Index 295

Need a Speaker? 305

KEVIN HOGAN is a public speaker and corporate trainer. He teaches, trains, and speaks about persuasion, influence, body language, emotional intelligence, communication, and motivation. Hogan holds a doctorate degree in psychology and has studied extensively in the fields of influence, hypnosis, and nonverbal communication. Visit KevinHogan.com.

Praise for THE SCIENCE OF INFLUENCE

“Want to influence others? Want to persuade others? Want to sell to others? Then this book is not just an option—it’s a landmark breakthrough of information you can use the minute you read it.”
—Jeffrey Gitomer, author of The Sales Bible and The Little Red Book of Selling

“I shudder to think what an evil-minded person might do with these secrets of persuasion, but I also marvel at what good someone else could do as well. An astonishing, eye-opening, even amazing work.”
—Joe Vitale, author of The Attractor Factor

“Kevin Hogan is that rarest of breeds: an expert who not only is master of his subject, but also understands how to teach it masterfully. No one in the business of influencing others—and who isn’t?—can afford to be without this book.”
—Richard Brodie, author of Virus of the Mind

“Kevin Hogan has written that rare how-to book on the topic of persuasion that is rooted in current psychology research. The Science of Influence is an intelligent, practical, entertaining, and provocative guide.”
—Professor Robert Levine, author of The Power of Persuasion: How We’re Bought and Sold

An updated edition of the bestseller—featuring all-new routes to “yes”

Kevin Hogan’s The Science of Influence has a simple premise: take the latest findings in behavioral science, test them in real-world business conditions, and describe what works. This Second Edition relates key recent discoveries on persuasion in Hogan’s trademark nontechnical, highly readable style, so you can quickly understand these new routes to “yes” and immediately put them to use in your business and life. As you discover Hogan’s complete, scientifically based system for persuading someone in 8 minutes or less, you’ll be amazed at the knowledge level in such new areas as the secrets to what makes a “customer for life”; presentation order—what to say, and why—and its effect on persuasion; how people deal with choices between products and services as well as multiple options on a product or service; new, more effective ways to communicate with friends and family; and much more!