12 Best Books On Persuasion and Influence: Every Marketer Should Read.

Persuasion and influence are the two most important things a marketer can not go without. We all know that marketing and psychology walk parallel and. I personally believe that a marketer has to have some knowledge about persuasive and influential techniques to attracts reach the utmost goal of marketing that is sales.

Here Bookchums have listed 12 books on persuasion and influence to teach you more about this art. Some people are born persuasive but, it is also possible to learn the art of persuasion, and in this process of learning the below-mentioned books will surely be a big help.

Before starting with the books let me tell you a brief about what persuasion actually is because sometimes people confusion persuasion with manipulation which is also an important art to learn.

What persuasion is?

In simple language, persuasion is an art of understanding about how people think before coming to any decision or conclusion, this has earned negative fame because of the false use by some marketers and people seeking personal gain but at the same time if the persuasive techniques applied correctly it can help you improve the lives of people around you and of course of yourself as well.

Because with the help of persuasion you can actually find some great things and positively use them to improve the relationships. Persuasion is always a great and helpful technique for entrepreneurs and marketers.

Let us get started…

top 12 books on persuasion and influence:

1) Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini

Published In: 1984

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini

This book is the bible of persuasion written by the crucial expert of influence and persuasion Dr. Cialdini, who has given many theories about persuasion, manipulation, and influential techniques. This book is called the bible for a reason as it explains the psychology behind why people say yes and how you can use that psychology to understand how you can use that information to gain what you want.

The writer’s three-year program of study on what moves people to change behavior has shown drastic results in this critically acclaimed masterpiece. This book teaches you about the six universal principles that involve how to use influence and persuasion to become a skilled persuaded also it alarms you to save yourself from the techniques being used against you.

2) Made To Stick By Chip & Dan Heath

Published In: 2007

Made To Stick By Chip & Dan Heath

The book gives you a whole new concept about persuasion, heath brothers have designed this book to let the people know that the most important thing about persuasion is communication, how you are presenting your idea to the world is a very crucial and important matter.

According to this book “you should not go for what you want to convey but what questions you want people to ask.” communication is the first step to grab the attention and emotional touch to anything that makes the audience connect more with your idea and believe in that. It is a must-read and one of the best book for everyone who wants to learn the art persuasion.

3) Predictably irrational by Den Ariely

Published In: 2008

Predictably irrational by Den Ariely

this is a piece of art written by Den Ariely in 2008, Den is a master of storytelling in this particular book he has explained the process of how any human makes decisions. According to this book gem people will easily work for a cause than for cash, you must keep this thought in mind before campaigning about your idea.

According to Den our decision-making is irrational but predictable and systematic there is nothing like random or unpredictable, people have a pattern of decision making according to the wiring of their brains. this is a gem of books and a must-read.

4) To Sell is Human by Daniel H. Pink

Published In: 2012

To Sell is Human by Daniel H. Pink

This book is a very thoughtful and well-written creation of Sir Pink, this is a must-read book for everyone who wants to learn about sales and co-dependency, this book teaches you about how you can learn the art of selling and persuade people to make a purchase decision.

He says that selling is the most important art of human life, people influence other people to make a purchase. he says that sells are based on 2 things first is if the product can improve the life or the buyer and second if the world is a better place for all after you complete the interaction. This book also talks about pitching and says that pitching does not mean that the other person should immediately adopt your proposal but creating the will to know more about the purchase benefits and making a direction for the conclusion that is appealing for both is what pitching do.

5) The Art of Choosing by Sheena Iyenger

Published In: 2010

The Art of Choosing by Sheena Iyenger

In our day to day life we make 100s of choices to spend or to save, junk food or healthy food, book or television and many more, our choices describes us as a person and also defines our lives, but did you ever realize that making a choice can actually be an art yes it is…!!!

This book says that the least number of options helps people make choices more confidently and they are happier with their decisions but if you increase the number of options the chances of making a choice decrease automatically. Iyengar is a professor in a business school and famous for the jam experiment her this creation is very analytical and well-written.

6) The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz

Published In: 2004

The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz

this is the pure delight for the book lovers this book comes with a tagline “more is less” according to this books having too much of things have a negative impact on our mental well being. A man should learn to stay happy with the choices he makes in life. the only way to stay on the healthy side is to maximize the satisfaction that comes from the made choices.

The author of this book is a famous American psychologist and he says minimizing consumer choices can surely reduce anxiety for buyers, freedom of choice is quite critical for one well being.

7) Yes! by Noah Goldstein

Published In: 2008

Yes! by Noah Goldstein

The hard work and research of 60 years on human behavior and psychology have resulted in this book. this book is very summarized and contains 50 strategies to learn to be persuasive in routine life. This book is written in a very simple and uncomplicated manner also every chapter has a scientific approach and a logical conclusion.

This is a must-read for everyone who wants to be an influential person and wants to learn the art and science of persuasion. This book is well researched, summarised, a NewYork Times bestseller, and a personal recommendation.

8) Social Engineering: The Art of Human Hacking by Cristopher J. Hadnagy

Published In: 2010

Social Engineering: The Art of Human Hacking by Cristopher J. Hadnagy

The way this book is written is a big turn on for the readers and the type of hook this book creates is on other levels, the reference of ‘people as victims’ and ‘activities as attack’ increases the engagement. The book talks about several methods of influence, manipulation, and persuasion.

This book talks about all the technical aspects of social engineering that includes influence, manipulation, elicitation, pretexting, and persuasion. This book teaches you about the mechanism behind influence and how people get influence by some and why some people fail to persuade. This is again a personal recommendation to read if you want to learn about different aspects of social engineering.

9) Fascinate by Sally Hogshead

Published In: 2016

Fascinate by Sally Hogshead

The method and skills used to write this book totally justify the title of this book. It helps you learn how you can make your brand or product irresistible for people, this book comes up with some exciting and new ideas to establish your brand image.

Sally has conveyed that storytelling, emotional connection, and modeling help you influence the buyer to make a purchase, her writing create a hook that is a page-turner and engage the reader till the last page. This is a must-read if you are struggling with creating a popular brand image it is going to be a sure help to establish your brand and make it irresistible.

10) The compass of Pleasure by David J. Linden

Published In: 2011

The compass of Pleasure by David J. Linden

The book is written in a general academic question-answer approach by David Linden who has tried to answer questions like why we get addicted to things like smoking and alcohol. The compass of pleasure majorly talks about addiction and certain temporary pleasure but this also gives a better understanding of how persuasion has a strong impact on the basic habit-forming of a human.

This book gives brief answers and satisfies curiosity about certain questions like how a few things like alcohol, gambling, fatty food, orgasm make you happy and maximize satisfaction. You should read this book to know the importance of persuasion in our habits and choices.

11) Why we buy by Paco Underhill

Published In: 1999

Why we buy by Paco Underhill

Can you ever think that just product placement in a grocery store can persuade a buyer for buying some particular product that he originally had no plan to buy? Yes…!!! factors like product placement, advertisement, and even days of a week play a major role in buying behavior.

You must try your hand on this book if you want to learn to persuade your buyer to make a purchase of certain things he doesn’t have in his list. The author of this book is hailed as “sherlock holmes for retailers” by San Fransisco chronicles, he answers all the questions related to the buying behavior of the shoppers. This a gem of books by a great author and a CEO of a research company.

12) Methods of Persuasion by Nick Kolenda

Published In: 2013

Methods of Persuasion by Nick Kolenda

Method of persuasion is the result of cognitive research and relevant strategies about consumer motivation and behavior this book follows a few steps to develop a proper methodological strategy those steps are:

  • Mold Their Perception
  • Elicit Congruent Attitudes
  • Trigger Social Pressure
  • Habituate Your Message
  • Optimize Your Message
  • Drive Their Momentum
  • Sustain Their Compliance

The book uses very easy and user-friendly language that is very easy to understand by everyone, this book is a must-read for all the marketers who are looking for some great results from their work.

Bottom Line

So, here we have listed these wonderful books on persuasion and influence in a listicle manner that will help you to learn the art of persuasion. This article consolidates the collection of handpicked best persuasion books that contain techniques and strategies so that you can learn the art of persuasion and become a relevant persuaded.

Do let us know in the comment section how you liked this article and if you have any queries or suggestions, you can ask them by commenting below.