One of the interesting byproducts of the economic mess facing us today is a big uptick in interest in being more persuasive. It is a bit like going back to basics, sharpening the tools to do a better job or even to get a job. To say there has been an uptick in interest is a whale of an understatement.

On Monday, June 16, 2008, at 5:06 PM, I posted the following on Twitter:
Wow. There are some really sick people on twitter. Do me a favor: If you know of any others, let me know so I can follow them too.
At 8:45, a man I’d never heard of before named Wayne Porter responded:
I am not [...]

As you may know, the impetus behind The Forbidden Keys to Persuasionmaterial was as follows:
Some cult leaders and con artists can convince people to do virtually anything while the masses struggle to persuade others in even the most trivial of matters. What do these people know that the masses do not?Well, I’ve been asked if [...]

In The Forbidden Keys to PersuasionI teach the concept of Hidden Addictions.  These are unconscious needs we have that, when fulfilled, create a strong sense of reciprocity between people. 
Hidden addictions are extremely powerful, yet underappreciated, or worse, totally ignored, by almost every would-be persuader.  Instead, people look for holy grail “high tech” persuasion solutions when [...]

 My cat loves to sleep on my chest.  She’ll stay there for hours unless I put my hands on her as if I’m holding her down.  If I do that, she’ll growl, squirm and eventually leave.
My son will be starting high school next year at his favorite school in our city.  I recently asked him [...]

“Control the manner in which a man interprets his world, and you have gone a long way toward controlling his behavior.” – Stanley Milgram
A magician using the crudest of methods can baffle the most intelligent of audiences.  With a few simple props and an intriguing story, an experienced conman can make a fool of virtually [...]

One of the lessons in The Forbidden Keys to Persuasion focuses on the power of context.  The reason is simple: context is one of the most overlooked aspects of communication.  Especially persuasive communication. 
People often spend far more time and money honing the specifics of their message than they do contemplating the “frame” around their message.  [...]

From Lesson 1 on “The Ugly Truths”:
The truth is, everyone is a manipulator.  Good people, bad people, young people, old people.  None of us can escape this one.  If we are going to survive, we are going to manipulate.  Of course, no one likes to think of themselves this way.  Sure, other people manipulate, but [...]

From lesson 4  of The Forbidden Keys to Persuasion:
The triggers that cause us to make the assumptions we do are dynamic and subject to an untold number of influences such as our personal histories, our intentions and desires, our immediate circumstances and the like.  This is the reason that “formulas” like the ones Steve Allen [...]

From lesson 1 of The Forbidden Keys to Persuasion:
People have been searching for the keys to the human mind since the beginning of time.  And since the birth of psychology many have laid claim to having found them.  Abraham Maslow developed one of the best-known theories.  Maslow identified five basic needs that drove human behavior.  [...]