Dave Lakhni’s book describes the fine line between the art of persuasion and manipulation (Dave was raised in a cult – he’s well-studied in manipulation and has applied his knowledge effectively in business.) While a manipulator attempts to get you to do something you wouldn’t normally do, a persuader tries to get you to choose them over the competition.

A business that’s simply trying to say “pick me” would be using persuasion. A business that’s trying to convince you that your life isn’t complete without buying something from them is manipulating.

Having someone detail the steps to persuade is a bit creepy, since they are using psychology to cause a change in someone else (rather than use it to understand yourself). However we all know that without clients you have no business.

The core of his book is his formula:

Position + Presentation * Influence = Persuasion

Position is the combination of your persona (your background, clothing, grooming create a savior mentality), your audience (how well-matched they are to what you’re selling), and the content of your story.

Presentation is how you tell your story (rapport, familiarity, words, props, relevancy, non-verbal cues, and image of success)

Influence is the psychology behind the presentation (time-sensitive, like-ability, trust-building, confidence, and accountability).

The business gem in book is the “Persuasive Advertising” chapter. Using the techniques in the book, he shows how to craft a story that’s well-targeted and has a moral to cause the reader to take action. It’s more than simply the USP/UVP (unique selling/value proposition) – it’s the USP/UVP with a persuasive story.