Hogan begins at the beginning. And takes you all the way through to success. What are the exact steps you'll need to take? Don't worry, they are all outlined here. In great detail. Down to what to say, where to stand, when to nod, when and how to close the deal. And the most important thing, making the deal a win/win for both sides. This is what I like about Hogan: ethics rule.
Where I got the most punch was from Chapter 3 - the Laws of Persuasion. Hogan's examples are right on target. I took this information immediately and applied it the very next day with 3 different clients and the info was direct on target.
Any salesperson who wants to become a master at his craft would be a fool to pass on this book. Those who read it will end up the winners!
"Psychology of Persuasion" has several relatively small weak points that might prevent you from buying it.
1. First, although the book is well-organized, the writing itself tends to stray at times. Perhaps because professors are accustomed to abstruse writing, it's difficult for them to write cogent sentences.
2. Hogan wrote this book with a sales perspective. Although he suggests that a person could use his techniques in other situations, he often leaves it to the reader to forge those connections.
3. Much of the dialogue sounds stilted, largely because it might remind you of a bad car salesman. Don't get me wrong: The techniques are sound; it's just that many of the examples lack a natural voice. On the flip side, a few of the examples are amazingly good and completely natural.
4. Lastly, Hogan goes out of his way to inform us of Biblical examples. Although the examples are mostly pertinent, some sound a little forced and a tad evangelical. This may make some people nervous in a book about persuation.
Overall, this book is very useful, but a good editor could make it a lot more fun to read. It's due for a reprint, and I hope that Hogan adds some polish for the next edition.