The Art of Persuasion

Persuasion is an art. Some people are masters of it – no matter what the odds against them getting their way, they somehow manage to always pull the proverbial rabbit out of the hat. Others are not so good – they flounder around and hit brick walls at every turn.

So what makes the difference between success and failure in the practice of persuasion? A lot of research has gone into this question – a good proportion of it conducted or sponsored by marketing companies. New Scientist has pulled together a quick guide on how to influence people and get what you want.