By: Jim Randel
Publisher: Rand Media Company
Publication Date: April 2010
ISBN: 978-0982439005
Reviewed by: Ellen Feld
Review Date: November 2010

The art of persuasion, and it is an art, is a highly useful skill to posses. With an understanding of how to persuade people, you can increase sales, build a bigger client base, and even fast-track your career. In The Skinny On The Art of Persuasion, author Jim Randel guides the reader through the many variables of persuasion and shows how to put it to work for you.

"The Skinny On" series has gained popularity for its use of simple, concise text, stick figure drawings, and the ability to convey an important message in a hour's worth of reading. There's no extraneous text in these books as the author gets right to the point on the first page. For busy people, it's the perfect series to nudge them in the right direction. The Skinny On The Art of Persuasion is no exception as the very first page has the "10 Rules of Persuasion." Printed on heavier stock, perforated paper, made for removing and using as a bookmark, it is a handy reference tool.

Those 10 Rules of Persuasion are the basis for this book and will be used throughout. After defining what exactly "persuasion" is/entails, the author introduces Billy and Beth, the habitual stars of the "Skinny On" series. Billy is floundering in his job as a real estate broker, while his co-worker, Mary, is enjoying brisk sales. Why? Well, enter Jim Randel, as a stick figure, and let the explanations and suggestions begin. Using the 10 Rules of Persuasioin, Randel tells Billy, Beth, and the reader, what to do to successful persuade people. The author uses examples from Billy and Beth's lives and jobs as well as real life examples. He also quotes studies that show how various groups have used the art of persuasion to achieve their goals. The book is an easy and quick read and yet it contains a lot of useful information. You'll learn how to persuade without being pushy or disengenuos, why patience is a virtue, when to keep silent, why honesty is the best policy and many more useful tools. In short, this book should help you learn how to influence others and in so doing, improve your own success.

Quill says: Without expanding a lot of time, The Skinny On The Art of Persuasion is an excellent source for learning how to develop skills to influence people.