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Charm is more than manipulation, it spurs action through emotion.

Sometimes you meet people who are so nice or charming that you genuinely want to help them. It means you are enchanted. The higher your goals and the fewer your means, the more useful charm is for winning people over and moving them to action.

Charm helps change the nature of relationships and influence people's actions.

Example. Director and screenwriter Karin Mueller worked for the Peace Corps in the late 1980s, building wells and schools in a Philippine village. One day, seventeen members of an armed detachment of the Communist Party of the Philippines came to interrogate her. Seeing them, Karin exclaimed: “Thank God you are here! I've been waiting for you all day. Please come in and have a cup of coffee. Leave your guns at the entrance." Mueller radically changed the situation, turning it from a show of force into a “heart-to-heart conversation.”

Charm can come in handy anywhere and anytime. This is not only about making a profit or personal gain. Charm is filling others with the same emotions that you experience.

Example. When Steve Jobs designed the iPhone, he didn't think through how to get consumers to buy it. As a charming man, he was simply selling his own dream of a better future.

If you want to charm people, you must have a dream.

Attractiveness and trust are the basis of charm

Is it possible to be charmed by someone you don't like or trust? Hardly. To charm people, you need to make them love and trust you. How to do it?

The main secret is to accept and love people as they are. Arrogance and selfish behavior are the main obstacles on this path.

People have to accept you first. But to do this you need to take the first step by accepting them. It is impossible to please someone in an instant. Don’t rush to write a person off: we all have strengths and weaknesses.

Passionate people are more likely to arouse sympathy and interest. Be open about your emotions - enthusiasm is contagious. The easiest way to charm someone is by sharing your interests and hobbies. Assume that you have something in common with the person you want to charm and prepare for the conversation in advance.

But just liking people is not enough. For people to trust you, demonstrate to them your knowledge and competence. Remember that trust must be mutual.

Example. US footwear company Zappos is trusted by consumers for its money-back guarantee and free shipping. Zappos, in turn, trusts that people will not abuse the company by returning worn shoes.

They judge by deeds, not by words. Kawasaki recommends “being honest and noble.” A sincere person himself serves as proof of good intentions.

Your product or service should be captivating in itself.

Do you often buy things just because you trust the seller you like? Sometimes. Even a brilliant salesperson can't wow customers with mediocre products and services.

A product or service must have five qualities:

1. Depth: A deep product demonstrates its value and features in a variety of ways and can meet current and future customer needs while evolving over time.

Example. Google, starting as a search engine, identified user needs and developed an email service as well as a wide range of online tools and services.

2. Intelligence: A smart product solves problems gracefully and efficiently.

Example. Ford's MyKey system allows you to set the speed limiter, giving parents peace of mind when their teens get behind the wheel.

3. Completeness: a complete product provides the customer with advanced functions.

Example. Lexus aftersales service is as integral to the company as the vehicle itself.

4. Empowerment: the product makes the client feel smarter, stronger or more experienced. Because of this feeling, many of us consider our computers or favorite search engines to be part of ourselves.

5. Simplicity: simple products work with and for their users. The design needs to be optimized for user interaction.

Example. The simplicity and convenience of an iPod with a single control button.

A product with these five qualities will perform productively and captivate consumers.

History and testing - the main stages of product release

A product that can captivate determines the success of a company, but will not sell itself. We need to present it to the public and do it right.

Majority advertising campaigns voice abstract information about the product. But as Annette Simmons (author of The Best Storyteller Wins) said, “People don't absorb information—it's their eyes. People are eager to believe – in you, your goals, your success, the story you tell.”

To succeed at this, tie your product launch to a story from your life, thereby giving it a personal touch. Be sincere and open.

To really get people excited, let them experience the product in person by testing it out. In doing so, they must note the following characteristics:

• Ease: customers may use the product or service without special training, experience, or advice.
• Rapidity: don't keep people waiting! Avoid filling out lengthy forms, waiting for passwords or SMS confirmations before using the product.
• Economical: testing New Product or service, people should not waste anything other than their time. Apart from ardent fans, no one is willing to pay for such an “honor.”
• Certainty: By using the product, people should notice concrete improvements in their lives. To become fans of a product or service, they must experience its benefits firsthand.
• Reversibility: the opportunity to reconsider your decision to test your idea.

Example. Zappos Free, No Dispute Refund/Return Policy.

People don't like change

To charm means to change beliefs. This is not easy: you will have to overcome obstacles that lie deep in the subconscious of consumers. People tend to resist change and don't like making decisions. This indecision is caused by the fear of making mistakes and the lack of role models. How to remove these obstacles?

1. Provide “social proof,” that is, provide examples of people who are trustworthy. Once they realize that others have accepted your idea, buyers will follow suit.

Example. Copywriter Colleen Zoth increased sales by simply changing the text from “Operators are available to answer your call” to “If all operators are busy, please call back.” This served as social proof: people assumed that the product was so good that operators did not have time to answer everyone's calls.

2. Make the product scarce so it is seen as more valuable.

Example. At first, you could only register your Gmail account by invitation. The need for these invitations became so urgent that people were even buying them on eBay!

Which strategy to use - social proof or scarcity - depends on the degree of doubt in your product. If doubt is high, it is better to use social proof. When customers' doubts are minimal, highlight the shortage to create excitement, compelling them to act immediately.

Create conditions that increase brand loyalty

People should not only buy your product, but also recommend it to others. To achieve this, create the feeling that your customers are part of a group of people who share the same interests and identify with your product. Motivate people to commit and be proud of it.

Create an ecosystem - a community on a website, blog or Facebook page to increase loyalty. To make people want to join it:

1. Create something worth joining. An ecosystem must provide specific value to community members.
2. Find an evangelist who will build, support and lead the ecosystem.
3. Make sure people have the opportunity to do something meaningful in the ecosystem, i.e. don't set many restrictions.
4. Welcome criticism and discussion of your idea. Don't try to hide mistakes. Be open and sincere to build trust between you and the community.
5. Create a non-monetary reward system for your representatives, strengthening your brand.

Charm is a process and must be managed with great care.

Push technologies provide concise but valuable information

You will have to compete for the attention of buyers. This involves the use of push technologies. For direct communication with consumers to be effective, it is necessary:

• Rapidity. We are already so accustomed to the speed of technology that we expect the same from correspondence. Try to respond to customers within 24 hours.
• A bunch of. Don't try to attract just a few influential people. Everyone matters in the world of open communications, so reach the minds of as many consumers as possible.
• Frequency. Interaction is a process. Contact customers as often as possible and reach them in different ways (through photos, videos, live broadcasts, etc.). But don't bother them.
• Value. You shouldn’t immediately start selling or promoting your product. Share with potential client first useful advice or entertainment content. Your own valuable advice will make you appear sincere and open.
• Brevity and specificity. Often presentations and letters e-mail are overwhelmed with information, which can be distracting and confusing. Try to use no more than six sentences in your letter. For presentations, follow the 10:20:30 rule - 10 minutes, 20 slides, font size no less than 30.

Pull technologies provide potential customers with important information about the product

Push technology helps you interact directly with people, but only conveys a limited amount of information. To increase the volume of information, pull technologies such as websites, blogs and Facebook are useful.

To enhance the charm of your pull technologies, follow these guidelines:

• Provide interesting and useful content. Although you have virtually unlimited space available, limit your content. Choose it based on your idea/product/service and the interests of your target market. Provide only valuable information: entertaining, educational and/or educational. Update content regularly, and in different ways (illustrations, photos, videos).
• Create FAQ and About Us pages. People love the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section because it helps them find solutions to problems faster. Also, the visitor should not have to guess what is the point of your idea/product/service: all information should be contained on the "About Us" page.
• Show good taste. Express your thoughts in simple and in clear language and do not overload the pages with information. The user interface should be simple and convenient.

Example. The fan page for the book How to Charm People cost about $1,750.

"If Facebook were a country, it would be the world's third most populous country after China and India." You have access to a huge database of users who may be interested in your product / service - do not miss this opportunity!

To charm your employees, you need to properly motivate them

Except in cases of acute lack of money, you are more likely to be motivated not by a well-paid but useless project, but by a valuable project that brings inner satisfaction, but for which you will receive practically nothing.

To motivate and captivate employees, give them autonomy, purpose, and opportunities for self-improvement.

• Self improvement: if you have to do something for eight hours every day, you want to become an expert in this business. Give employees the opportunity to develop their skills - this will increase their productivity and allow them to get job satisfaction.
• Independence: Managers must trust that employees are competent enough. Freedom of action is the most important condition for employee happiness.
• Target: Employees need to feel that their work has value. Provide employees with a mission that they will strive to accomplish.

Recognition is also important to charm employees. Praise is incredibly powerful and can compensate for the damage caused by failure.

Brenda Bens, author of How You Look Like Shampoo, believes that by recognizing merit, you motivate employees and rally them towards common goals. This helps to focus the attention of staff on work tasks and signifies the values ​​of the organization.

A comfortable working environment is not just an added bonus. The more willingly employees share your ideas, the more customers they will captivate.

Don't be a victim of charm, ask the right questions at the right time

Have you ever been completely enchanted by someone, allowing them to deceive you? Unfortunately, not everyone demonstrates good intentions and genuine interest. How to protect yourself? Avoid situations where you can be easily seduced.

Example. Sales or auction hype may cause you to make the wrong decision.

If you are stressed, sick, tired or in a hurry, you are especially susceptible to making rash decisions. Avoid or delay making decisions if you feel uncomfortable!

When you need to make a large purchase, stop for a moment and ask yourself:

• Am I missing information that will help me make a rational decision?
• Am I basing my decision on facts? Or is it a “herd feeling”?
• What will be the consequences of this decision next year?
• Will I make the same decision in a week, month or year?
• Have I made a similar decision before and regretted it?
• Am I fully aware of the total cost (including hidden costs - installation, support, maintenance, upgrades, etc.)?
• Would I make this decision if everyone knew about it?

Anyone can fight temptation if they wait a little and think carefully about their decision. But this does not mean that every decision should be a severe test for you. Don't waste time on small and harmless things - leave deep thoughts for vital decisions.

The most important

The charm has become the best way attract people, pushing even marketing into the background. Tell people about your dream and they will follow you. Modern technologies will make it easy to convey your values ​​to others and encourage them to share them.

What is this book about?

Who is this book for?

Because very often...

What is this book about?
This book is about how to change yourself, your attitude towards people, so that they trust you. How to charm people and connect with them mutual language, tune in to the same wavelength as them and - ultimately - achieve your goals.
These goals can be different - to promote a product on the market, to gain authority among colleagues, subordinates and superiors, to prove that you are right in a dispute, and even to convince your beloved girl to become your wife.
In the age of high technology, it will be useful to charm people social media and Youtube, learn from Kawasaki!
Who is this book for?
For aspiring entrepreneurs whose business is at the startup stage, and experienced managers, managers who dream of mastering the art of effective negotiation, lecturers and teachers who need to hold the attention of the audience. For everyone, this book contains invaluable advice that will help in work and, quite possibly, in personal life.
Why we decided to publish this book
Because very often smart, well-educated, enterprising and purposeful people do not achieve success because they have not learned to communicate and “present themselves” correctly. We really want to help such people correct this unfortunate misunderstanding.
Book feature
Charming does not mean manipulating. It is about changing the situations themselves, the relationships themselves: turning hostility into politeness, politeness into intimacy, and skeptics and cynics into supporters.
From the author
The higher the goals, the greater the need to change people's hearts, thoughts and actions. This is especially true if you have few resources and strong competitors. If you need to charm people, you are doing something meaningful. And if you do something meaningful, you need to be able to charm.
Good products, services, organizations and ideas are fascinating. Junk - not at all. To be liked, you have to do something worthwhile, then talk about it briefly and simply, and bend over backwards to get the product to market before the competition.
After reading this book, you will use my experience as an Apple evangelist, entrepreneur, and venture capitalist to help you achieve success for your product. I pass on this knowledge to you so that you can change the world.

We look at a person's face for less than 0.1 seconds and already form an opinion about him First Impressions.. That is, the first impression we make depends on our emotions and facial features. According to one study Inferences of Competence from Faces Predict Election Outcomes., the outcome of political elections can be predicted by the candidate’s face. And another experiment Trust and Credit: The Role of Appearance in Peer-to-peer Lending. showed that those whose appearance did not inspire confidence were less likely to receive a loan. At the same time, a good credit history and income certificate did not play a primary role.

The happier we look, the more they trust us and the better others treat us. A smile is the key to sympathy. And even if the first impression turns out to be a failure, there is still a chance to establish contact with the person. If you charm him, he will change his negative opinion about you.

Be friendly and smile when you meet people.

2. Don't be afraid to speak up

Being liked by people is a very useful quality that will come in handy in life. Sociable entrepreneurs Beyond social capital: How social skills can enhance entrepreneurs’ success. are more likely to achieve success, and employees with developed communication skills climb the career ladder more easily. Communication skills are extremely important these days. Many companies are moving away from hierarchical structure, where the employee was afraid to get his word in.

Not everyone finds it easy to talk to a stranger or carry on any conversation. Even if it seems to you that you are a hopeless introvert, try to train your personality.

3. Raise your eyebrows

Three things that tell our brain that a person is not dangerous to us are their smile, slightly tilted head and raised eyebrows. When we make contact, we involuntarily raise and lower our eyebrows. It lasts literally a split second. Do not overdo it.

4. Listen

Show genuine interest in what the person is saying. Each person is interesting in their own way, and you can learn something useful and interesting from almost every conversation.

If you are unable to become interested in his story, carefully examine the iris of your interlocutor’s eyes. This kind of prolonged eye contact will make him think that you are really interested in what he is saying.

5. Praise

But don't confuse this with flattery. If a person glows from within, tell him about it. Firstly, this great way start a conversation. Secondly, he will take a liking to you, will be grateful for the compliment and will share his joy. Everything is positive.

6. Look for common ground

Try to do this, even if your opinions do not coincide in many ways. Listen to the other person's point of view, do not interrupt him. Perhaps you will agree with some of his arguments.

7. Repeat the other person's body language

If the interlocutors repeat each other’s movements, it means that contact has been established. This way you can even check how well the conversation is going. Sit a little differently and see if the person did the same.

8. Ask personal questions

Use this trick if you need to get someone to like you as quickly as possible. This works in reverse too. Share something personal about yourself to earn the person's trust. But don’t dump all the information about yourself on your interlocutor at once. Give it out in portions. Then every story you tell will impress him and maintain his interest in you.

Good afternoon, my dear friends!

Today I invite you to visit the library again. The book I want to introduce you to has evoked diametrically opposed responses. Most consider it another bestseller, which provides many ready-made recipes that answer the question of how to become successful and achieve your goals. But there are those who call this a rehash of many already well-known publications on the topic of charm and the secrets of charm.

I think that an intelligent reader, even if he prefers books by other authors, will be able to note the simplicity of the language and the absence of banalities in Guy Kawasaki’s book “How to Charm People: The Art of Influencing Minds and Actions.” This is not a reference book or a collection of edifying advice, but an entertaining narrative in which many funny stories are woven, each of which contains a grain of wisdom that allows you to understand what charm is, how a person’s success depends on the ability to charm people.

People who are not involved in constant communication in their activities and are pessimistic, and charm skills are compared to the manipulations of unscrupulous sellers who just want to “sniff” something.

However, Kawasaki's book is addressed to optimists who

“bring something new and useful to the market: a product or service, an organization or an idea. And they understand that in the modern world it is impossible to exist on the basis of fleeting, superficial and temporary relationships alone.”

The book will be useful to people who want to be effective in achieving their goals, while their creative efforts are aimed at making the world around them a little better, cleaner. And they do this without violating generally accepted ethical principles, without stooping to deception, pressure, or manipulation.

You can create a wonderful product or service, but no amount of magic will help you win people over and make them your followers if there is no trust, which is the basis of charm. Charm presupposes, first of all, mutual understanding. Guy Kawasaki explains that charm is not a manipulative technique, but a skill for building positive relationships and changing situations that are not conducive to solving problems.

A person who knows how to charm people will be able to turn hostile people into positive partners, overcome established stereotypes, and transform skeptics into supporters.

The ability to charm people takes effort and time. Trusted relationships develop only after people are convinced of your responsibility, integrity, and sincere desire to help them solve some needs through the use of the goods and services you offer. There are no trifles here, everything is important: politeness, restraint, precision in execution, etc.

I can tell the skeptics that people don’t care what books you read. Whether you prefer Guy Kawasaki’s book “How to Charm People: The Art of Influencing Minds and Actions” or whether you find books by other authors more worthy, the main thing is to learn to understand what people want, then you will learn to win hearts and be effective in achieving your goals.

Recently we had to reduce the volume of communication with a company with which we had been cooperating for many years. The reason was the reluctance of their specialist to resolve an unusual situation that had arisen at an inopportune time. A trifle?! In general, yes, but the rudeness and incompetence of one person created many problems for several enterprises and no one else wanted to take the risk.

So let there be many books on this topic and let everyone find their own, since the importance of interpersonal communications in business cannot be overestimated.