Recently I was re-reading a May 2013 Harvard Business Review Article titled What Would Ashton Do—and Does It Matter?  by Sinan Aral.  The article questions the place of influencers in creating brand awareness. The article states that although a celebrity may have a huge social media following, he/she may not be as influential when it comes to motivating followers to make decisions. I also was taking in Forbes Magazine contributor Mark Fidelman’s critique: Why this Harvard Business Review Article on Influence is Seriously Flawed.

Regardless of whose story you want to agree with more, one thing for sure is too often, Marketers over-exaggerate the early adopters (who are often alike) role on influence.

This got me thinking about sharing a few of my favorite books on the  topic of influence. So here they are:

Hook, Spin, Buzz: How to Command Attention, Change Minds & Influence People by Garrett Soden

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini

 

Age of Propaganda: The Everyday Use and Abuse of Persuasion by Anthony Pratkanis

The Power to Persuade by Richard Haass

 

Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariel

 

 

Toxic Sludge is Good for You: lies, damn lies and the public relations industry and Trust Us We’re Experts by John Stauber and Sheldon Rampton

 

 

SPIN by Michael Sitrick

 

 

Blink by Malcom Gladwell

May the force be with you…