Pre-Suasion

Robert Cialdini followed his 1984 bestseller Influence with Pre-Suasion 32 years later, and the new book argues that the moment before a message lands matters more than the message itself. Cialdini covers attention-channeling techniques, the privileged moment where listeners are most open, association-priming through environment and language, and the unity principle that ties pre-suasion to identity. The book draws on 30 years of new research, case studies from Cialdini's consulting work with Fortune 500 companies, and field experiments in sales, fundraising, and political campaigning. Each chapter ends with an actionable pre-suasion move readers can apply before their next high-stakes conversation.