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by Kevin Hogan
Premium summary · Opens in the app · 30 min read
Every day, you are being persuaded. The advertisements you scroll past, the conversations you have with colleagues, the requests from family members, the political speeches you hear, and the product recommendations from friends all contain elements of persuasion. Most of this persuasion happens below your conscious awareness. You rarely notice it happening, yet it shapes your decisions, your beliefs, and your actions in profound ways.
**Author:** Kevin Hogan
**Estimated Reading Time:** 45 minutes
**What You'll Learn:**
- How to build deep rapport with anyone in minutes, not months - The psychological triggers that drive most human decisions - How to tell stories that bypass resistance and change minds - The ethical framework for influencing others without manipulation - Practical techniques you can use in sales, relationships, and everyday life
**Who This Book Is For:**
This book is for anyone who wants to understand the hidden dynamics of human influence. Whether you are a sales professional looking to improve your conversion rates, a manager seeking to inspire your team, a parent trying to communicate more effectively with your children, or simply someone who wants to be more persuasive in everyday interactions, the principles in this book will transform how you communicate. If you have ever wondered why some people seem naturally persuasive while others struggle to be heard, this book reveals the science and art behind that difference.
Every day, you are being persuaded. The advertisements you scroll past, the conversations you have with colleagues, the requests from family members, the political speeches you hear, and the product recommendations from friends all contain elements of persuasion. Most of this persuasion happens below your conscious awareness. You rarely notice it happening, yet it shapes your decisions, your beliefs, and your actions in profound ways. Kevin Hogan wrote *Covert Persuasion* to pull back the curtain on this hidden world of influence. The book addresses a fundamental problem: most people go through life unaware of the psychological forces that shape their decisions. They believe they are making rational choices based on careful consideration of facts. In reality, they are responding to subtle cues, emotional triggers, and unconscious biases that have been carefully orchestrated by skilled persuaders. This matters because persuasion is not just a tool for salespeople and marketers. It is the currency of human interaction. Every time you try to convince someone to see things your way, every time you negotiate, every time you try to help someone make a better decision, you are engaging in persuasion. The question is not whether you will persuade, but whether you will persuade effectively and ethically. Hogan's approach is different from most books on influence because he focuses on what he calls covert persuasion. This is not about manipulation or trickery. It is about understanding the psychological processes that occur beneath conscious awareness and working with them rather than against them. Most persuasion attempts fail because they rely on logic and reason. They present facts, make arguments, and hope the other person will see the light. But as Hogan points out repeatedly, people do not make decisions logically. They decide emotionally…
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Get the complete summary in the app**Build rapport first.** Without rapport, persuasion is impossible. Mirror subtly and show genuine interest.
**People decide emotionally and justify with logic.** Engage emotions before presenting facts.
**Ask questions instead of making statements.** Questions direct thinking without triggering resistance.
**Tell stories to make your points.** Stories bypass the critical faculty and create lasting impact.
**Use scarcity and social proof ethically.** These triggers tap into deep psychological instincts.
**Frame your message carefully.** How you present information shapes how it is perceived.
"Covert Persuasion" is a strong fit if you want practical ideas around psychology, business, self help, especially themes like **build rapport first.** without rapport, persuasion is impossible. mirror subtly and show genuine interest; **people decide emotionally and justify with logic.** engage emotions before presenting facts. The MinuteRead summary distills these concepts into a focused read, whether you're deciding whether to buy the book or applying its lessons at work.
Motivated to help readers with "Rapport can be defined as being "in sync" with another person." Mirror subtly, Kevin Hogan wrote “Covert Persuasion” to package those ideas for a fast, focused read. In “Covert Persuasion”, Kevin Hogan focuses on "Rapport can be defined as being "in sync" with another person." Mirror subtly. Through “Covert Persuasion”, Kevin Hogan distills the core ideas on psychology into lessons readers can absorb in a single short sitting. Readers turn to this work when they wan…
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