The small BIG: small changes that spark big influence by Steve J Martin, Noah J Goldstein and Robert B Cialdini

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The small BIG: small changes that spark big influence by Steve J Martin, Noah J Goldstein and Robert B Cialdini

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Buy The small BIG: small changes that spark big influence by Steve J Martin, Noah J Goldstein and Robert B Cialdini at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Category: Business and Finance
Rating: 4/5
Reviewer: Sue Magee
Reviewed by Sue Magee
Summary: Improving your business does't always require vast xpenditure and a lotof time. Sometimes samm changes can make a massive difference.
Buy? Yes Borrow? Yes
Pages: 240 Date: August 2014
Publisher: Profile Books
ISBN: 978-1781252741

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It's a commonly-held belief that if you want to advance your business - bring in the extra money, get more customers and generally move up a step - then you're going to have to spend big money and bring in the experts. Martin, Goldstein and Cialdini tackle the problem from the other end: sometimes it's the smallest, least expensive and quick changes which can bring about the improvement that you need. In The small BIG they offer over fifty tips, hints, ideas which can make the difference. Sometimes they cost nothing, but bring in millions. Occasionally they require a small investment of your time, but it can be as little as five minutes.

It's not hyperbole when I say that small changes can bring in millions: in fact it's just a little bit of an understatement. In the UK Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs were struggling to bring in all the collectable taxes, but then they added a single sentence to their standard letter which applied just a little bit of social pressure to the reluctant payers and increased their clearance rate of unpaid taxes from 57% to 86%. The sentence isn't even unpleasant - it simply puts paying taxes into a positive light.

Most of the ideas in the book work on a similar principle. There are ideas on boosting charitable donations, getting money for the church maintenance fund by giving money away, how the campaign to get people to eat five fruit or vegetables a day could be varied to make it more successful and even an idea about how Job Centres could change the way that they deal with Job Seekers. I was wary about the method by which waiters can (legitimately) get bigger tips but fully understood why too many persuasion techniques can turn people off a deal. And I've barely scratched the surface of what's in this book.

You're wondering if all this works, aren't you? I did too, but there's all the latest research and background to the idea with examples of how the principle has been applied and how it worked. Names are quoted - there are no anonymous examples. The book's an easy read too. Chapters are short and to the point - there's no labouring of the background - and you'll never feel as though you're being patronised. The notes at the back of the book give the source of information and would provide further reading if there's something that you want to pursue. Best of all there's even a sense of humour in evidence.

I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy of the book to the Bookbag.

If this book appeals then you might also benefit from Decisive: How to Make Better Decisions in Life and Work by Chip Heath and Dan Heath and Talk Lean: Shorter Meetings. Quicker Results. Better Relations by Alan H Palmer both of which offer solutions which don't cost the earth.

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Buy The small BIG: small changes that spark big influence by Steve J Martin, Noah J Goldstein and Robert B Cialdini at Amazon You can read more book reviews or buy The small BIG: small changes that spark big influence by Steve J Martin, Noah J Goldstein and Robert B Cialdini at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
Buy The small BIG: small changes that spark big influence by Steve J Martin, Noah J Goldstein and Robert B Cialdini at Amazon You can read more book reviews or buy The small BIG: small changes that spark big influence by Steve J Martin, Noah J Goldstein and Robert B Cialdini at Amazon.com.

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