Magic Words - by Jonah Berger (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

A NEXT BIG IDEA CLUB 'MUST-READ'

New York Times bestselling author Jonah Berger's cutting-edge research reveals how six types of words can increase your impact in every area of life: from persuading others and building stronger relationships, to boosting creativity and motivating teams.

Almost everything we do involves words. Words are how we persuade, communicate, and connect, the foundation of all verbal influence. They're how leaders lead, salespeople sell, and parents parent. They're how teachers teach, policymakers govern, and doctors explain. Even our private thoughts rely on language.

But certain words are more impactful than others. They're better at changing minds, engaging audiences, and driving action. What are these magic words, and how can we take advantage of their power?

In Magic Words, internationally bestselling author Jonah Berger gives you an inside look at the new science and psychology of language and how you can use it. Technological advances in machine learning, computational linguistics, and natural language processing, combined with the digitization of everything from cover letters to conversations, have yielded unprecedented insights.

Learn the specific communication skills salespeople use to convince clients, lawyers use to persuade juries, and storytellers use to captivate audiences; how teachers get kids to help and service representatives increase customer satisfaction; how startup founders secure funding, musicians make hits, and psychologists identified a Shakespearean manuscript without ever reading a play.

This nonfiction guide is designed for anyone who wants to increase their impact. It provides a powerful toolkit and actionable techniques that can lead to extraordinary results. Whether you're trying to persuade a client, motivate a team, or get a whole organization to see things differently, this book will show you how to leverage the power of magic words.

Based on years of behavioral science research, this book breaks down the toolkit you need:

• Activate Identity and Agency: Learn why using nouns is more persuasive than using verbs, and how a simple word shift can help you be more creative and achieve your goals.
• Convey Confidence: Discover the language of confidence that helps lawyers persuade juries and leaders inspire action, and learn when expressing doubt can actually be more effective.
• Ask the Right Questions: Understand the science of asking questions, why asking for advice makes you seem smarter, and how to deepen any social connection.
• Leverage Concreteness: See why concrete language gets startups funded, makes customers feel heard, and why talking about "fixing" a problem is better than "solving" it.
• Employ Emotion: Master the emotional language that builds hit podcasts and captivates any audience by learning what truly makes a good story.

Review Quotes

A riveting read on how the words we use shape the impact we have. Jonah Berger has a knack for making science sparkle, and he doesn't just tell you how to write and speak more persuasively--he shows you. - Adam Grant, number one New York Times bestselling author of Think Again and host of the TED podcast Re: Thinking

There's a difference between being right and being effective. And a few words make all the difference. If you want to be more persuasive, read this book. - Scott Galloway, New York Times bestselling author of Adrift and The Four

"Language so surrounds us that, sometimes, we forget it's there. But there are some words that have more power. Magic Words shows us how to use them." - Charles Duhigg, author of bestsellers The Power of Habit and Smarter Faster Better

"Words have power - learn to use them to your advantage and watch your career and life change radically! Packed with practical advice and the latest research, Magic Words is the guide you need to hone your words to persuade, sell, and create the life you want." - Dr. Marshall Goldsmith, Thinkers50 #1 Executive Coach and New York Times bestselling author of The Earned Life, Triggers, and What Got You Here Won't Get You There.

Magic Words is astonishing. It delivers an array of tips on how to become a better persuader along with fresh insights into the science of language. This book will fundamentally change how you speak, how you listen, how you write--and maybe even who you are. - Daniel H. Pink, number one New York Times bestselling author of To Sell Is Human, The Power of Regret, and Drive

This book changed how I speak. It's mind-blowing to see real, scientific research and data that illustrates how we can persuade others, deepen social connections, and increase our impact. Jonah Berger's research combined with his crisp storytelling style is sure to turn this book into a modern classic in behavioral science. - Guy Raz, podcast host and creator of How I Built This, Wisdom from the Top, The Great Creators, and Wow in the World

I am grateful to be one of the many who have learned from this master teacher. - Jim Collins, author of Good to Great and coauthor of Built to Last