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Inside View
Book Review
January 2004

Argue with customers! Who dares suggest such an idea? If you are in sales then you certainly should be interested in how to change the mind of a prospect. Looking up the work in various dictionaries may be confusing. I came across four specific phrases associated with the word ‘Argue’. ‘Expressing disagreement, especially continuously or angrily’, was the first. In general, disagreeing with customers is not a good idea. Let’s debunk this premise right away. Some times customers are interested in alternative ideas and welcome someone who is prepared to put forward a strong point of view. Many a time I have bought better because a sales person persisted in putting forward an alternative.

The other dictionary definitions that I came across were, ‘To give reasons for something’, ‘To persuade somebody’, and ‘To provide evidence for something’.

Gerry Spence is a lawyer from Wyoming who has not lost a criminal case in his forty-year career. He is uniquely qualified to write this book. If you are still uncomfortable with the implications of the word argue, perhaps this quote will sooth your discomfort. “Using argument as a weapon of injury has given argument its bad name”. Gerry is wonderfully eloquent throughout the book. I find his prose a delight to read. He is, I have no doubt, one of the world’s experts on changing people’s minds. ‘How to Argue and Win Every Time’ tells you how to win without winning and how to preserve people’s self image while achieving the right result.

Chapter headings and sub headings generally offer a good insight into the content and value of a book. ‘Opening doors and freeing the psyche’ begins this books journey by examining attitudes toward persuasion and explaining how to avoid self-sabotage. Other chapters that stood out for me include ‘The incredible power of credibility’, ‘The power of listening’, ‘Bridging the gap to be heard’, and ‘Arguing out of the heart zone’.

As a boy, W. E. Johns Biggles books finally hooked me on reading. I couldn’t get enough of them. Today, all the wisdom of the world and all the secrets of persuasion can be had for the price of three or four Big Mac’s. ‘How to Argue and Win Every Time’ harbours a wealth of ideas, habits, and practices that are not in common use. Secrets are so often under one’s nose, or so I find.

ISBN 0-330-34774-8
 

Book Review
by Clive Miller

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