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To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others Paperback – Illustrated, December 3, 2013

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Look out for Daniel Pink’s new book, When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing

#1
New York Times Business Bestseller
#1 Wall Street Journal Business Bestseller
#1 Washington Post bestseller

From the bestselling author of 
Drive and A Whole New Mind, and teacher of the popular MasterClass on Sales and Persuasion, comes a surprising--and surprisingly useful--new book that explores the power of selling in our lives.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, one in nine Americans works in sales. Every day more than fifteen million people earn their keep by persuading someone else to make a purchase.

But dig deeper and a startling truth emerges:

Yes, one in nine Americans works in sales.
But so do the other eight.

Whether we’re employees pitching colleagues on a new idea, entrepreneurs enticing funders to invest, or parents and teachers cajoling children to study, we spend our days trying to move others. Like it or not, we’re all in sales now.

To Sell Is Human offers a fresh look at the art and science of selling. As he did in Drive and A Whole New Mind, Daniel H. Pink draws on a rich trove of social science for his counterintuitive insights. He reveals the new ABCs of moving others (it's no longer "Always Be Closing"), explains why extraverts don't make the best salespeople, and shows how giving people an "off-ramp" for their actions can matter more than actually changing their minds.

Along the way, Pink describes the six successors to the elevator pitch, the three rules for understanding another's perspective, the five frames that can make your message clearer and more persuasive, and much more. The result is a perceptive and practical book--one that will change how you see the world and transform what you do at work, at school, and at home.
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Full of aha! moments . . . timely, original, throughly engaging, deeply humane."
strategy + business

“A fresh look at the art and science of sales using a mix of social science, survey research and stories.”
—Dan Schawbel,
Forbes.com

"Artfully blend(s) anecdotes, insights, and studies from the social sciences into a frothy blend of utility and entertainment."
Bloomberg 

"Excellent…radical, surprising, and undeniably true."
Harvard Business Review Blog

“Pink has penned a modern day
How to Win Friends and Influence People... To Sell Is Human is chock full of stories, social science, and surprises…All leaders—at least those who want to ‘move’ people—should own this book.”
Training and Development magazine

"Vastly entertaining and informative."
—Phil Johnson,
Forbes.com

"Pink is one of our smartest thinkers about the interaction of work, psychology and society."
Worth

"A roadmap to help the rest of us guide our own pitches."
Chicago Tribune

“Like discovering your favorite professor in a box…packed with information, reasons to care about his message, how and why to execute his suggestions, and it's all accentuated with meaningful examples… this book deserves a good, long look.”
Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"An engaging blend of interviews, research and observations by [this] incisive author"
The Globe and Mail

 

About the Author

Daniel H. Pink is the author of four books, including the long-running New York Times bestsellers Drive and A Whole New Mind. His books have been translated into thirty-three languages and have sold more than a million copies in the United States alone. Pink lives with his family in Washington, D.C.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Riverhead Books; Reprint edition (December 3, 2013)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1594631905
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1594631900
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.97 x 0.57 x 8.95 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 4,530 ratings

About the author

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Daniel H. Pink
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Daniel H. Pink is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of seven books -- including his latest, THE POWER OF REGRET: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward. His books have sold millions of copies around the world, been translated into forty-two languages, and have won multiple awards. He lives with his family in Washington, DC.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4,530 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book provides a clear and accessible explanation of the sales profession. They describe it as a useful, easy read that helps demystify the subject. The compelling stories and anecdotal evidence help readers understand complex situations and build empathy. The book is described as humanizing and a good investment.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

366 customers mention "Readability"354 positive12 negative

Customers find the book useful and accessible. They appreciate the anecdotes, principles, and practical tools that make it approachable. The writing style is readable and easy to understand.

"...All of which makes To Sell Is Human - a delightfully useful read. Essentially, Pink is reframing what "selling" is all about...." Read more

"...The first two-thirds of the book is clear, logical, well-structured description what professionals need to success in work life social scene and it..." Read more

"...dozens of techniques assembled from fresh research and best practices around the world...." Read more

"...He remains approachable, personable, and happens to be one of the funniest and brightest people I have met - it might just catch you off guard...." Read more

364 customers mention "Information quality"354 positive10 negative

Customers find the book helpful for distilling research and data into actionable steps. It helps demystify the sales profession and provides useful tools. The author's ideas are scientifically supported and revolutionary.

"...Shows you why problem finding may be a smarter strategy than problem solving, and how skills in improvisation can dramatically improve how to move..." Read more

"...The first two-thirds of the book is clear, logical, well-structured description what professionals need to success in work life social scene and it..." Read more

"...At the end of each chapter in parts 2 and 3 are dozens of techniques assembled from fresh research and best practices around the world...." Read more

"...section on Attunement (part of the new ABC's of selling) provides some great exercises to see where you can improve your own skills. [..." Read more

60 customers mention "Sales book"56 positive4 negative

Customers find the book helpful for understanding sales and customer relationships. They say it provides a new perspective on selling and helps dismantle old sales paradigms.

"...Because you'll find plenty of new and delightful insights that will make this book worth reading for those insights alone. 5...." Read more

"...With this understanding, Dan Pink's new book can help you sell better. "..." Read more

"...This book is the guide to why, what and how of non-sales selling and I highly recommend this book for everyone in business today...." Read more

"...Dan Pink has written an outstanding book about sales that helps to demystify the profession, helping to exorcise much of the mumbo jumbo that has..." Read more

51 customers mention "Story quality"40 positive11 negative

Customers find the book's stories compelling and persuasive. They appreciate the clear explanations and examples used to support the points made. The book weaves together theory, practical solutions, and how-to exercises in a logical and well-structured manner.

"...The first two-thirds of the book is clear, logical, well-structured description what professionals need to success in work life social scene and it..." Read more

"...His prose is engaging, his stories are relevant, and his ideas are insightful and challenging...." Read more

"...and this is one of my absolute favorites. I love the mix of anecdotes, easy to memorize principles, and practical tools...." Read more

"...The first impression I get is that this is an autobiography. The author places his name at the top, in big letters...." Read more

19 customers mention "Humanizing"19 positive0 negative

Customers find the book humanizing and insightful. They say it helps build empathy and enhance conviction. The book is about human relations and helping people.

"...A little secret: This book is really about human relations and helping people...." Read more

"...how to move others successfully in today's world in an engaging and ethical way...." Read more

"...Building empathy, designing a complete experience with an interlocutor, getting feedback, etc...." Read more

"...unfriendly and scary to so many and makes it approachable and yes, human. He creates a new ABC of sales...." Read more

18 customers mention "Value for money"14 positive4 negative

Customers find the book provides good value for money. They say it's timely, relevant, and a good investment.

"WOW. Daniel delivers another VALUE packed and beneficial book with “To Sell Is Human.”..." Read more

"...Every sale I have ever done has come from the need to provide real value to people. More people should consider doing this...." Read more

"...I wanted more! Like Mr. Pink's previous books, this one is a bargain when you consider the value of the content against the purchase price...." Read more

"This is the most worthless sales book of all time...." Read more

16 customers mention "Clarity"16 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's clarity. They find the illustrations helpful for understanding practical applications. The book is described as informative and self-revealing, with a modest touch.

"...ABC of the new world of selling and it's Attunement, Buoyancy, and Clarity...." Read more

"...Two: How to Be, is based on the concepts of Attunement, Buoyancy and Clarity...." Read more

"..."moving others" includes the 3 qualities of Attunement, Buoyancy and Clarity (How to Be) and the 3 skills Pitch, Improvise, and Serve (What to Do)...." Read more

"...He talks about the new A-B-Cs of selling as Attunement, Buoyancy, and Clarity and I love how he connects the latest research from the Positive..." Read more

23 customers mention "Pacing"15 positive8 negative

Customers have different views on the pacing of the book. Some find it attuned and clear, a great addition to the author's body of work. Others feel the start and end are slow, with the meat in the middle.

"...rewired and rethought the ABC of the new world of selling and it's Attunement, Buoyancy, and Clarity...." Read more

"This is a great book. It started off slow but once you get into the meat of the book you will not be able to put it down...." Read more

"...Part Two: How to Be, is based on the concepts of Attunement, Buoyancy and Clarity...." Read more

"...Buoyancy - the ability to staff afloat in an ocean of rejection...." Read more

Good approach to modern selling
4 out of 5 stars
Good approach to modern selling
I bought this book because I am an entrepreneur and never was at sales department. In this book Pink tries to bring a modern approach to selling. In the era of internet the old classical sales style is obsolete. Even the classic elevator pitch is outdated. Today in a world where the customer is more informed, providing just information is not enough since the customer a lot of times knows more about the product and the competence more than even the salesman. You need to learn to move the people with different approaches and this book talks about that. Also Pink says that not only people in sales are the only who might benefit from this techniques. Also normal people because we have to "sell" something to someone somehow, your spouse, your children, your boss, and many more. So you have to learn to "move" people to do what you need to do (in order to do what can benefit you and also them, is not manipulation, but a way to show the value also for the people being moved). So if you are in sales or want to improve the way in which you convince people to do something get a copy and read this book
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2012
    Arthur Miller created the archetype of the insecure, self-deluded traveling salesman in his Pulitzer-Prize winning play, Death of a Salesman. I have my own Willy Loman story.

    When I was in high school, I earned extra money by lugging around a sample case of candles and selling door to door. There were, of course, the easy marks; my parents and the next-door neighbors. Beyond the comfortable confines of my immediate neighborhood, it was a teenager's view of hell - doors slammed, fingers wagging no from behind lace curtains, and the one-hour pitch that led to "I'll have to think about it."

    Like most Americans, I have a rather dim view of salespeople. In fact, it is usually ranked among the most distrusted professions along with stock traders, politicians, dentists, and lawyers.

    Which is surprising, because Dan Pink, the author of the new book, To Sell is Human; the Surprising Truth About Moving Others was a lawyer. Pink, the author of such best sellers as A Whole New Mind and Drive takes a fresh and engaging look at the art and social science of selling. In fact, his thesis is that in one way or another, we are all salespeople.

    Pink begins with some provocative statistics - the result of his study with Qualtrics, a research and date analytics company. The study, What Do You Do At Work?, revealed "that people are now spending 40 percent of their time at work engaging in non-sales: selling - persuading, influencing and convincing others in ways that don't involve anyone making a purchase. Across a wide range of professions, we are devoting roughly twenty-four minutes of every hour to moving others."

    The book makes a compelling argument that "we are all in sales now" because while the existing data show that 1 in 9 Americans work in sales, the new data reveal so do the other 8 in 9.

    In all of his books, Pink (Like Malcolm Gladwell) uses behavioral economics and science to illuminate a subject - in many ways, counterintuitive to what many of us believe.

    For example, he cites a 2008 experiment where researchers simulated a negotiation over the sale of a gas station. (I assume this was before the great financial meltdown.)

    "Like many real-life negotiations, this one presented what looked like an obstacle: The highest price the buyer would pay was less than the lowest price the seller would accept. However, the parties had other mutual interests that, if surfaced, could lead to a deal both would accept."

    Pink continues, "One-third of the negotiators were instructed to imagine what the other side was feeling, while one-third was instructed to imagine what the other side was thinking. (The remaining third, given bland and generic instructions, was the control group.)"

    The result? The empathizers (feeling) struck many more deals than the control group, But the perspective takers (thinking) did even better: 75% of them managed to fashion a deal that satisfied both sides.

    The authors of the study, Adam Galinsky, Joe Magee, M. Inesi add Deborah Gruenfeld and another study by William Maddux showed that "Empathy...was effective but less so, and was, at times a detriment to both discovering creative solutions and self-interest."

    Pink also dispels the myth that extroverts make the best salespeople in today's economy and that the "Ambivert" - someone who is somewhere between an extrovert and an introvert is the rising star in moving people.

    If you're familiar with the classic Alec Baldwin uber-salesman scene in David Mamet's Glengarry, Glen Ross you'll know that the ABC scribbled on the chalkboard means, "Always be closing." (For movie fans, Mamet wrote that scene for Baldwin and is not in the original play).

    Pink has rewired and rethought the ABC of the new world of selling and it's Attunement, Buoyancy, and Clarity. Like his other books, he complements each idea with relevant case studies, strategies and a number of insight exercises.

    He offers six successors to the standard elevator pitch. Shows you why problem finding may be a smarter strategy than problem solving, and how skills in improvisation can dramatically improve how to move people.

    All of which makes To Sell Is Human - a delightfully useful read. Essentially, Pink is reframing what "selling" is all about. We are all salespeople because everyday we are selling ideas, positions, and strategies to other people. I highly recommend it.

    I know Dan personally and marvel how there are very few pictures of him without a purple shirt and he doesn't disappoint in To Sell Is Human. So, I requested a preview copy and bought my own Kindle version as well.

    I first met him at a book signing at BIF (Business Innovation Factory) and what impressed me is that he didn't simply sign books; he had short, meaningful conversations with everyone. I think he's a reluctant salesperson. Dan is more interested in sharing information and ideas than selling you a product or service.

    And ultimately, that's the foundation of the new age of sales - how to move others, by moving yourself.

    And for anyone wishing to sell candles door to door, the Pray Hands cylinder candle was a big hit.
    12 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2013
    The core idea of the book is that we are all nowadays is in the selling business: selling ideas to our bosses, products to our customers and holiday plans to our families. And also that successful selling today is not about charismatic persuasion but about listening and putting yourself into the other person's position.
    Pink describes how selling has changed over the last few decades from "ABC - always be closing" type persuasion to more "human" cooperation between the customer and the seller. The reason for this change is the availability of information and increased competition. The buyer can easily access product information and peer reviews and thus be very able to spot any foul play. And even if not all the buyers would be knowledgeable beforehand they most certainly hold the power afterwards of hurting the business in case they feel cheated.
    If you have an idea, a product or a skill that you're sure others would have some use, you have to make other people see the value or else it's worthless. And making others see value, is selling even if you would not be getting any money from it. Pink argues that if you look at sales by this new way in an organisation, it isn't really anyone's job, it's everyone's job. Pink suggest also a new ABC of selling: Attunement, Buoyancy and Clarity. Attunement in essence meaning listening instead of speaking, buoyancy meaning positivity and clarity meaning being clear on options and consequences.
    A great example of non-sales selling these principles apply is management, which according to Pink has changed from giving orders to "making sales" and making sales is not trying to force someone to do something they don't want to do in the first place, but rather listening and finding common ground where the boss and the subordinate together try to figure out what is the best way to make the personal aspirations and organisational goals match.
    Pink is a great writer and storyteller and I enjoyed reading the book, although didn't really get all that much new from it. The first two-thirds of the book is clear, logical, well-structured description what professionals need to success in work life social scene and it's filled with lots of memorable real-life stories, but the last third of the book is more or less an incomplete list of marketing and "Dale Carnegie-style" influence tricks, although some of them no-doubt effective.
    For the occasional reader of pop-social science or sales literature I would definitely recommend the book, but for anyone who's read for example 7 habits of highly effective people will not get much new perspective from this.
    5 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • chris
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good Read
    Reviewed in Canada on December 15, 2022
    Helps put a sales mindset in perspective if your doubting confidence
  • Shrinivas
    5.0 out of 5 stars selling
    Reviewed in India on November 10, 2024
    A beautiful well written book. The references to various research studies add lot of value to the readers.

    Sample after every concept nails the learning
  • Claudio B.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Did not waste a breath
    Reviewed in Italy on April 19, 2024
    The book is not about sales but about life in general. It teaches you to be a better human with more empathy and understanding. Eventually, that makes you better at moving people.
  • javier pizarro
    5.0 out of 5 stars Práctico y realista , inspirador
    Reviewed in Spain on January 22, 2022
    Realmente inspirador
  • Marie
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very insightful
    Reviewed in France on April 9, 2021
    An easy flow and an aggregation of concepts that sometime I knew already but that put all together become very powerful. A lot of examples, a lot of experiments, some easy to implement tips... insightful and inspirational !