Sell Like a Spy: The Art of Persuasion from the World of Espionage

Espionage tactics can help salespeople up their game, according to this lackluster debut guide. Contending that spying and sales both depend on building relationships, Hurewitz, a former corporate spy, asserts that opening up about one’s life can motivate others to do the same and describes how one CIA veteran would mention his autistic son to encourage others to discuss their families. Spies will sometimes meet a “target” by embedding themselves in the target’s social circles, Hurewitz notes, suggesting that readers might earn an introduction to a potential client by volunteering for a charity they support. Unfortunately, this strategy is likely impractical for most rank-and-file salespeople, who would have to devote untold hours to the organization on the outside chance they could meet an individual who might not even agree to become their client. Other tricks of the espionage trade have only hazy relevance for salespeople. For instance, it’s not clear how someone trying to close a deal would benefit from the advice on convincing a person to reveal who leaked secret information. Additionally, a breakdown of how to read body language strains credulity (shaking one’s head while saying “no problem” is apparently an indication of deception). Unrealistic and unconvincing, this misses the mark. Agent: Michael Signorelli, Aevitas Creative Management. (Aug.)