Triggers Joe Sugarman Review

Triggers by Joe Sugarman

Review Rating - 4.5 Stars

Triggers is a terrific book by Joe Sugarman, one of the leading direct marketers in the world who uses these very factors to make a fortune in direct response mail order advertising.

In fact I wish that I had read it years ago.

The sub-title of Triggers explains the purpose -  "30 Sales Tools You Can Use To Control The Mind of your Prospect to Motivate, Influence and Persuade".

(Update - April 2011 I have just heard about a free mp3 interview of Joe Sugarman taking about Triggers - Triggers mp3 - affiliate link - over 4 hours of amazing tips)

Triggers is beautifully written with each chapter focused on one psychological trigger with explanations of how the factor can be used in copywriting/print and in a direct, face-to-face selling environment.

Joe Sugarman uses one of the triggers, story-telling to communicate each message so every chapter has at least one story attached to help you to remember it.

This is a book to help you make sales and increase your profits and its secrets apply for both small and big businesses. Joe Sugarman emphasises the importance of integrity and honesty but at the same time, this is not a book for wimps and the more squeamish may not approve of some of the applications of the tactics. These are powerful techniques.

Triggers is very easy to read, either as a book from page 1 onwards or to dip into as when you want to refresh your mind about the application of one of the particular psychological triggers.

I will share with you the 30 psychological triggers so that you can see the factors covered but the power of Joe Sugarman's work in Triggers is not the list itself but the stories and how the triggers can be used. Note by listing these I am breaking one of the triggers.

List of Psychological Triggers To Motivate, Influence & Persuade People To Buy

1. Consistency
    
   
2. Product Nature
    
   
3. Prospect Nature
    
   
4. Objection Raising
    
   
5. Objection Resolution
    
   
6. Involvement and Ownership
    
   
7. Integrity
    
   
8. Storytelling
    
   
9. Authority
    
   
10. Proof of Value
     
    
11. Emotion
     
    
12. Justify with Logic
     
    
13. Greed
     
    
14. Credibility
     
    
15. Satisfaction Conviction
     
    
16. Linking
     
    
17. Desire to Belong
     
    
18. Desire to Collect
     
    
19. Sense of Urgency
     
    
20. Exclusivity
     
    
21. Simplicity
     
    
22. Guilt
     
    
23. Specificity
     
    
24. Familiarity
     
    
25. Patterning
     
    
26. Hope
     
    
27. Curiosity
     
    
28. Harmonize
     
    
29. Mental Engagement
     
    
30. Honesty

That's it.

The thirty triggers identified by Joe Sugarman you can use in your copywriting.

Review Rating For Triggers by Joe Sugarman

I rate this book at the 4.5 star level which is a very strong recommendation to read and buy to anyone who earns their money by persuading others to buy.

It will suit both beginners and more experienced persuaders since it acts as both an introduction and a fine tuning to the arts of persuasion.

I should make it clear that Triggers is not a "how to" book.

There is no step by step guide to how to put together a winning sales letter, mail or advertisement or sales presentation but that's not the point of the book.

Joe Sugarman spells out these psychological triggers very clearly and a section at the back is a Triggers Worksheet which briefly summarises the factor and asks you to identify the opportunities for using it in your business.

Triggers is a terrific book and the only reason that I haven't given it 5 stars is because I have read that much of the book is repeated in another Joe Sugarman book, "Advertising Secrets of The Written Word" which is a bigger book.

I haven't read it yet so can't confirm the overlap.

Sometimes more is less so I may find that I prefer the conciseness and focus of Triggers but it gives me enough doubt to hold back the coveted 5 star rating.

Buying Triggers By Joe Sugarman

Amazon.com reviews show just how popular Triggers is with 55 reviews and 43 of them at the 5 star level.

You can get it from Amazon.com

or you you may decide to buy "Advertising Secrets of The Written Word" instead from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk - (all Amazon links are affiliate links) because it is less expensive.

I will be reading more of Joe Sugarman's books because I like the man's style.

Joe Sugarman and Ted Nicholas have combined to create the Simpleology copywriting course (affiliate link) which I haven't tried but I'm very tempted by. You can also see videos of Joe Sugarman on my Business Coaching Blog.

What Do You Think About "Triggers" by Joe Sugarman?

Have you read Triggers and if so, what did you think?

Are there particular psychological triggers that you have found has the most impact?

I remember when my Dad bought his last BMW, his ideal car was in the showroom, right model, right colour, right trimmings and someone was looking at it when we got there. After our test drive, this chap brought a mate back to have a second look.

My Dad had effectively taken ownership of this car in his mind and given the sense of urgency, he announced that he would have it. No haggling over price. He just had to buy it.

That's the power of Triggers. 

Comments

[Joe Sugarman]

Thanks for the nice review. The triggers mentioned in Advertising Secrets of the Written Word is in a single chapter. Since I received so much response from Chapter 19 in the book which mentioned the triggers, I wrote an entire book on it and expanded that chapter. Advertising Secrets is more of a book on how to write powerful copy and the more recent version is called Adweek Copywriting Manual. Triggers is out of print but I hope to reprint it shortly. Again, thanks for the excellent review.

Joe Sugarman

[Paul]

Wow.

Joe I feel deeply honoured that one of my direct marketing heroes has commented on my blog.

Thanks for the explanation about Triggers, and Advertising Secrets Of The Written World.

Paul

[Paul]

I have added Triggers by Joe Sugarman to what I consider to be THE best marketing books.

Do you agree?

http://businesscoaching.typepad.com/business_books/2008/10/marketing-books-which-are-best.html

[Paul Simister]

Wow I have just been told about an exciting free giveaway of in interview that Joe Sugarman did with Dan O'Day on the triggers.

This is over 4 hours of content designed to promote the Lost Sugarman Tapes.

https://czsecure.com/delavo/568yr/155536/order

(affiliate link - the mp3s are free but if you go on to buy the Lost Sugarman Tapes, then I'll earn a commission.)

One thing I don't understand - the squeeze page for the recordings of this Triggers interview with Joe Sugarman mentions 29 triggers - there are 30 in the book and the recordings.

Is there a deep psychological meaning to this discrepancy?

I don't know - I have been able to download all 30 snippets.

Mark Joyner recommends that you listen to these at least ten times - I like the idea you can easily listen to the triggers which appeal to you most, implement those and then come back for more.

https://czsecure.com/delavo/568yr/155536/order