Why do so many authors purport to reveal secretes of various kinds in their new books? I think if I had secrets—perhaps the secrets to a better body or longer life, greater happiness, or more persuasive communication—I would not waste my time and go straight for the Nobel Prize. At the very least I would try to make a killing by patenting the idea!

But instead so many authors seem to reveal their secrets in poorly written self-help books and spend their time extolling the virtues of their work on any TV show that will have them, like a used car salesman trying to unload the last Daewoo on their lot! Lately, Tonya Reiman has been in serious “used car salesman” mode with her new book, “The Yes Factor: Get What You Want. Say What You Mean – The Secrets of Persuasive Communication.” Tonya claims to reveal secrets of persuasive communication, which, of course, have already been revealed by more serious researchers and writers in better written books with less consumer packaging and hype (see “Getting to Yes” by Roger Fisher and William Ury).

Take, for example, her stunning revelation that “by reading this book you learn something that you already knew, but you didn’t know why you knew it” – huh?

Or “Practice one new thing each day – the first day, practice making eye contact…the second day practice smiling… the third day listen to how you sound.”

Our advice: practice avoiding purchasing this book (except possibly for beach reading). If Tonya Reiman is seeking the Nobel Prize for this one she will need to be a little more persuasive in her communication.

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