When Manipulation Backfires: Bad Reviews from Bad People Are Good Reviews — Daily Persuasion Ep. 63

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What if your worst critics were your best salespeople? That’s the counterintuitive—and wildly effective—reality explored in Daily Persuasion Ep. 63: “When Manipulation Backfires: Bad Reviews from Bad People Are Good Reviews.” Hosted by bestselling author and ghostwriter Joshua Lisec, this episode unpacks why the loudest voices against you might actually be the most persuasive in your favor.

Lisec starts by revisiting one of his most famous lines: “Bad reviews from bad people are good reviews.” It’s more than a clever turn of phrase—it’s a principle that explains the modern political landscape, the surprising rise of leaders like JD Vance, and the way public perception is shaped not by who loves you, but by who hates you most.

Using recent examples from electoral politics, Lisec reveals how emotional manipulation tactics are deployed by the media and political elite to vilify figures like Donald Trump and his Vice Presidential pick. But here's the twist: these tactics of manipulation backfire. Why? Because people have grown adept at recognizing low-quality, exaggerated outrage. They know when they’re being manipulated—and they’re rejecting it.

This episode breaks down the types of manipulators involved in these smear campaigns, including how they rely on manipulation methods psychology to stir up public emotion. But rather than being persuasive, their outrage has the opposite effect. Lisec explains this shift using both persuasion psychology and mind manipulation techniques turned on their heads.

For those interested in how to manipulate a manipulator, Lisec offers a masterclass. Instead of engaging, he teaches you to flip the narrative—making your haters the best kind of endorsers. This isn’t just political theory; it’s also one of the most powerful persuasion techniques you can use in your business, career, or personal brand.

Lisec brings in examples of persuasion in advertising to illustrate how some of the best marketers intentionally provoke low-quality backlash because they understand the value of signaling. In fact, when someone with a track record of emotional dishonesty leaves a one-star review, savvy audiences see that as a glowing five-star recommendation. It’s the persuasive technique of “reverse credibility”—a central theme in Lisec’s work.

He dives deep into techniques of persuasion in writing, referencing his bestselling book So Good They Call You a Fake. This book, available now on Amazon, teaches readers how to apply the principle that “bad reviews from bad people are good reviews” in any field. Whether you're launching a product, a political campaign, or a personal brand, learning how to persuade someone to do something often involves embracing your most vocal detractors.

Throughout the episode, Lisec uses real-world persuasion examples to show that credibility often stems from contrast. The more extreme and unhinged your critics become, the more reasonable, rational, and appealing you appear to the persuadable middle. It’s one of the most effective manipulation methods psychology has ever revealed—because it turns the manipulator into the manipulated.

Don’t miss this eye-opening installment of Daily Persuasion. Episode 63, “When Manipulation Backfires: Bad Reviews from Bad People Are Good Reviews,” is your go-to source for understanding persuasion, recognizing emotional manipulation tactics, and leveraging types of manipulators to your advantage.

Listen now and discover why being hated by the right people might be the best review you could ask for—and how Joshua Lisec’s insights on persuasion psychology can help you win in business, politics, and life.

Get the book. Apply the lesson. Become so good…they call you a fake.