| Rhetoric is the art of persuasive communication. | | | | should never be central to what you say. When the |
| According to Aristotle, three elements are required | | | | numbers do all the talking, who is speaking for you? |
| for effective rhetoric: ethos (your reputation), logos | | | | Pathos: The emotion you elicit |
| (the logic in your argument) and pathos (the emotion | | | | Passion is contagious. If you sincerely believe in what |
| you elicit). All three are a vital triad when presenting | | | | you’re saying – not blindly so, but based on |
| for new business. | | | | prudent logos from as established ethos – then |
| Ethos: Your reputation | | | | those around you will be inspired also. |
| Having ten slides on your wonderful company at the | | | | Although many facts may be evaluated by a client |
| beginning of a presentation comes at a cost. | | | | when making their choice, the final decision always |
| Although it may illustrate your credentials, this is not | | | | involves emotion. That does not mean an inspired |
| what they’re buying – they’re buying | | | | presentation with visual and auditory accoutrements |
| you. You are not the company – you represent | | | | will win the day, but if you think that facts alone are |
| the company. We often proudly stand before a map | | | | sufficient to persuade, you’re in the wrong place: |
| of the world illustrating our global presence, as if | | | | Convincing does not take place in the library of the |
| that’s some source of authority of our personal | | | | mind, but in the theater of the heart. This is vividly |
| ability. However, clients are not looking for good | | | | illustrated in an experiment done on donors who |
| global companies, they’re looking for good local | | | | were given $5 and then given the choice to donate |
| people. Illustrating the former does not win you the | | | | to a worthy cause once they had answered one of |
| business. Proving the latter does. | | | | two questions (1): |
| Logos: The logic in your argument | | | | 1. If an object travels at 5 feet per minute, then how |
| Although you may have hard data that clearly | | | | far will it travel in 360 seconds? |
| supports your argument, people still ‘feel’ | | | | 2. Please write down one word to describe how you |
| that you have a solid case. It is a myth that people | | | | feel when you hear the word ‘baby’. |
| need to be completely informed - the idea is not to | | | | The group that was given the first question donated |
| illustrate every single point, but to provide just | | | | $1.26. Those who answered question two gave |
| enough data for your audience to connect the dots. | | | | $2.34. Perhaps this is one of those rare occurrences |
| When a presenter shows slide after slide of the | | | | where the numbers do speak for themselves? |
| figures supporting his/her proposition, I somehow | | | | Reference 1: Bernard Ross and Clare Segal. The |
| begin to lose faith in them – are they themselves | | | | Influential Fundraiser. Using the psychology of |
| unsure? | | | | persuasion to achieve outstanding results. |
| You are there to tell a clear story – the data is | | | | Jossey-Bass/Wiley 2009. |
| there to serve as signposts along the way and | | | | |