The Greek philosopher Aristotle provided a great framework to categorize persuasion skills into three main areas:
(1) Logos: the rational logic content of your message
(2) Ethos: your credibility as the messenger
(3) Pathos: the feelings and attitude of your audience
For each of these areas, we can take practical steps to improve. Regularly practicing these steps will make us more persuasive. Here are a few examples:
Logos
- Ask: "What are the 1-3 key points that I would like my audience to remember?". Focus your message on these key points.
- What analogies and metaphors can I use to illustrate my points? Will these suit my audience?
- Draw two overlapping circles. In the first, write the topics you alone are interested in. In the second, write the exclusive interests of your audience. In the overlapping area, note topics that are interesting to both yourself and the audience. In your persuasive message, focus on talking about these common interests.
- Repeat your main points several times.
- Where possible, be specific without adding irrelevant information.
- Where possible, make comparison with facts that your audience already knows.
Ethos
- Practice to really listen to people. Sounds easy, but is one of the hardest things to do in life :-)
- Always answer the implicit question: "Why should my audience listen to me?"
- Use humor where appropriate, i.e. it suits your personality type and the respective audience.
- Think of things that you can afford to give away as a gift (material or immaterial). People usually feel like returning the favor.
Pathos
- Spend extensive time to know your audience. Who exactly is your audience? What is their background? What are they most interested in?
- Give examples of other people and organizations that are already doing what you are proposing.
- Actively engage your audience, e.g. by asking questions or practical exercises.
So, what are you going to do to regularly work on your persuasion skills? What is your time plan to achieve these goals?
