Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote that in order to persuade an audience, you need three appeals: Ethos, Logos and Pathos. Now often referred to as the Rhetorical Triangle, here’s what that means and how to use them when writing a presentation.
Ethos = Credibility
Ethos is your authority as a speaker. Why are you the right person to be talking to the audience about this subject? Why should they listen to you?
You can establish credibility through how you are introduced. An MC might give a brief biography of your qualifications and experience in the area you are about to present on. If you are not in a setting where you are going to be introduced, you can still establish authority in how you present yourself. You don’t have to essentially read out your own biography (which could come across as arrogant/boring). Instead demonstrate your knowledge and experience through the examples you use.
Some aspects of ethos are also about how you speak. If you talk passionately about the subject without reference to notes, you are more likely to come across as credible.
Take a pitch for new business as an example – you can demonstrate ethos via your qualifications/experience, similar work you’ve undertaken (clients/deals), what knowledge/systems/ideas you have that meets the potential client’s needs. Why are you the right choice to do this work?
Logos = Logic
Logos is the evidence you have to support what you are saying. This may be data, trends or facts. What examples do you have to show what you are saying is true? If you are making an assertion, the more you back it up with evidence, the more convincing you will be.
Statistics can be a powerful way to support your reasoning. Be careful not to fill your presentation with too many facts though. People can only remember so much information and statistic after statistic can be overwhelming. Therefore carefully choosing the right evidence to demonstrate your reasoning is vital.
In the pitch example, you can show that you understand your potential client’s business and give examples where you have successfully delivered the services they are looking for (e.g. in this example we saved x% / generated £y million / managed z properties).
Pathos = Emotion
To really convince someone to do something as a result of what you are saying, your need emotional appeal. Emotions are what connect us. They make us want to take action. A statistic might be shocking, but if the audience doesn’t connect it to themselves, they won’t do anything about it.
Pathos is where you demonstrate to the audience why they should care. Why does what you are saying matter? Why should they do something about it?
Stories are often the most effective way to stimulate emotion. This could be fear, anger, sympathy, sadness, hope. A feeling that gives the audience a reason to do something about what you’ve said.
This may sound somewhat fluffy for a business situation. In our pitch examples, you could connect with your potential client by showing you understand what is keeping them up at night. By linking the services you are offering to their own success in their job, you can motivate them to want to select you.
Two out of three is bad
When you are speaking on a topic, you will need all three elements to be truly persuasive. Having one or two alone is not enough. This is what you could end up with if you hit only two of the three:
Logos and Pathos (no Ethos) = your presentation is well-researched and has emotional appeal, but you haven’t shown your connection to the topic and why the audience should believe you.
Pathos and Ethos (no Logos) = you are passionate about the subject and can connect with the audience, but substance is missing.
Ethos and Logos (no Pathos) = you may be credible with something interesting to say, but won’t move anyone to do something about it.
To construct a persuasive speech, make sure you think about:
- Ethos – why should the audience believe (in) you?
- Logos – what evidence supports what you are saying?
- Pathos – how can you establish common ground with your audience?
