HOW TO CREATE PERSUASIVE MESSAGES (PART 2)
Logos: Using Evidence
Logos, the logical arguments presented by speakers, can also be compelling. These facts, figures, and other forms of persuasion help listeners believe they are making an informed, rational choice. As a speaker, you have two obligations. The first is to construct logically sound arguments in support of your opinion, and the second is to find evidence in support of those claims. While you may not know them by name, most of us are intuitively familiar with the two basic kinds of arguments: deductive, which moves from the general to the specific, and inductive, which moves from talking about specific things to generalizing. For deductive arguments, we make an assertion, and then provide evidence in support of the assertion. For inductive arguments, we present the evidence and then draw conclusions from it.
The deductive method relies on a major premise that, on its own, is widely accepted (such as harassment-free workplaces are good). This is followed by a minor, but more concrete, premise that is logically linked to the major premise (that is, we need harassment training to ensure no one is harassed in our workplace). Speakers using the inductive method assemble the evidence and then seek to provide the simplest explanation or recommendation.
This approach will lay out a series of problems (for example, listing harassment complaints the company has endured) and then propose a general solution (we need diversity training to ensure no one is harasses in our workplace). Each of these approaches works only if listeners accept each piece of the argument. In addition to these basic inductive and deductive logical strategies, other logically sound arguments can be made. You likely use these all the time, but don’t think of them as logos strategies. First, you might argue from experience that what has been done in the past should continue, as similar actions will produce similar results in the current situation.
You can also persuade from a shared identity, arguing that an action is consistent with currently shared values. Another strategy is arguing from cause and effect. Here, you note a problem and, rather than proposing a direct solution as in inductive reasoning, look to the root cause and attempt to remedy things there.
Still, all of these strategies require evidence. In most business settings, the types of evidence available to you include:
- Statistics – Facts and figures are the most used evidence in business presentations. Given the for-profit nature of most businesses, decisions are made based on the action’s likely effect on the company’s bottom line. The most important considerations when using data are the accuracy of your information and its relevance.
- Appeal to authority – This appeal works if the group shares a common authority to whom they are accountable. Consider a company’s safety officer arguing that OSHA regulations are being violated by current practice. To persuade successfully, she needs to explain how her recommendations brings the company into compliance and why the action fits into the larger goal of organizational success.
Remember, you don’t want to overwhelm your audience with evidence. While it is important, it is not the only component of a successful message. What an evidence is looking for in a speaker is prudence, the practical wisdom to make the right choice at the right time. You show prudence by demonstrating your mastery over the subject matter, not by proving yourself to be the smartest or best-informed person in the room.
A typically asked question concerns which approach is the most important among ethos, pathos, or logos. The answer is two-fold: it depends on the audience – so analyze your audience and know the type of appeals likely to persuade them: and (2) since all three elements have persuasive potential , a good general presentation strategy is to always aim to use all three elements as part of your message. Using all three is not always possible or appropriate but is certainly a good starting point for planning persuasive appeals.
Research also tells us listeners get information on two levels. One is from the message itself, when they carefully scrutinize the content to determine if they agree or disagree with what is being said. However, that takes a lot of mental work, and people don’t often expend the energy required for this kind of processing. Instead, they allow themselves to be persuaded by things that aren’t central to the message itself. These might include the attractiveness of the speaker, the length of the message, or the number of arguments presented. The reality is that, while having a strong, well-supported message is naturally important, the “little things” such as delivery, speaker credibility, and polished visual aids on their own can persuade some members of your audience.
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