5 steps to use the art of persuasion in business and better sell your idea

The ability to persuade is perhaps the single most important skill for securing a competitive advantage in the knowledge economy — an era where ideas matter more than ever.

Think about the role of persuasion in our everyday lives:

— Entrepreneurs persuade investors to bet on their startups.
— Job seekers persuade recruiters to hire them.
— Politicians persuade people to vote for them.
—Leaders persuade employees to adopt specific action plans.
— CEOs persuade analysts to write favorable reports about their companies.
— Salespeople persuade customers to choose their product over a competitor’s offering.

Also read: Far beyond the “sales funnel”; what really matters in attracting customers

In short, persuasion is no longer a “behavioral skill” — it has become a fundamental skill, capable of helping attract investors, sell products, build brands, inspire teams and drive movements.

More than 2,000 years ago, Aristotle outlined a formula for mastering the art of persuasion in his work Rhetoric. Over the centuries, many great communicators have used it to give some of the most influential speeches and presentations in history and share their ideas with the world.

To become a master of persuasion and successfully sell your own ideas, try using these five rhetorical devices identified by Aristotle in your next speech or presentation:

1. Ethos, or “character”

For me, ethos represents the moment in a speech or presentation in which the audience becomes aware of its credibility. Aristotle believed that if a speaker’s actions did not support his words, he would lose credibility and ultimately weaken his argument.

2. Logos, or “reason”

Once the ethos has been established, it is time to make a logical appeal to reason. Why should the public care about your idea? How will it help its listeners make a profit? What steps do they need to take next? These are all logical appeals that help win support. Use data, evidence and facts to build a rational argument.

3. Pathos, or “emotion”

Aristotle believed that the best way to transfer emotion from one person to another is through the rhetorical device of narrative. More than 2,000 years later, neuroscientists proved that this thesis was correct. Studies show that stories trigger a rush of neurochemicals in the brain, especially oxytocin, the “moral molecule” that connects people on a deeper emotional level.

4. Metaphor

Aristotle believed that metaphor gives verbal beauty to language. “Being a master of metaphor is, by far, the greatest of skills,” he wrote. When you use a metaphor or analogy to compare a new idea to something familiar to your audience, you clarify the concept by transforming the abstract into something concrete.

Those who master metaphor can transform words into images that help others better understand their ideas — and, more importantly, remember and share them.

5. Brevity

Brevity is a crucial element in making a speech persuasive. An argument, said Aristotle, must be expressed “in the most compact form and in the fewest words possible”. He also noted that the opening of a speech is the most important part. The lesson here is clear: start with your strongest point.