Modes of Persuasion
Aristotle coined the Greek terms “Ethos, Pathos, and Logos” to explain both the proof of artistic value and the modes of persuasion.
In business, as in life, persuasion is meaningful and important to every exchange with clients/customers and of course people. Presentations in business, especially in marketing, the delivery is meant to be a means to convey information that will help the audience make an informed decision about something, be it the how or why something is meaningful or necessary to another person or persons. I find it fascinating to tie both art and persuasion together but want to focus on the persuasion part of the equation. In homage to Aristotle let’s call this “The Art of Persuasion” and break it down the way that he would.
Ethos
Ethos or the ethical appeal, means to convince an audience of the speaker’s credibility and character.
The speaker would use ethos to show their audience that they are a credible source and is worth listening to. Ethos is the Greek word for “character.” The word “ethic” is derived from ethos. Ethos can be developed by making yourself sound fair or unbiased, introducing your expertise, accomplishments, or pedigree, and by using correct grammar and syntax.
When I think about ethos, I like to emphasize empathy. When trying to convince someone to do something, never recommend something that is not in THEIR best interest. Even if that means losing the sale today, it sets you up for a long-term fruitful relationship, because you have gained a huge amount of trust.
Honesty gains trust, and trust gains sales.
Pathos
Pathos or the emotional appeal, means to persuade an audience by appealing to their emotions.
Authors use pathos to invoke sympathy from an audience; to make the audience feel what the author wants them to feel. A common use of pathos would be to draw sympathy from an audience. Another use of pathos would be to inspire anger from an audience, perhaps in order to prompt action. Pathos is the Greek word for both “suffering” and “experience.” The words empathy and pathetic are derived from pathos. Pathos can be developed by using meaningful language, emotional tone, emotion evoking examples, stories of emotional events, and implied meanings.
You see this everyday in commercials using children, puppies, or other things that tug at the heart strings. They may be selling jeans or coffee, but the commercial barely mentions their product and rather seeks to evoke an emotional response.
Emotion gains interest, and interest gains sales.
Logos
Logos or the appeal to logic, means to convince an audience by use of logic or reason.
To use logos would be to cite facts and statistics, historical and literal analogies, and citing certain authorities on a subject. Logos is the Greek word for “word,” however the true definition goes beyond that, and can be most closely described as “the word or that by which the inward thought is expressed” and “the inward thought itself”. The word “logic” is derived from logos.
Logos can be developed by using advanced, theoretical, or abstract language, citing facts (very important), using historical and literal analogies, and by constructing logical arguments. People are seldom sold by use of logic, but logic is used to seal the deal. Using logic in your sales communications is designed to reduce “buyer’s remorse”.
Logic creates reasons, and reasons gain sales.
Conclusion
This subject matter is in play, and has been most of your life, to request, convince or simply convey an idea important to you to another person or persons. In business, especially in our marketing efforts we must make our greatest point often with the least number of words and phrases. To persuade your audience effectively, proper use of Ethos, Pathos, and Logos, once understood, becomes critically necessary. In our marketing efforts, we often refer to the conversion equation which describes the 4 parts of great marketing materials. For review they are as follow:
Typically, one might use Pathos in writing the Interrupt and Engage portions. The Educate might also contains Pathos, but should primarily contain Ethos and Logos.
When writing the Interrupt portion, we should be asking ourselves what problem my customer has that they wish they didn’t. (Pathos)
When writing the Engage portion, we should illustrate what their life might be like if they didn’t have the problem (also Pathos).
When writing the Educate portion, we should talk with authority how your company is best suited to fix that problem and exactly what you will do to solve the issue (Ethos and Logos).
And when writing the Offer, we want to make them an offer of which they would be foolish for not taking advantage (Ethos, Pathos, and Logos).
Who knew the scholars and Greek philosophers had prepared our marketing formulas and delivery methodologies hundreds, if not thousands of years ago? So, when you are developing marketing materials, or trying to convince someone to do something, don’t reinvent the wheel – remember Aristotle; speak with authority, use passion and empathy, and then follow up with logic.
Skip Williams
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