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19-10-2010
The importance of being eloquent!
By Stefan Colligan
Eloquence is a crucial skill. Modern day society is impatient, it’s a million miles an hour and it’s unforgiving to those who speak without command. Now, more than ever, it is vital that your words demand attention and captivate the minds of your audience.
The following article is aimed to help utilise your linguistic prowess when pitching to (potential) clients or conducting business presentations.
In his famed treaty on the Art of Rhetoric, the Greek philosopher Aristotle expressed three modes of persuasion which shape the structure of argument. With a modernistic approach, we find that each division can prove invaluable in assisting with contemporary verbal communications:
Ethos:
The first thing you must establish is your own character credibility. In any form of speech the audience must be aware of the trustworthiness of the speaker. Trust is the most crucial element in any relationship and, therefore, it is paramount that during a presentation or speech you present yourself in manner that highlights your dependability.
Pathos:
Engage with your audience; determine the emotions of your client and manifest your words accordingly. Be passionate; a client will want to feel confident that you genuinely believe in what you are saying which will, in turn, build on the trust established between you.
Logos:
Is your speech/pitch logical, coherent and reasoned? It is imperative that you prove what you say – this can be with the use of statistics or facts that uphold and support your argument - without this, your speech may be stylistic, but it will lack the all important substance that must underpin any successful communication.
Practice, Practice Practice:
A speech/pitch need not be a daunting task; once written or composed, practice delivering it in front of a mirror, repeating your words over and over again - repetition is memory’s sustenance and speaking about something you have committed to heart will improve your confidence and give authority to your voice.
Short and Sweet:
Arguably the greatest orator of all time, Marcus Tullius Cicero, remarked that brevity is a great charm of eloquence. Long winded speeches are tedious. They take far too long and eat away at the patience of those listening - take Abraham Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg address - regarded as one of the most empowering and poignant speeches of all time, it lasted a little over two minutes in length.
PR has a reputation of being a black art; at Kinetic we pride ourselves on delivering both style and substance. Confidence, eloquence and a certain charm in linguistic presentation need not be born out of false pretences and veiled with a patina of unctuousness: we all have the capacity to speak eloquently – follow the formula, believe in what you are saying and inevitably, the words will flow...
Eloquence is a crucial skill. Modern day society is impatient, it’s a million miles an hour and it’s unforgiving to those who speak without command. Now, more than ever, it is vital that your words demand attention and captivate the minds of your audience.
The following article is aimed to help utilise your linguistic prowess when pitching to (potential) clients or conducting business presentations.
In his famed treaty on the Art of Rhetoric, the Greek philosopher Aristotle expressed three modes of persuasion which shape the structure of argument. With a modernistic approach, we find that each division can prove invaluable in assisting with contemporary verbal communications:
Ethos:
The first thing you must establish is your own character credibility. In any form of speech the audience must be aware of the trustworthiness of the speaker. Trust is the most crucial element in any relationship and, therefore, it is paramount that during a presentation or speech you present yourself in manner that highlights your dependability.
Pathos:
Engage with your audience; determine the emotions of your client and manifest your words accordingly. Be passionate; a client will want to feel confident that you genuinely believe in what you are saying which will, in turn, build on the trust established between you.
Logos:
Is your speech/pitch logical, coherent and reasoned? It is imperative that you prove what you say – this can be with the use of statistics or facts that uphold and support your argument - without this, your speech may be stylistic, but it will lack the all important substance that must underpin any successful communication.
Practice, Practice Practice:
A speech/pitch need not be a daunting task; once written or composed, practice delivering it in front of a mirror, repeating your words over and over again - repetition is memory’s sustenance and speaking about something you have committed to heart will improve your confidence and give authority to your voice.
Short and Sweet:
Arguably the greatest orator of all time, Marcus Tullius Cicero, remarked that brevity is a great charm of eloquence. Long winded speeches are tedious. They take far too long and eat away at the patience of those listening - take Abraham Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg address - regarded as one of the most empowering and poignant speeches of all time, it lasted a little over two minutes in length.
PR has a reputation of being a black art; at Kinetic we pride ourselves on delivering both style and substance. Confidence, eloquence and a certain charm in linguistic presentation need not be born out of false pretences and veiled with a patina of unctuousness: we all have the capacity to speak eloquently – follow the formula, believe in what you are saying and inevitably, the words will flow...
