The Mathematics of Persuasive Communication by Philip Yaffe

At first glance mathematics and persuasive communication ? writing, and particularly presentation - would seem to have little in common. After all, mathematics is definitely an objective science, whilst speaking involves voice quality, inflection, eye-to-eye contact, personality, gestures, and other subjective components.



However, under the surface they may be very similar.



Above anything else, the achievements an oral presentation is dependent upon the precision of the structure. Mathematics is about precision. It is therefore not odd to believe that applying a few of the concepts of mathematics to oral presentations may make them substantially more efficient.



As they are saying in the film industry, three important aspects go into building a successful movie: the script, the script, and also the script. Likewise, three important aspects go into setting up a successful speech: the structure, the structure, and also the structure.



Not convinced? Then let's start with something less radical.



I think we are able to all agree that good speaking is related to good writing. If it is possible to write a good text, you are well on your way to preparing a fantastic oral presentation. Therefore, in case you improve your writing, you will also increase your speaking.



To simplify matters, to any extent further we will talk mainly about good writing, because in many instances the same ideas apply directly to good speaking.



Know what you are doing



Many commercial companies do not live up to their potential - and occasionally go bankrupt - given that they fail to correctly define the business these are in.



Perfume companies, as an example, tend not to sell fragrant liquids, but love, romance, seductiveness, self-esteem, etc. Bio-food companies usually do not sell organic produce, but honesty, purity, nature, etc. Automobile manufacturers tend not to sell transportation, but alternatively freedom, adventure, spontaneity, prestige, etc. The fact is, each industry, even each individual product, may need to determine what it is truly about - where there are a large number of them!



Writers are lucky. There are numerous variations to what we do, but there are really only two fundamental types of writing. It is very important to recognise this, because they are not only quite different, in certain respects they may be exactly opposite. So unless we clearly recognise which type of writing were doing - and just how it differs from another one - we'll almost certainly commit serious errors.



What include the two types? And how will they differ?



Creative Writing



Texts like short stories, novels, poems, radio plays, stage plays, television scripts, film scripts, etc.



The fundamental purpose of creative writing would be to amuse and entertain. Expository Writing



Texts such as memos, reports, proposals, training manuals, newsletters, research papers, etc.



The fundamental function of expository writing is usually to instruct and inform.



Essential attitude towards expository writing



Because the objectives of creative and expository writing are very different, before striking a vital you must adopt the appropriate attitude towards the type of writing you are doing.



Creative writing attitude



Everyone really wants to read want what you're going to write down.



After all, who doesn't want to be amused and entertained?



Expository writing attitude



No one would like to read what you really are going to publish.



Most people don't like to get instructed and informed. They probably would much prefer to become doing something more important.



The importance of recognising and adopting the "expository writing attitude" can't be over-stated, since it can dramatically customize the very nature of what you're writing. Here are a couple of examples.



A. Corporate image brochure



I used to be commissioned to publish a corporate image brochure. Two things are certain about these expensive, glossy booklets:



? Almost all companies associated with a size feel compelled to make them.



? Virtually nobody ever reads them.



Starting through the attitude that nobody would wish to read what I was about to publish, I designed a brochure that people not only read. They actually known as the company to request additional copies to give to friends, clients and professional colleagues!



B. Stagnating product



On another occasion, I was commissioned to develop an advertising campaign to revitalise something with stagnating sales. Applying the expository writing attitude, I discovered that three from the product's key benefits were not being properly exploited. Why? The manufacturer felt that everything regarding product was important, so for decades they had been systematically burying these three key benefits under an avalanche of other information of less interest to potential buyers. The new campaign sharply focussed about the key benefits; virtually all more information was moved to the background or eliminated. As a result, sales raised some 40% in the first year.



With some nuances, this self-same expository writing attitude may be - and will be - applied to speaking, at the same time.



Essential method of expository writing



Because creative writing and expository writing have essentially different objectives and attitudes, they might require essentially different approaches.



Creative writing approach



Play with language to generate pleasure.



In simple terms, takes place mastery of the language to amuse and entertain.



Expository writing approach



Organise information to build interest.



Clever utilization of language won't make dull information interesting; however, you are able to organise the knowledge to make it interesting. Forget about literary pyrotechnics. Concentrate on content.



We are now likely to leave creative writing, because most of what we write, and say, is expository.



What can we mean by "good writing"?



We are ready to resume the notion of how mathematics pertains to good writing, through extension to great speaking.



When someone reads an expository text or learns an expository speech, these are likely to judge it as being good you aren't good. You probably do that yourself. But exactly what do you actually mean once you say a text or possibly a speech is "good".



After some struggling, many people will usually settle on two criteria: clear and concise.



Mathematics is determined by unambiguous definitions; in case you are not clear regarding the problem, you're unlikely to obtain the solution. So we have been going to examine these criteria in certain detail as a way to establish objective definitions - as well as quasi-mathematical formulae - for testing whether a text or a presentation truly is "good".



A. Clarity



How do you know that a text is clear?



If this appears like a silly question, attempt to answer it. You will probably do something like this:



Question: What makes this text clear?



Answer: It is easy to understand.



Question: What makes it clear to see?



Answer: It is simple.



Question: What do you mean by simple?



Answer: It is see-through.



You actually end up making the rounds in a circle. The text is apparent because it is easy to understand . . . because it can be simple . . . because it is clear.



"Clear", "easy to understand", and "simple" are synonyms. Whilst synonyms could have nuances, they do not have content, so you happen to be still left to your own subjective appreciation. But whatever you think is apparent may not be clear to somebody else.



This is why we give "clear" a target definition, much like a mathematical formula. To achieve clarity -i.e. virtually everyone will agree that it can be clear - you should do three things.



1. Emphasise what exactly is of key importance.



2. De-emphasise precisely what is of secondary importance.



3. Eliminate what exactly is of no importance.



In short: CL = EDE



Like all mathematical formulae, this works only in case you know how to apply it, which requires judgement.



In this example, you have to first decide what exactly is of key importance, i.e. what would be the key ideas you desire your readers to consider away from your text? This is not simple to do. It is far safer to say that everything is of key importance, which means you put in whatever you have. But there is really a dictum that warns: If things are all important, then nothing is. In other words, if you do not first perform work of defining what you really want readers to know, they won't do it to suit your needs. They will get lost in your text and either give up or come out another end not understanding what it can be they have read.



What regarding the second element with the formula, de-emphasise what's of secondary importance?



That sounds simple. You don't want key information and ideas to acquire lost in details. If you clearly emphasise what is of key importance - via headlines, Italics, underlining, or just how you organise the info - then whatever is left over is automatically de-emphasised.



Now the only thing left to perform is eliminate what's of no importance.



But how can you distinguish between precisely what is of secondary importance and what is of no importance? Once again, this involves judgement, that is helped through the following extremely important test.



Secondary importance is anything that supports and/or elaborates one or more from the key ideas. If you judge a piece of information the truth is does support or elaborate more than one key ideas, then you keep it. If not, you avoid it.



B. Conciseness



How are you aware that a text is concise?



If this once again appears like a silly question, let's attempt to answer it.



Question: What makes this text concise?



Answer: It is short.



Question: What do you mean by short?



Answer: It doesn't need too many words.



Question: How did you know it doesn't always have too many words?



Answer: Because it really is concise.



So yet again we wind up going around in a circle. The text is concise because it really is short . . . given it doesn't have way too many words . . . because it really is concise.



Once again, we have almost a mathematical formula to fix the problem. To achieve conciseness, your text should meet two criteria. It should be as:



1. Long as necessary



2. Short as is possible



In symbols: CO = LS



If you have fulfilled the criteria of "clarity" correctly, you already understand "as long as necessary". It means covering all of the ideas of key importance you might have identified, and each of the ideas of secondary importance required to support and/or elaborate these key ideas.



Note that nothing is said here regarding the number of words, because it can be irrelevant. If it takes 500 words to become "as long as necessary", then 500 words can be used. If it takes 1500 words, than the is all right too. The important point is everything that should be in the text is fully there.



Then precisely what is meant by "as short as is possible"?



Once again, it's nothing caused by with the number of words. It is useless to state look at this now the beginning, "I must not write over 300 words for this subject", because 500 words could be the minimum necessary.



"As short as you possibly can" means staying as close as you can to the minimum. But not because those prefer short texts; in the abstract the terms "long" and "short" don't have any meaning. The important point is all words after dark minimum usually reduce clarity.



We shouldn't be rigid about this. If being "as long as necessary" can be done in 500 words so you use 520, this is probably an issue of individual style. It does no harm. However, if you use 650 words, it can be almost sure the text will not be completely clea r- and that the reader will end up confused, bored or lost.



In sum, conciseness means saying what needs to get said in the minimum level of words. Conciseness:



? Aids clarity by ensuring best structuring of data.



? Holds reader interest by providing maximum information in minimum time.



C. Density



Density is often a less familiar concept than clarity and conciseness, but is equally important. In mathematical form, density consists of:



1. Precise information



2. Logically linked



In simple terms: D = PL



Importance of precise information



Suppose you enter a space where you can find two other people and say, "It's sizzling hot today." One of those people originates from Helsinki; in their mind he interprets "hot" to mean about 23?C. The other one originates from Khartoum; to him "hot" means 45?C.



You are on a rather bad start, because they all have a totally different idea of the items you want to express. But suppose you say, "It's scorching today; the temperature is 28? C." Now there is no room for confusion. They both know quite clearly that it can be 28? C outside knowning that you consider this to get very hot.



Using the maximum amount of precise information as possible in a very text increases the writer two significant advantages:



? Mind Control



Let's 't be embarrassed from the term "mind control", since this is precisely what the great expository writer really wants to achieve. He needs for the reader's mind to visit only where he directs it and nowhere else.



Because they can be interpreted in unknown ways, ambiguous terms (so-called "weasel words") like "hot", "cold", "big", "small", "good", "bad", etc., allow your reader's mind to escape from the writer's control. An occasional lapse is not critical; however, way too many weasel words in a text will in the end lead to reader confusion, boredom and disinterest.



? Reader Confidence



Using precise information generates confidence, as it tells people that the writer really knows what he's talking about.



Reader confidence is very important in any kind of text, but it is crucial in argumentation. If you are trying to win a spot, the last thing you want is your reader to challenge crucial computer data, but this may be the first reaction imprecise writing will provoke. Precise writing ensures how the discussion will be in regards to the implications in the information, i.e. what conclusions must be drawn, not whether or not the whole thing needs to visit back for additional investigation.



Importance of logical linking



Precise data (facts) alone are insufficient. To be meaningful, data have to be organised to produce information, i.e. help the reader understand.



There are two important tests to use when converting data into information:



1. Relevance



Is a particular piece of data really needed? As we have seen, unnecessary data damages understanding and ultimately undermines confidence. Therefore, any data that do not either aid understanding or promote confidence needs to be eliminated.



2. Misconceptions



The logical link between data must be made explicit to prevent people from visiting false conclusions. For example: a certain situation may be confused for a general one; credit for an achievement may appear to participate in only one person in the event it really is owned by a group; a business policy may appear to utilize only in very specific circumstances in lieu of in all circumstances, etc.



To ensure a logical link is see-through, put the two pieces of data as close to each other as you possibly can, preferably right next together.



When data are widely separated, their logical relationship is masked along with the reader is unlikely to create the connection.



What do you desire? What do the future prospect want?



I frequently ask non-professional writers what they may be thinking when they sit down in the keyboard to compose their text. The answer is usually something such as, "How do I wish to present my material?" "What tone and style should I use?" "In what order should I put my key ideas?" And so on.



However, if you start with the correct attitude, i.e. no one would like to read what you write, your first task is none of the. Ahead of other things, you must find logic behind why people should spend their time for you to read that which you write.



In general, you can't force people you just read what they don't want to, even if these are being paid to do so.



For example, you have produced a report defining opportunities for increased profits. However, if it's not well written, even people that must read becoming part of their job are unlikely take their full attention. On the opposite hand, whenever they immediately see their particular self-interest in reading everything you have written, they will do so gladly with full attention. In fact, you probably couldn't stop them from reading it!



There are various methods to get such a strong desire you just read, depending on the kind of readers along with the type of data. Whatever the best suited device, the thing is to recognise the imperative need to use it. Until this need is met, little else is of any importance.



Editor's note: Reading is surely an isolated activity and listening to a speech is a social one. Therefore, whilst the actual principles of fine writing and good speaking are constant, the way they are applied can be markedly different. In the 'I' with the Storm: the Simple Secrets of Writing & Speaking (Almost) just like a Professional, Mr. Yaffe's recently published book, clearly explains these differences. It also offers several appendices with cogent examples and pertinent, effective exercises.



Philip Yaffe can be a former reporter/feature writer with The Wall Street Journal along with a marketing communication consultant. He currently teaches training in good writing and good presentation in Brussels, Belgium. In the 'I' from the Storm is available either in the print version or electronic version from Story Publishers in Ghent, Belgium ( and Amazon (



For more info, please contact:

Philip Yaffe

61 avenue des Noisetiers

B -1170 Brussels, Belgium

Tel: +32 (0) 660 04 05

Email phil.yaffe@yahoo.com



Philip Yaffe is often a former writer with The Wall Street Journal and international marketing communication consultant. Now semi-retired, he teaches courses in persuasive communication in Brussels, Belgium. Because his clients use English like a second or third language, his method of writing and presentation is somewhat different from other communication coaches. He will be the author of In the ?I? in the Storm: the Simple Secrets of Writing & Speaking (Almost) as being a Professional. Contact: phil.yaffe@yahoo.com.