The Mathematics of Persuasive Communication by Philip Yaffe

At first glance mathematics and persuasive communication ? writing, and particularly presenting and public speaking - would appear to have little in accordance. After all, mathematics is definitely an objective science, whilst speaking involves voice quality, inflection, his full attention, personality, body gestures, along with other subjective components.



However, within the surface they're very similar.



Above whatever else, the prosperity of an oral presentation depends upon the precision of the structure. Mathematics is all about precision. It is therefore not too odd to think that applying a few of the concepts of mathematics to oral presentations will make them substantially more potent.



As it is said in the film industry, three main reasons go into building a successful movie: the script, the script, and also the script. Likewise, three key factors 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 can easily all agree that good speaking is related to good writing. If it is possible to write an excellent text, then you're well on your way to preparing a fantastic oral presentation. Therefore, in the event you improve your writing, you will also enhance your speaking.



To simplify matters, down the road we will talk mainly about good writing, because generally the same ideas apply right to good speaking.



Know what you are doing



Many commercial companies don't live up to their potential - and sometimes even go bankrupt - simply because they fail to correctly define the business these are in.



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



Writers are lucky. There are numerous variations from what we do, but there are really only two fundamental varieties of writing. It is vital to recognise this, because not only are they quite different, in most respects these are exactly opposite. So unless we clearly recognise which kind of writing we have been doing - and just how it differs from another one - we are going to almost certainly commit serious errors.



What would be the two types? And how will they differ?



Creative Writing



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



The fundamental reason for creative writing is always to amuse and entertain. Expository Writing



Texts for example memos, reports, proposals, training manuals, newsletters, research papers, etc.



The fundamental intent behind expository writing is always to instruct and inform.



Essential attitude towards expository writing



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



Creative writing attitude



Everyone would like to read want what you will be going to publish.



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



Expository writing attitude



No one wants to read what you will be going to create.



Most individuals don't like to become instructed and informed. They probably would much prefer to become doing something different.



The significance about recognising and adopting the "expository writing attitude" can't be over-stated, as it can dramatically change the very nature of what you really are writing. Here are a few examples.



A. Corporate image brochure



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



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



? Virtually nobody ever reads them.



Starting through the attitude that no person would wish to read what I was about to publish, I developed a brochure that individuals not only read. They actually called the company to request additional copies to give to friends, clients and professional colleagues!



B. Stagnating product



On another occasion, I was commissioned to formulate an advertising campaign to revitalise a product or service with stagnating sales. Applying the expository writing attitude, I discovered that three from the product's key benefits just weren't being properly exploited. Why? The manufacturer felt that everything regarding product was important, so for years they had been systematically burying these three key benefits under an avalanche of other information of less interest to audience. The new campaign sharply focussed about the key benefits; virtually all other information was gone after the background or eliminated. As a result, sales raised some 40% within the first year.



With some nuances, this self-same expository writing attitude could be - and will be - put on speaking, at the same time.



Essential method of expository writing



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



Creative writing approach



Play with language to build pleasure.



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



Expository writing approach



Organise information to get interest.



Clever using language will never make dull information interesting; however, you are able to organise the info to make it interesting. Forget about literary pyrotechnics. Concentrate on content.



We are now going to leave creative writing, because most of the items we write, and say, is expository.



What do we mean by "good writing"?



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



When someone reads an expository text or listens to an expository speech, they're likely to judge it as good or not good. You probably make this happen yourself. But exactly what do you actually mean when you say a text or possibly a speech is "good".



After some struggling, most of the people will usually decide on two criteria: clear and concise.



Mathematics is dependent upon unambiguous definitions; in case you are not clear in regards to the problem, you happen to be unlikely to get the solution. So were going to examine these criteria in a few detail to be able to establish objective definitions - and also quasi-mathematical formulae - for testing whether a text or even a presentation truly is "good".



A. Clarity



How are you aware that a text is see-click through the up coming web site?



If this appears like a silly question, try to answer it. You will probably make a move like this:



Question: What makes this text clear?



Answer: It is clear to see.



Question: What makes it easy to understand?



Answer: It is simple.



Question: What do you mean by simple?



Answer: It is apparent.



You the truth is end up open in a circle. The text is obvious because it really is easy to understand . . . because it's simple . . . because it can be clear.



"Clear", "clear to see", and "simple" are synonyms. Whilst synonyms might have nuances, they usually do not have content, so you might be still left for your own subjective appreciation. But everything you think is obvious may not clear to another individual.



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



1. Emphasise precisely what is of key importance.



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



3. Eliminate what is of no importance.



In short: CL = EDE



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



In this example, you must first decide what's of key importance, i.e. what include the key ideas you need your readers to look at away from your text? This is not always easy to do. It is far safer to say that everything is of key importance, so you put in all you have. But there is often a dictum that warns: If things are important, then there's nothing. In short, if you don't first perform the work of defining whatever you really want readers to know, they don't do it to suit your needs. They will get lost in your text and either throw in the towel or come out the other end unsure what it is they have read.



What about the second element of the formula, de-emphasise precisely what is of secondary importance?



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



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



But how will you distinguish between what is of secondary importance and precisely what is of no importance? Once again, this calls for judgement, which can be helped by the following extremely important test.



Secondary importance is whatever supports and/or elaborates one or more of the key ideas. If you judge that the piece of information in reality does support or elaborate several key ideas, then you certainly keep it. If not, you eliminate it.



B. Conciseness



How are you aware that a text is concise?



If this once again feels like a silly question, let's try and answer it.



Question: What makes this text concise?



Answer: It is short.



Question: What do you mean by short?



Answer: It does not have too many words.



Question: How have you any idea it doesn't have too many words?



Answer: Because it is concise.



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



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



1. Long as necessary



2. Short as is possible



In symbols: CO = LS



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



Note that nothing is said here about the number of words, because it can be irrelevant. If it takes 500 words being "as long as necessary", then 500 words must be used. If it takes 1500 words, this is all right too. The important point is everything that should be within the text is fully there.



Then what is meant by "as short as you can"?



Once again, this has nothing do in order to with the number of words. It is useless to state at the beginning, "I mustn't write over 300 words for this subject", because 500 words will be the minimum necessary.



"As short as you possibly can" means staying as close as you are able to to the minimum. But not because those prefer short texts; within the abstract the terms "long" and "short" don't have any meaning. The important point is all words at night minimum have a tendency to reduce clarity.



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



In sum, conciseness means saying what needs being said in the minimum quantity of words. Conciseness:



? Aids clarity by ensuring best structuring of info.



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



C. Density



Density can be a less familiar concept than clarity and conciseness, but is equally important. In mathematical form, density contains:



1. Precise information



2. Logically linked



In simple terms: D = PL



Importance of precise information



Suppose you enter a place 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 away and off to a rather bad start, because they all have a totally different idea of what you want to convey. But suppose you say, "It's very hot 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 which you consider this being very hot.



Using all the precise information as possible in a very text gives the writer two significant advantages:



? Mind Control



Let's stop embarrassed by the term "mind control", since this is precisely what the great expository writer wants to achieve. He needs for the various readers's mind to travel only where he directs it and nowhere else.



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



? Reader Confidence



Using precise information generates confidence, because it tells people that the writer really knows what he or she is talking about.



Reader confidence is very important in any kind of text, but it can be crucial in argumentation. If you happen to be trying to win a point, the last thing you want is people to challenge your data, but this could be the first reaction imprecise writing will provoke. Precise writing ensures that the discussion will be regarding the implications with the information, i.e. what conclusions ought to be drawn, not if the whole thing needs to travel back for additional investigation.



Importance of logical linking



Precise data (facts) by themselves are insufficient. To be meaningful, data should be organised to produce information, i.e. help your reader understand.



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



1. Relevance



Is a particular bit of data really needed? As we've seen, unnecessary data damages understanding and ultimately undermines confidence. Therefore, any data that don't either aid understanding or promote confidence should be eliminated.



2. Misconceptions



The logical link between data should be made explicit to prevent the various readers from coming to false conclusions. For example: a unique situation may be confused for any general one; credit on an achievement may seem to belong to only one person if this really belongs to a group; a company policy may appear to apply only in very specific circumstances rather than in all circumstances, etc.



To ensure that a logical link is see-through, put the two components of data as close to each other as is possible, preferably right next to one another.



When data are widely separated, their logical relationship is masked and also the reader is unlikely to produce the connection.



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



I frequently ask non-professional writers what they are thinking when they sit down with the keyboard to compose their text. The answer is usually something like, "How do I want to present my material?" "What tone and magnificence should I use?" "In what order should I put my key ideas?" And so on.



However, should you start using the correct attitude, i.e. no one really wants to read that which you write, the first task is none of these. Ahead of other things, you need to find main reasons why people should spend their time and energy to read what you write.



In general, you cannot force people to learn what they don't need to, even if they are being paid to accomplish so.



For example, you produce a report defining opportunities for increased sales. However, if it is not well written, even people who must read becoming part of their job are unlikely allow it their full attention. On the opposite hand, if they immediately see their very own self-interest in reading whatever you have written, they are going to do so gladly with full attention. In fact, you most likely couldn't stop them from reading it!



There are various methods to build such a strong desire to learn, depending on the type of readers as well as the type of info. Whatever the most appropriate device, the important thing would be to recognise the imperative require to use it. Until this require is met, little else is from a importance.



Editor's note: Reading is definitely an isolated activity and listening to a speech is often a social one. Therefore, whilst the root principles of fine writing and good speaking are constant, the way they are applied could be markedly different. In the 'I' from 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 is 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 speaking in public in Brussels, Belgium. In the 'I' in the Storm is accessible either in a very 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 really 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 as a second or third language, his procedure for writing and presenting and public speaking is somewhat not the same as other communication coaches. He is the author of In the ?I? with the Storm: the Simple Secrets of Writing & Speaking (Almost) just like a Professional. Contact: phil.yaffe@yahoo.com.