“Rhetoric is the art of ruling the minds of men.” That is a quote by the ancient Greek philosopher Plato. But this naturally raises a question… What is rhetoric? I think most of us have a tainted idea of what it is, mostly due to political figures and media influence. We often have many negative connotations associated with the concept of rhetoric. But rhetoric in its truest sense is simply the ability to use language well. It’s understanding and communicating with people effectively and persuasively. 

And when you know how to do this, it changes everything for you, both personally and professionally. For this reason, I want to give you a proven framework for how to use rhetoric the right way. Whether you’re putting together a speech/presentation or launching an email campaign, this framework will show you how to get your message across clearly and persuasively.

The 5 Canons of Rhetoric

There are 5 canons of rhetoric. Or another way to look at it is that there are 5 stages you need to go through in order to create an effective piece of communication. This simple process will allow you to streamline your efforts from the research phase to the presentation phase. Here are the 5 steps you should consider to master your communication. 

1. Invention

Invention is where you lay the groundwork for your argument. Think of it as the foundation that sets the stage for the discourse. There are 2 parts of the Invention phase:

• The Big Idea: Your big idea is essentially the message of your communication or the point that you’re trying to get across to your audience. This is the central message that you’ll build your argument around. It should be short and concise but still “meaty” enough to be supported through relevant research, which brings me to my next point…

• Research: Once you have your big idea in place, you now need to do the research to back up your argument. Look for studies, data, statistics, quotes from reputable sources, stories, examples, anecdotes, etc. This phase is where you’ll spend time finding as much supporting evidence as possible to back your big idea.

The Invention stage is critical as it’s the spine of your argument. Without it, your presentation (regardless of the medium of communication you use) will not be grounded in truth. As a result, it won’t have the persuasive power it needs to move people. 

2. Arrangement

Once you have your big idea and all the information you need to support it, your now ready to put it all together. This is where the Arrangement section comes in. Here, you’ll structure your argument in a logical order for maximum persuasive impact. You can have the most compelling big idea and all the supporting evidence in the world, but if you don’t organize that information in a way that’s easy for your audience to understand and follow, you’ll lose them quickly. 

Here’s how to arrange your argument:

• Introduction (Exordium): Here you’ll hook your audience with an emotionally compelling opening. Ask a question, quote a shocking statistic, use a story. Open with something interesting and vivid that pulls them in and builds your credibility.
  
• Statement of Facts (Narratio): Get your audience up to speed on the history of your issue. Use a story to narrate why your topic is important and the reason for you delivering this communication in the first place.
• Division (Partitio): Layout your argument by informing your audience of the key points that you’ll be covering. This adds persuasive power and helps prepare them for the rest of your discourse.
• Proof (Confirmatio): This is the body of your talk or communication. It’s where you’ll deliver all of your messaging, stories, examples, data, and key ideas to make your case. This will be the bulk of the presentation.
• Refutation (Refutatio): Here, you’ll overcome objections or counterarguments. This is critical to enhancing persuasiveness and proving why counter points are incorrect.
• Conclusion (Peroratio): Now you’ll sum up your idea or these, restate some of your key ideas, and if applicable, have a call to action. 

The Arrangement stage is all about structuring your communication so that it has a framework for maximum persuasiveness. Why use the structure above? It mimics how the human brain naturally processes persuasion. 

3. Style

The 3rd Canon of Rhetoric is Style. This is where you get to put your own unique flare on your presentation. It’s where you add in the words, phrases, quotes, stylistic preferences that make you, YOU. When you make a campaign or write a speech, people don’t want to hear a regurgitated version of someone else. They want YOU. The unique individual that you are. 

And that’s why Style is so crucial. It allows you to flex your own credibility and put your unique fingerprint on the communication. As a result, it’s the differentiator that enables you to stand out in a massive sea of busy communications. 

4. Memory

The 4th Canon of Rhetoric, Memory, falls into 2 categories: First memorizing your content if it’s a talk you’ll be delivering on stage. And second, making it memorable for your audience/reader if it’s an email campaign, product launch, etc., for your business or company. Both matter. And both should be taken into consideration as you create your communication. 

Something that’s memorable means that it’s also engaging. And why does that matter? Because if it’s not engaging, it is by default boring. And people won’t remember, buy, or even like something if it’s boring. So, make your communication memorable. 

5. Delivery

This is all about the presentation itself. In the context of a speech, it encompasses everything from the way you’re dressed, how you talk, your body language and hand gestures, your facial expressions, etc. It’s all about the actually delivery of your communication. In the context of another form of communication like an email or an ad, it would be a bit different.

It would be the style of the text. Elements such as lines being bolded, underlined, or italicized. It would also include the font style you use as well as the paragraphs themselves, etc. All of these details contribute to the overall delivery of your communication.

Final Thoughts

At Certified Flourishing Coach, we are a team of coaches and facilitators. And we’re here to support you in your personal and professionally development. So, if you’re ready to finally flourish in your life and business, contact us today to learn more.

About The Author

Alex Brown is a Self-Improvement Writer and Speaker. His work helps people cultivate decisiveness, channel discipline, and control their direction in life. Alex has written for some of the world’s most prominent and respected personal development sites and has given many speeches to schools, charity events, businesses, and organizations, educating audiences on the power of self-improvement.