Inner Wealth Perspective

Evidence and Logic

Reasoning is a powerful tool for the mind, but strong, concrete evidence should be the cornerstone of a logical speech. Evidence not only makes an argument ring true in persuasive situations, but it also substantially enhances your credibility. There are four major types of evidence: testimony, statistics, analogies, and examples. You will strengthen your position when you use elements of all four forms, rather than depending on only one. When you provide proof in this manner, you remove doubts that may linger in your audience’s mind.

Testimony
Your audience wants to know what the experts say about you or your topic. Testimony is the judgment or opinions of others considered experts in the particular field or area of interest. A testimony can be a quote, an interview, or an endorsement from a credible person. It can be implied with someone’s presence (attending your event), picture (on your product), or signature (on your product).

Statistics
Statistics are numerical proofs of your claims. For example, “this demographic uses . . .” or “4 out of 5 dentists recommend . . .” Using graphs and charts make statistics more memorable and leave a greater impression on the listener.

Some people are suspicious of statistical proof, however, so make sure your statistics are credible and sound. Know where you got them and who did the research. People know you can arrange statistics to say just about anything. Use statistics sparingly and only in conjunction with other forms of evidence. Besides, a roll of statistics can be very boring. For a free report on the best Internet sites to find statistics, visit my website at www.magneticpersuasion.com.

Analogies
Analogies have a great impact in the mind of the receiver. Analogies allow you to present a new and foreign idea and compare it with something similar that your prospects can relate to in their own lives. Analogies can also give us a new perspective on an old concept. We have all heard the analogy, “Fish and visitors start to smell in three days.” What an easy way to get your point across! In eight simple words, you are able to paint a picture you could never have explained in 100 words.

Examples
Examples can really make your evidence come alive. We love to relate to examples that bridge the gap between logic and our personal lives. Your prospects understand examples at a deeper level because they are based on common experiences and interpretations of meaning. Examples can be real or hypothetical and can include quotations, personal accounts, physical evidence, empirical studies, or published reports.

Compiling Evidence
As you prepare your message, understand that humans aren’t capable of absorbing all of the information you can gather. We are hit with data all day long and most of the time we don’t absorb it. In fact, we are very selective in what we allow ourselves to retain. When we hit information overload, we turn our minds off and retain nothing.

An amazing U.S. study on comprehension of television messages produced very revealing results. After watching commercials and other forms of messages, 97% of viewers misunderstood some part of every message they saw. On average, viewers misunderstood about 30% of the content they viewed overall.3 Information is just poured out too fast. The evidence that you choose must be selective, precise, and powerful. You can’t afford to bombard your audience with too much information.

When creating the logical side of your message, you have to understand the concept of the number seven. This is also known as channel capacity, which is the amount of room in our brains capable of storing various kinds of information. George Miller wrote, “There seems to be some limitation built into us either by learning or by the design of our nervous systems, a limit that keeps our channel capacities in this general range.”4 There is only so much room in your prospect’s brain to absorb logical numbers and information. This is why phone numbers only have seven digits.

Spend the time necessary to fully research the types of evidence you want to use to strengthen your arguments. You already know that using the right evidence from the right sources greatly increases the credibility of your message. However, the opposite is also true; poor or irrelevant evidence undermines the credibility of your message. When compiling evidence, consider the following:

1. Use evidence supported by an independent expert rather than facts presented alone.
2. Statistical evidence will be more persuasive when paired with individual case studies.
3. Document the sources of all testimonials.
4. New information is often more convincing than old facts.
5. Evidence consistent with your audience’s beliefs will be more persuasive because they’ll evaluate everything from their own perspectives and attitudes.
6. Build credibility by also acknowledging and even including the other side of the argument. A two-way discussion will bear far more weight than a one-sided lecture.

Evidence works best when it is suited to the audience and their experience. Consider the following presentation points:

1. Referring to evidence as fact increases its weight.
2. Evidence that is verifiable will always be more persuasive.
3. Evidence that is specific will always be more persuasive.
4. An unbiased testimony is more persuasive than a biased one.
5. Personal experience is more persuasive than not having any personal experience.
6. Presenters who have not yet established their credibility will benefit more from the use of evidence than those with established credibility.
7. Evidence is especially important when the audience is unfamiliar with the topic.
8. Factual evidence is particularly persuasive when the audience consists of highly intelligent people.
9. Evidence is more persuasive when you provide not only the source, but also his/her qualifications.
10. Evidence is more persuasive when you confirm an audience’s beliefs.

Excerpts taken from Magnetic Persuasion by Kurt Mortensen
www.magneticpersuasion.com

Kurt Mortensen, author of Exponential Success Skills and Weapons of Influence, is one of American’s leading authorities on Persuasion, Motivation and Influence. After receiving a Masters of Business Administration and a Bachelors of Arts, he began many successful entrepreneurial ventures, through which he has acquired many years of both experience and success. In addition to his extensive entrepreneurial and sales experiences, Kurt is a sales and persuasion coach helping thousands of people reach higher levels of success, income and persuasion mastery. Currently, he is a speaker, consultant, and a Trainer for Mark Victor Hansen and Robert G. Allen protégés.