15 Tactics to Establish Ethos: Examples of Persuasive Speaking

There are several ways in which you can establish ethos when speaking in public. Here are some quick tips:

It is important to be good as a person

You have to be a good person, have a positive impression and do good things. If you practice all these, you will get ethos. The positive feeling that you generate in others will grow like this and your audience will be able to identify with you. Ex: The loyalty of Tiger Woods and the trust he generates.

Be a subject matter expert

People are busy and with so many things holding their attention, you need to tell them why they will listen to you, especially when there are so many speakers. The level of experience you have will set you apart from any other speaker your audience may hear. Example: If the audience has to choose between an inexperienced but credible speaker and someone with a lot of experience in the field, they can choose the speaker who is experienced in the given topic.

merchantability

You can gain public speaking ethos only when you promote yourself and let the world know about it. You have to be in charge of your personal branding and make sure that the speech emphasizes the aspects that you want to focus on.

Analyze the audience

Analyzing the audience is integral to success in the field of your ethos, as it will reveal the valuable leads you need to sue for in order to become attractive to your audience. Take a look at the common traits you share and how you can take advantage of them, such as manners, clothing, images, etc. Example: You have been invited to give a speech in a company, of which you know nothing. Check through audience analysis if they wear formal wear to work and choose your clothes accordingly.

You can improve the ethos before the speech in the following ways:

Arrive early to welcome the audience

If you show up at the last moment, it indicates that you had to be in an important place earlier. If you show up early, you hint to the audience that you want to serve them, which builds trust.

Share your event experience with the audience

If the presentation is part of a larger event, try to attend as much as possible. Every second you spend with your audience goes a long way to building trust and credibility between them. The event thus becomes a shared experience, with the public considering you as one of them.

Importance of Ethos in Marketing

If the presentation offers you the opportunity to offer a biography of the author, take the opportunity to convey to the audience why they should save their money and time to listen to it. This is especially important if the event has concurrent sessions. Example: You are speaking in a teachers’ association. In that case, offering testimonials from previous teacher associations will make you more credible.

Introduction with Ethos

The introduction is the best opportunity you’ll have to establish credibility with your audience. Therefore, you should prepare your own presentation, rather than an event organizer. Highlight essential facts; establishes authority, credibility and reputation. Choose materials that are relevant to the topic and audience. Example: You are installing the new corporate financial system. Highlights of the introduction can be: you are the project manager to implement the new system (reputation) and have implemented similar systems before (reputation).

Use relevant stories and anecdotes

Expect people to follow your advice only if you do; there’s no point in being a hypocrite. Ex: you tell people to become a member of Greenpeace. Enhance their ethos by telling them about your activity in the local organization.

use familiar language

You should use language that is familiar to the audience. It helps to understand the audience and allows them to identify with you, which increases the spirit. Use familiar terms to describe concepts. Example: For many people, real estate agents may be the same as real estate agents, although one of the terms may be more popular depending on the environment.

Attractive and Visual Examples

Any specific message will have anecdotes, visuals, and relevant stories or methods that will help to better convey the discourse. Choose the ones that have the maximum impact on the audience. Ex: While speaking in a corporate setting, use images and metaphors that complement your audience.

Use quotes and statistics from correct sources

This helps improve the ethos. Ex: While researching for a speech on green development, you come across statistics and data to support your argument.

Refer to the Hearing

Use references to people in the audience that can be gleaned from the shared experience to form a link. Example: Use a quote the previous speaker used to weave into his speech.

Make yourself available to the audience

Mixing with the audience after the presentation is an effective way to build credibility.

Keep the promises you made

Postpone questions for later; instead, focus on the main presentation.