In the art of persuasion, a strategic approach often begins by addressing the alternative option you’re not endorsing, highlighting its drawbacks. Utilising the “magical number of three,” pinpoint three key reasons against it to ensure they stick in your audience’s memory.
Following this, shift gears to champion the option you support by unfolding a plethora of arguments in its favour—so many, in fact, that it’s unlikely your audience will retain them all. This method leaves listeners feeling fully informed, creating an impression of exhaustive knowledge on the subject, which often sways them towards your viewpoint.
Aiming for around three or four arguments for your advocated choice strikes a balance, resonating with findings from short-term memory research that suggest we struggle to hold more than four to five points simultaneously. Beyond this, the law of diminishing returns kicks in, making each additional argument less impactful than the one before. Lists like the top 10 reasons to do x or y may counterintuitively even have the opposite impact and be less persuasive than a shorter list (Weaver et al. 2016).
This technique is not just for presentations but can be effectively applied in discussions too. For memorable impact, stick to three key points. If you are up to the challenge, have one central argument and explain why it is true in various ways.
Weaver, K., Hock, S. J., & Garcia, S. M. (2016). “Top 10” reasons: When adding persuasive arguments reduces persuasion. Marketing Letters, 27, 27-38.
