4. Rhetoric: The Art of Influence

The ancient Greeks knew more than how to wear a toga. They introduced principles of rhetoric, such as persuasive appeals, identification, repetition, and seizing the opportune moment. These principles will help your web content influence results.

...PERSUASION HAPPENS TO BE NOT A SCIENCE, BUT AN ART.

—William Bernbach, advertising mogul

Despite its practical value, rhetoric is a lost art. We don’t get to learn it in school, especially in the United States. Even worse, rhetoric is sometimes mistaken for a dark art. Politicians abuse it by making empty promises. Let’s move forward by looking back at what the ancient Greeks (and other smart rhetoricians) actually had in mind.

What Rhetoric Really Is

The philosopher ...

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