You may delay, but time will not. – Ben Franklin

Master the Art of Persuasion with Dr. Benjamin Franklin

How do you use your words to actually move people, change minds, and sell ideas?

Dr. Benjamin Franklin wasn’t just a printer. He successfully pitched a public library and a volunteer fire department, and he also supported the American Revolution using the power of persuasion.

Drop Absolute Terms

If you wish to inform, a positive and dogmatic manner in advancing your sentiments may provoke contradiction and prevent a candid attention. If you wish to please and to persuade, speak of interest, not of reason. – Ben Franklin

We learn from his autobiography that young Ben Franklin was prone to harsh arguments and dogmatic assertions. However, he quickly realized that aggressive declarations only force readers to build defensive walls.

When Franklin saw problems, he developed solutions. He consciously stripped his vocabulary of absolute terms like certainly, undoubtedly, or obviously. Then he adopted a gentler, inquisitive approach, introducing his ideas with phrases like “I conceive…”, “I apprehend…”, or “It appears to me at present…”. By transforming himself from an all-knowing authority to a humble observer, he disarmed opposition and invited readers to reach his conclusions on their own.

• The Missionary Action Step: You already know that shouting at a skeptical world only breeds more shouting. Offer the gospel with humility (E.G., “Based on what I’ve observed in the Bible and experienced in my life…”) and let your audience see why it’s important. Disarm your listener or reader to create openness to God’s truth.

Use Shareable, Memorable Nuggets

Hide not your talents, they for use were made,
What’s a sundial in the shade? – Dr. Ben Franklin

Poor Richard’s Almanack became a massive commercial hit because Franklin was a master at creating shareable phrases. He compressed complex moral, financial, and philosophical advice into bite-sized nuggets, making them easy to memorize and pass along throughout the colonies.

We still know them today, such as “Early to bed and early to rise…” or “A penny saved is a penny earned.”

His Poor Richard’s Almanack sold an average of 10,000 copies per year for 25 years, at a time when newspapers reached about 2,500 readers each. Many colonial families owned two books, a Bible and a copy of the Almanack. The preface of the last edition was published as an essay, “The Way to Wealth”. It was an international bestseller and is still translated and reprinted today.

• The Missionary Action Step: Brevity wins. Spend time in Proverbs or in studying Jesus’ parables to learn how to frame the gospel in a relatable way.

Move toward an End Goal

Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn. – Dr. Ben Franklin

For Franklin, words were tools. When he wanted to establish a city watch (an early police department), a hospital, or our national postal service, he wrote pamphlets that clearly presented the benefits, addressed objections, and laid out concrete steps for execution. His writing was always paired with a clear, undeniable “call to action.”

• The Missionary Action Step: Always answer the subconscious question: “Now what?” Guide your listener or reader to the next clear step in responding to the gospel.

Dr. Benjamin Franklin would definitely be an influencer if he lived in our digital age.

What one action step would you like to try first?

NOTES:

• Last week, I wrote “Writing 101: Learning Style and Voice from a Founding Father” on my blog, God Fully Known.  Learn from Ben Franklin in this two-part #America250 series. As he said: “Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.”
• Want more psychology from Ben Franklin? He made an observation in his autobiography that doing a favor for someone makes us feel more positively toward them. This is referred to now as The Franklin Effect. I’ve linked to an article by The Decision Lab which explains the Franklin Effect in more detail and includes examples.
• I found the quotes from Goodreads.
• The official portrait of Dr. Benjamin Franklin is in the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. The portrait is in the public domain. I found it on Wikimedia Commons.
• The featured photo is cropped from an image of the 1743 edition of Poor Richard’s Almanack. I downloaded it from Wikimedia Commons.