Ancient Secrets for Better Public Speaking: Answer Counter Arguments

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O.K. You’ve introduced yourself. You’ve laid out what you’re going to say. You’ve even discussed evidence that backs you up. You’re ready close, right?

Wrong. Now you must go through what the classical Greek and Roman orators called the Refutatio.

This is the part of your presentation where you address counter arguments, doubts and concerns. For example,

If this is a job interview, you might say something like “I recognize that I do not have all the requirements of the job …”

If this is a presentation to convince the audience to take some action, you might say “Some may argue that …”

If this is a sales pitch, you might say “You have probably looked at my competitors and I recognize that they have good features to offer too …”

But, guess what? There’s a “but”! All of these counter arguments you bring up can easily be refuted. So you do just that:
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