Juice Up any Conversation or Presentation
with 5 Impressive-Sounding Theories
that Apply to EVERYTHING
Eric Anderson
VP of Emerging Media
White Horse

Theory #1: Don’t sweat the theory part.
BE THE ICEBERG
90% of the iceberg’s mass is
underwater. Trickery!

Theory #1: Don’t sweat the theory part.
BE THE ICEBERG
What you actually know
about your topic
What people think that you
know, based on the glaring
chunk of ice protruding from
the surface

Theory #1: Don’t sweat the theory part.
BE THE ICEBERG
 When you iceberg a theory or a topic, the tip is all there really is.
 How most people screw this up: they don’t use real ice.
 To iceberg, you need 3 real stats and 3 real quotes on your topic.
No more, no less.
 Memorize your stats the day before – they only need to stay in
your head for 24 hours.

Theory #1: Don’t sweat the theory part.
BE THE ICEBERG
 When you iceberg a theory or a topic, the tip is all there really is.
 How most people screw this up: they don’t use real ice.
 To iceberg, you need 3 real stats and 3 real quotes on your topic.
No more, no less.
 Memorize your stats the day before – they only need to stay in
your head for 24 hours.

Theory #1: Don’t sweat the theory part.
BE THE ICEBERG
Wrong
“I’m excited about the growth in the gizmo market and feel I could make
a real contribution to new account acquisition.”
Right
“40% growth in the gizmo market in 3 years – I actually think you could
do even better. But what’s your take on Gizmo Today’s prediction of
market saturation?”

Theory #2: People love that Greek shit.
ARISTOTLE’S TRIANGLE
There are only 3 kinds of argument in the world.
Ethos - Reputation
Logos - Logic Pathos - Emotion

Theory #2: People love that Greek shit.
ARISTOTLE’S TRIANGLE
There are only 3 kinds of argument in the world.
Ethos - Reputation
Logos - Logic Pathos - Emotion

Theory #2: People love that Greek shit.
ARISTOTLE’S TRIANGLE
Impress people at parties by using Aristotle to analyze politicians.
Ethos - Reputation
Logos - Logic Pathos - Emotion

Theory #3: Do everything in threes.
THE RULE OF THREE
Everything looks better, sounds better, and is more persuasive in threes.
Goldilocks had it
right. With three
options, one of them
feels “just right,” the
perfect balance.

Theory #3: Do everything in threes.
THE RULE OF THREE
Everything looks better, sounds better, and is more persuasive in threes.
Goldilocks had it
right. With three
options, one of them
feels “just right,” the
perfect balance.

Theory #3: Do everything in threes.
THE RULE OF THREE
In art and design, three conveys balance and harmony.

Theory #3: Do everything in threes.
THE RULE OF THREE
In speech and writing, a group of three feels complete.
“Friends, Romans, Countrymen…”
“Government by the people, of the people, and for the people…”
“I came, I saw, I conquered…”
“The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly”
“Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness…”

Theory #3: Do everything in threes.
THE RULE OF THREE
A 3-part argument is a persuasive argument.
THESIS: All cats die.
ANTITHESIS: Aristotle is dead.
SYNTHESIS: Therefore, Aristotle was a cat.

Theory #4: Keep it simple, but not too simple.
OCKHAM’S RAZOR
Forget “KISS” (Keep It Simple, Stupid).
Ockham’s Razor sounds cooler and works better.
\"Pluralitas non est ponenda sine necessitate\"

Theory #4: Keep it simple, but not too simple.
OCKHAM’S RAZOR
Make everything as simple as possible,
but no simpler.
In other words, eliminate the unnecessary
but keep the necessary. Don’t let your
razor slice too thin, or things get
complicated again.

Theory #4: Keep it simple, but not too simple.
OCKHAM’S RAZOR
Make everything as simple as possible,
but no simpler.
In other words, eliminate the unnecessary
but keep the necessary. Don’t let your
razor slice too thin, or things get
complicated again.

Theory #4: Keep it simple, but not too simple.
OCKHAM’S RAZOR
Examples of things that are just simple enough.

Theory #4: Keep it simple, but not too simple.
OCKHAM’S RAZOR
Examples of things that are so simple they’re complicated.

Theory #5: Coping with information overload
ANDERSON’S LAW: 90% OF EVERYTHING IS CRAP.
So focus like hell on the other 10%.