The power of three

David Crystal, a much-respected linguist, has given a beautifully-detailed analysis of Barack Obama's acceptance speech. In his analysis, he focuses on the rhetorical features that made the speech so elegant:

"The rhetorical 'rule of three' is an important feature of the speech. It's something that all famous speech-makers use…"

Here are some examples of the "rule of three" that Obama used in his speech:

It began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Chicago and the front porches of Charleston.
…to give $5 and $10 and $20 to the cause.
…Americans who volunteered and organized and proved…
…a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
…two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.
…new energy to harness, new jobs to be created, new schools to build…
…block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.
To those who would tear the world down… To those who seek peace and security… And to all those who have wondered…

You can use the same "rule of three" in business presentations and speeches to give extra emphasis to what you say, and to help people remember your message. The closer the phrases are in terms of structure, the easier they are to remember. Be careful, however, not to overuse this rhetorical feature. Save it for the beginning or the end of your speech for extra, memorable impact.

Some potential examples:

Sales have grown, clients have increased, and profits have risen…
We recalled the products, analysed the defects, and solved the problem.
We called the banks, begged our creditors, and survived the crisis.