In his Gettysburg Address, Abraham Lincoln used 272 words to define our democracy and call for its preservation. Hundreds of millions more have been dedicated since then to a subject which our 16th president covered in barely four paragraphs that cold November day.

What Lincoln called “the little speech” is a perfect model for a persuasive argument: logical, memorable, motivating. It is also concise and immediate, which is why you can use it as a template for making your own case where time is short and the outcome is critical—like on a trade show floor or a meeting room stage.

There are four elements.

Common ground
For Lincoln, it was the proposition that all men are created equal. For you, it might be your prospect’s need for better cash flow. Verbalizing common ground establishes relevance.

Defined challenge
At Gettysburg, it was a great civil war. For your client, it might be an obsolete billing system. Defining the challenge sets an objective that you can achieve together.

Personal motivation
Desire fuels intellectual commitment. The last full measure of devotion might make shareholder value seem mundane by comparison. Be assured, it isn’t to the shareholder.

A call to act
Lincoln called for increased devotion to winning the war. You want a sale or a product demonstration. By establishing common ground, defining the challenge and appealing to personal motivations, you’ll probably get it.

Arguing a case concisely and eloquently need not be limited to the great orators of history. You can do it, too, if you take a hint from President Lincoln. You might even be able to do it in exactly 272 words.

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