When Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was quick to tell the world that Israel would achieve “total victory.” He then defined “total victory” as destroying Hamas’s military capabilities, ending their rule in Gaza, and bringing all the hostages home. Every time he used the phrase, it reinforced his objectives. He wasn’t just saying Israel would win, he was referencing what winning meant.
This is a lesson in advocacy. While it may be difficult to repeatedly state your full position, referencing it with a Keyword Or Key Phrase makes it easier. As you build your argument, you can continually reinforce your position by tying it back to that key phrase.
REFERENCING KEYWORDS OR PHRASES IN ADVOCACY
This strategy is just as powerful in advocacy. I recently worked on a stolen property case where the government had fairly strong evidence against the defendant. The case was resolved just short of trial, but the defense was clear: my client didn’t know the property he was selling was stolen.
Our position was just as much a victim as the rightful owner of the property—perhaps even more so. And instead of simply arguing he didn’t know the item was stolen, we stated he was the victim because he bought stolen property. We then layed out our position why he was the victim, with the intent to continue to reference him as the victim throughout the trial.
- He was a victim because he lost the property he had purchased.
- He was a victim because he lost the money he had spent on it.
- He was a victim because he was arrested for something he didn’t knowingly do.
- He was, in many ways, the biggest victim of this situation.
By consistently using the word victim and backing it up with facts, we didn’t just make an argument, we shaped the narrative. The more we framed him as a victim, the more that identity became associated with his experience in the case.
THE POWER OF STRATEGIC REPETITION
In advocacy, it’s difficult to constantly repeat long-winded statements, but a well chosen keyword or phrase can serve as a shorthand for your position. Netanyahu didn’t just repeat total victory, he defined it, so people understood what he meant. Advocacy should work the same way: choose a keyword or key phrase, and reinforce it throughout your argument.
