Does the thought of getting in front of a crowd terrify you? Do you have trouble speaking in public or trying to motivate people to take action? Do you want to improve your persuasion skills? Show
In the mid-1930s, Alan H. Monroe, a psychologist and professor at Purdue University, developed a five-step outline for delivering speeches that persuade and motivate people to take action. This article examines Monroe’s motivated sequence outline and will give you ideas on how you can be a more dynamic and persuasive speaker. Whether you are a CEO of a large enterprise, a salesperson preparing a pitch, or a member of the PTA presenting on how to raise more money, Monroe's motivated sequence outline can help you call your audience to action to get the desired results. What are Monroe's motivated sequence steps?Persuasion is pervasive in daily life—suggesting a new restaurant, getting a child to clean their room, asking permission to attend a party, and so on. Knowing your audience can give you the upper hand in getting the outcome that you want. The word “persuasion” might bring to mind a pushy car salesperson or a politician making promises that likely won’t be kept. But persuasion can also be a positive force used to improve people’s lives. Using the psychology of persuasion, Monroe developed an outline for making persuasive and motivational speeches that includes these five steps:
Monroe’s motivated sequence may be over 80 years old, but it is still a proven and widely used method for organizing powerful and persuasive presentations and speeches. The steps may seem simple and straightforward, but you may still need to overcome resistance to new ideas, preconceived bias against your solution, disbelief at facts presented to establish a need, or any number of unpredictable human traits that may arise before, during, and after your presentation. The following sections explore Monroe’s motivated sequence steps in more detail with examples to help you adapt them to meet your needs. Step 1: Grab attentionThere are many ways to grab attention. You could start with a bang or a shock—something unexpected that will make your audience sit up and take notice. Consider using these strategies: HumorBe careful when using humor. You don’t want to do or say something that can be considered offensive or that may be put in a meme on social media. Shocking factsStating facts can give you that “wow” factor that makes your audience say, “I didn’t know that.” HistoryMake your audience want to learn more and ask themselves, “Where are they going with this?” MediaStart with a short video or intriguing images related to the topic. People generally like to watch and look at interesting, colorful visuals. Step 2: Define the needTo persuade people to make a change or to incorporate new procedures in a business setting, you have to convince them that there is a current need for these changes. Help your audience understand that what is happening right now is not working and explain the consequences if things are not changed. Don't suggest any solutions in this step. Use this step to help people understand that there is a problem and that problem needs to be addressed. You can:
Step 3: Satisfy the needThis step of Monroe’s motivated sequence outline is the main purpose of your presentation. You want people to feel motivated to do something to fix the scary or shocking information you previously presented, and you want them to know that you have a solution. Introduce a solution that addresses the need and will solve your problem. When presenting your solution, you should:
Use Lucidchart to create a simple flowchart or decision tree that can show the steps and the potential results for your plan going forward. You can also create a mind map centered around your solution to illustrate benefits and costs, plus what is needed to be successful. Step 4: Visualize the consequencesUse this step to paint a picture the future if the audience rejects or accepts the solution. The more vivid and detailed your description, the more willing the audience will be to adopt your solution and commit to change.
Step 5: Call to actionNothing will change and progress will remain stagnant unless you make specific assignments to implement the solution. For the last step of Monroe's motivated sequence, you want your audience to leave the presentation with excitement and a renewed commitment to improving processes. Try not to overwhelm the audience with too much change at once. Assign the essential parts of the solution plan that need to be completed first. Biting off smaller chunks will give your team a sense of accomplishment and help them to be more willing to take additional assignments to achieve your goals. What is the attention phase of Monroe's motivated Sequence?Attention. The attention getter is the first thing your audience will hear in every speech or presentation. It should grab their attention and make them want to listen to you as the speaker. Some good ways to gain attention are through the use of a story, fact, quote, engaging question, statistic, etc.
What are the 5 parts of Monroe's motivated Sequence?The model includes five key steps:. Get attention.. Establish the need.. Satisfy the need.. Visualize the future.. Action/Actualization.. In which step in Monroe's motivated Sequence Does the speaker show the audience the benefits?4th Step in Monroe's Motivated Sequence: Having given your plan, you intensify desire for it by visualizing its benefits: -- The key to this step is using vivid imagery to show your listeners how they will profit from your policy.
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