THE ALAN MONROE MOTIVATED SEQUENCE PERSUASIVE SPEECH ORGANIZATION PLAN

Alan Monroe’s Motivated Sequence 5 Point Persuasive Speech Developed in the 1930’s during his tenure as professor of speech at Purdue University Tailor made for policy speeches that seek immediate action Sequence has five steps associated with the psychology of persuasion

What are these 5 parts of the motivated sequence? 1st, you’ve got to get the audience’s ATTENTION. 2nd, you’ve got to describe to your audience a problem to show that there’s a NEED for a change in the status quo. 3rd, you’ve got to solve the problem so that SATISFACTION fills the reasoning and emotional minds of your audience.

The sequence continues. 4th, VISUALIZATION becomes paramount in this sequence, for the audience must see and feel what the future will bring them by taking or not taking action on the speaker’s solution to the need/problem presented. 5th, ACTION now, must be requested with an air of immediacy by the speaker.

Let’s visualize the 5 persuasive motivated sequence steps Get the AUDIENCE’S ATTENTION! Make the audience see and feel A NEED TO CHANGE OR REMEDY an existing problem/need. GIVE SATISFACTION to your audience by offering a strong, acceptable solution, that meets their need.

Continue visualizing for memory! VISUALIZE A POSITIVE FUTURE for the audience by describing your plan/solution in place or a negative future if you plan is rejected by them. Finally, ask for immediate ACTION! (You must strike while the iron is hot!)

Let’s get inside these 5 steps. The Attention/Introduction Step 1: Getting the ATTENTION First: Greet the audience. (It’s just good manners.) Second: Gain rapport or endear yourself with your audience by – (Choose one.) making a startling statement telling a humorous or dramatic story asking a rhetorical question

Still inside the Attention Step More rapport gaining ideas from which you should choose one. using visual aids creating suspense or arousing curiosity using a topic relevant paraphrase or quotation

Inside the NEED step Use audience centered supporting material showing that the status quo needs to be changed, using a concise and clear description of a serious problem that effects them by choosing from the Use of credible testimony (quotations, paraphrasing or authentic relevant stories) Use of at least 2 examples illustrating the need or problem from a personal experience or a reference. Use of simplified relevant statistics.

Inside the NEED with supporting audience centered appeals Never fail to appeal to folks felt concerns for – their health their security their social standing their happiness, pride, fears, etc. Such appeals psychologically prepare auditors to have serious concerns about being truly satisfied with your solution to the problem you’ve convinced them exists.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs contains 5 levels of human needs often used as a psychological approach to appealing persuasively to those needs to persuade humans to meet the needs of the persuader.

Maslow’s Hierarchy Levels of Needs 5th Level: Self Actualization 4th Level: Self Esteem 3rd Level: Social (belonging) /Love 2nd Level: Safety 1st Level: Physiological

As seen in Internet’s Wikipedia

Continuing inside the Satisfaction Step Help the audience see your plan/solution by – Showing specific examples of how your plan has worked well elsewhere (if so) Showing how the plan is practical and workable for your audience Again, appeal to your auditors sense of pride, fears, health needs, security, and happiness by using facts and authoritative testimonies. Usually, diagrams & charts can help you.

Inside the Satisfaction Step Now, you’ve aroused your auditors sense of need for a solution to the problem you’ve persuasively described. Satisfy their need! Present a plan or solution by— telling audience, briefly, the change(s) or action(s) you want adopted Explaining, logically, how the plan will work to satisfy the need/problem

Inside the VISUALIZATION STEP Now, hopefully, if thus far your audience seems convinced, you are not “off the hook” yet. No! Normally, people don’t step into change without the conviction that something will improve in their lives or that maintaining the status quo will head them for a loss. So, through vivid imagery, help the auditors see your plan as placing them in a better place. Contrasting vividly the negative and positive visualizations will be very helpful – negative first, then, positive last.

Inside the ACTION STEP Summarize, briefly, the prior 4 psychological steps. Challenge or appeal to your audience to take specific actions that you give them to achieve your proposal. Close with a strong relevant quotation or illustration compelling your auditors to take immediate action.