Monroe Sequence

5 Steps to Persuasion

Step 1.

• Attention (1-2 ¶)
• Gain the interest of the audience
• Do not assume you have the audience's attention "just because"
• Similar to traditional introduction
• interesting beginning, background info, position
• Establish credibility and respect
• Audience reaction, "This is interesting!"

Step 2.

• Need (3-4 ¶)
• Develop or describe the problem
• SHOW...
• how the problem came to exist 
• how the problem continuer to get worse
• how it's not going away by itself
• Audience reaction, "I need to hear this!"

Step 3.

• Satisfaction (2-3 ¶)
• "logical involvement"
• Offer 1-2 possible solutions to the problem that are NOT the best solution
• make sure to defend why it won't work
• Offer the BEST solution to the problem
• make sure to defend why it will work
• Audience reaction, "That will work!"

Step 4. 

• Visualization (3-4 ¶)
• "emotional involvement"
• Develop within the audience an IMAGE of their choices
• What will result if the problem goes UNsolved?
• What will result when the problem IS solved?
• COUNTERPOINT the opposition (be respectful!)
• Audience reaction, "I want to help!"

Step 5. 

• Action (1-2 ¶)
• Similar to traditional conclusion, plus...
• move the audience to DO something
• Explain HOW to do the solution posed in step 3
• be clear, specific, and realistic; do not assume anything