Chapter 14 discusses the five most common organizational patterns for composing a speech: topical, chronological, spatial, cause-effect, and problem-solution. These structures are useful for organizing both informative and persuasive speeches. In addition, one pattern is unique to persuasive presentations. The motivated sequence (see Figure 17.1) is a five-step method for organizing a persuasive speech about a problem (Gronbeck, McKerrow, Ehninger, & Monroe, 1990). Consider using this pattern when delivering a speech of policy (you want the audience to take some action on your topic).

To see how the motivated sequence can help you organize a persuasive speech, let’s walk through the process using the following specific purpose: to persuade my audience to enroll in a Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) course.

Step 1: Attention.Introduce the topic to your audience, and give them a reason to listen. Recall from the discussion of the elaboration likelihood model that relating the topic to the needs and interests of the audience can help with this. Use the guidelines in Chapter 14 to compose an effective speech introduction that engages your listeners, discloses your speech thesis, establishes your credibility, and connects the topic to the audience. For example, “When I was hiking in Colorado last summer with my Uncle Bill, he suddenly collapsed. Thanks to my cardiopulmonary resuscitation (or CPR) training, I was able to help. This experience made me realize how important it is for all of us to know CPR; a situation like mine could happen to any of you.” You can then preview the main points of the presentation as a transition to the body of the speech.

Step 2: Need.Clearly state the problem you want the audience to be concerned about as a main point. To highlight why knowing CPR is critical, you could say something like, “People die needlessly every year from cardiac arrest in the United States.” Then use your research (statistical information, testimony, and other supporting materials) to show the audience why they should be concerned about the problem. Be sure that you’re drawing from highly credible sources in your research.

Step 3: Satisfaction.Show the audience that the plan you are recommending is reasonable and that by supporting it, they can help solve or prevent the problem. For example, “CPR training is relatively easy to complete either here on campus or at other organizations, such as hospitals, fire departments, and your local Red Cross.” You could go on to explain the specifics of CPR training, including locations, costs, and what the training is like.

If you’re taking on a large-scale problem in your speech that calls for complex solutions, focus on specific things your audience can do to help. When discussing inner-city deterioration, for example, you may try to persuade your audience to do one thing to help prevent it, such as eating at downtown restaurants instead of suburban restaurants. Don’t just detail big problems without offering solutions.

Step 4: Visualization.Get your listeners to imagine the good things that can happen if the problem is fixed or the negative consequences if nothing is done. How you approach this step depends on what you’ve learned about your listeners through audience analysis. If you believe the audience will generally favor your position, focus on the positive results of taking action: “Learning CPR has many benefits, not the least of which is potentially saving lives.”

If you think your audience is mostly uncommitted or undecided about your topic, you could focus on the negative consequences if listeners don’t do anything about the problem: “If you’re not CPR certified, you’ll be unprepared to help if someone—your child, a colleague, a friend—goes into cardiac arrest.” Alternatively, if you have time, you can emphasize the positive results of acting as well as the negative impact of doing nothing.

Step 5: Action.Summarize your main points, and challenge the audience to make a specific commitment. End your speech with a concise, powerful thought that leaves listeners reflecting about your overall message. You could close with a story, a rhetorical question, or a quotation, such as “Learn CPR. Save lives.”