What does Monroe's Motivated Sequence include as its first step?

Monroe's Motivated Sequence is a widely used organizational structure for persuasive speaking that is designed to engage an audience effectively. The first step, which is to capture the audience's Attention, is crucial because it sets the stage for the entire presentation. Attention is the gateway through which the audience becomes receptive to the message that follows.

By starting with an attention-grabbing opening, a speaker can pique the interest of listeners, making them more likely to remain engaged throughout the speech. This could involve presenting a startling statistic, asking a thought-provoking question, or sharing a compelling story. The goal of this step is to create an emotional or intellectual connection that makes the audience want to hear more, thereby laying the groundwork for subsequent steps in the sequence, such as establishing a Need, providing a Satisfaction, and prompting an Action.

Without this essential first step, the subsequent stages would lack impact, as the audience may not have been properly engaged or motivated to listen to the proposed solutions or calls to action.