How To Motivate An Audience To Action Using These 4 Methods

The beginning of your speech is important, but it’s not the MOST important.

Sure, one could make an argument that it is. Since its main purpose is to win the audience's attention in hope that they’ll listen to whatever else you’ve got to say.

In the realm of what’s actually most important, such as the PURPOSE of your presentation, today I’m going to argue that the closing is the most important part.

Here’s why:

The end of the presentation is the starting pistol for action.

Most of us know what a “call to action” is, and if not, you better learn quick. However, for purpose of today’s post, the call to action doesn’t need to be some specific physical action such as "Buy my Book!" Actually, you know what, we’re going to ignore the actual call to action portion of a speech entirely. Rather, this post concerns itself with how one goes about flipping on an audience member’s internal light switch, which would ultimately drive them to undertake the desired action.

The reason is that there are times where you may just wish to leave the audience with wonder, or motivation, or some other feeling.

How do you drive people to internal action (hopefully an impetus to outward action) without necessarily giving them a specific call to action?

The answer is in electrifying the emotions of the audience

So, how can this be achieved?

Here are 4 ways:

1. Story

The story is great for just about anything. In public speaking the story is like Spackle used for filling in holes. If there’s a hole in your speech, rub a story into the crevice and voila. For closing down your speech it can do wonders. Perhaps you started with a story, why not end with the resolution of that initial story? For the purpose of stirring emotion, it’s best if it ends with change.

The traditional flow of a story is that conflict is quickly introduced, the conflict eventually gets dealt with and then the resolution is some form of positive change.

But, you can just as well use a story where your character or situation begins in a positive light, but then ends with that being taken away because of [Enter Obstacle That You Want Audience To Counteract With Their Subsequent Action].

2. Something Amazing or Thought Provoking

This next one should literally leave the audience in shock or awe. And why not throw in some curiosity while we’re at it?

This is done well in magic shows. Usually the magician will end with their greatest trick and leave the audience wondering how the heck it was done.

A tip would be to think of special talents you possess. Say you’re a master visual effectsartist that works on special effects for Hollywood blockbusters and you have the ability to create awesome videos, find a way to implement that as your wow factor.

It can really be anything just as long as it relates to your presentation.

3. The Enemy

The “enemy” is one of the strongest motivators ever to exist. It conjures up fear, it brings up the desire to “prove” the enemy wrong, and it comes with a hint of the “underdog.”

Fear is a tricky tactic. Effective for sure, but tricky. There’s the argument of morality. Is it moral to instil fear into people in order to get them to do your desired action? It’s a question worth considering. Is the call to action something that will help the audience? There’s a good starting point when evaluating it on your morality chart.

Who is the enemy of what you want your audience to achieve as a result of listening to your speech?

The more tangible the better, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use ideas such as procrastination, or using future outcomes such as “poverty” as an enemy.

“Are you going to let naysayers decide your future?” The enemy are the naysayers, right?

“Are you going to allow excuses to stop you from reaching your goals?” Excuses are the enemy.

There are a lot of variations that you can come up with. Brainstorming is the key. Get a piece of paper and write the action down that you want your audience to take, and then write down every imaginable enemy that stands in the way.

4. Passion and Volume

This last one is more of a delivery technique which you could use in combination with the above three options.

Passion and volume. Get into it! Get loud!

When I think of this technique, I think of epic speeches. (Braveheart!!)

Basically, it’s a way to sum up your message and get people fired up! Ending distinctly and with passion. Hit ‘em hard.

We aren’t all capable of sounding like Mel Gibson or Gerard Butler, I understand that. Yet, you can use your passion to make up for it. We all have the passion in us and it comes from believing in whatever we decide to speak about.