Since people learn in many ways, the more senses your speech can combine in your presentation, the more
likely your audience will “Get” your message.
Props add the ‘visual element’ to a speech.
They can take many forms, including: clothing, musical instruments, furniture, and other objects, hand held or free standing.
An added benefit for the presenter is that is lessens the need for notes.
Just like a Mind Map for delivering a speech, the prop helps you recall the message of that part of the presentation.
If the props are placed in the sequential order of your talk, it’s like having most of the speech in front
of you without notes.
Not relying on notes lets you give more emphasis to all the verbal and non-verbal delivery elements of delivering a speech.
Some tips on using props:
- Don’t over-use them
- They could ‘take over’ the speech and then it just becomes a shtick.
- Once used, put them away.
- If not, they distract the audience.
- Make certain they are appropriate to the audience and speech.
- If a physical prop, be sure they are large enough the audience can see it.