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Using Props in Presentations

Patti Hathaway, CSP

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Here are responses to a small survey I sent out about using props in presentations:

The questions:

  • Question 1: Why do you use props in your presentations?
  • Question 2: What advice/cautions would you give to speakers who are considering using props in their presentations?
  • Question 3: Any memorable stories (funny or painful) about using props that you are willing to share?

Why do you use props in your presentations?

-- John Tenza:

Props well-used help to better land your points and make the presentation memorable!

-- Della Menechella:

Because they get people to understand the message I am trying to get across more effectively than using only words.

-- Patt Schwab, Ph.D.:

To anchor my message, to get a laugh and to wake up the group. I use give-away props to reward people for the behaviors I am encouraging (i.e. speaking up, leading groups, etc.).

I use certain props to promote the audience buying them later - rubber chickens, tubes of gloom, finger puppets, chicken key chains and chicken feet (plastic ones - not real ones!).

-- Marianne Matheis:

I use props to make a specific point or as a means to introduce a particular segment of my program. Props, if used effectively, are memorable and help people to remember your topic, your key points and how it relates to their lives. Props shift the primary focus away from the presenter and help people make the translation from the presentation to the universal lessons that they can apply to their daily lives. Props can transform a good presentation into an impactful memorable event for participants.

-- Jeff Davidson, MBA, CMC:

  • reinforces a point
  • supports humorous interaction
  • variety

-- Karla Jones:

It prevents me from becoming a "talking head". The information I want to impart can best be understood, related to and used when a real example is there to see.

It is just more fun. I find humor comes out of the audiences reactions to what they are looking at, we "play" with the ideas that it represents and they feel more "involved" in the presentation even when there is no time to do interaction activities.

Props have been soooo successful for me that I can't imagine why EVERYBODY doesn't use them. It is Power Point only better!

-- Rosemarie Rossetti, Ph.D.:

To change the pace, introduce humor, make a point more memorable, reinforce a point, have fun, have variety, show my sense of humor, establish a playful mood or atmosphere, gain interest, cause questions in the learners' minds to form, surprise the learners, show an actual item that I am discussing, show a miniature of the item that I am discussing.

-- Rita Emmett:

I think they are great visuals. They stick in people's minds for a long time.

-- No Name:

Very few people like to listen to a speaker who just states the facts in a dry, matter-of-fact manner. I use props because I feel it's a great way to make the presentation more energizing, enjoyable, enlightening and memorable. It has always been a good way for me to spice up my presentations. Props act as an attention getter and also a fun factor. I like to have fun while presenting. If I have fun, they will have fun.

The audience has an attention span of 5-7 minutes. Using props is another way of keeping their interest.

-- Jeanne Murphy:

I use props when I am making an analogy which will help them to better understand the point I am trying to make. Using something physical with which the audience is already familiar helps to plant the concept in their brains while taking away any fears over the subject.

-- Kathie Hightower:

A very visual friend taught me that people want to see what you are talking about, not just hear about it. And she's right. I'm sure that sometimes the item I hold up sticks in their minds more than what I said or had in a handout. I think the example many of us remember is Nido's masterful use of the simple toy at the Philadelphia Convention -- the bird balanced on one point.

I started out being very corporate & structured, using only overheads as visuals. That changed first when I took a Bob Pike Creative Training Techniques course in 1990. It changed even more in 1993 when I partnered with a woman with two masters in child development and years of working with kids. I saw how much props and visuals worked as well with adults as they do with kids. Now I use lots of props. One comment I always get as I'm setting up is, "This session looks like it's going to be fun." And it is.

-- Sandy Campbell:

To illustrate points, entertain, engage the audience, increase learning.

-- Patrick Wahl, DMD, MBA:

My speaking partner and I use props in our presentation to bring home important points in a memorable and creative way. They also add humor to the presentation. They can be great to create a new opening and to show your audience they can expect a fun day. They can make a good story a great one. A prop from everyday life can be much more interesting to all than the fanciest PowerPoint wizardry.

-- Dr. Deanna Berg:

  • To make get and keep audience attention
  • To make myself and my concepts more memorable
  • To involve and energize people

-- Michael McKinley, CSP, CPAE:

To give a down-to-earth identification of my idea to the audience's day-to-day life. It also is a memorable marketing tool. People remember the props longer than they remember you.

-- Kathy Brown, RN, CSP:

Props help the "global visual" people in the audience connect with a concept you are trying to make a point with that they will remember. I'm a great believer in variety to tap all the ways that the audience wishes to "receive" information.

-- Peter Turla:

My props are great visual reminders that support key ideas in my presentation. The theme of my talk involves time management and how to get the big important things done without getting sidetracked by trivia. The metaphor I use is "How to feed your elephants when you're getting eaten alive by the ants." Everyone attending gets souvenir ants and elephants and a humorous certificate proclaiming that they are certified elephants trainers. Years later people still remember me as the ants and elephants guy.

-- Michael Kerr:

  1. To make things more visual for the audience. I'm not a high tech kind of speaker so adding props is my way of bring things to life and creating more of a visual impact.
  2. To make messages more memorable.
  3. For humor. The majority of my props are either somewhat funny unto themselves, or they are everyday household objects used to convey a humorous thought.

-- Robert Alan Black:

  • to reinforce points
  • to provide strong memory points through image, contrast, uniqueness to strength recall
  • provide examples
  • it is part of my delivery style
  • to increase interest, attention, retention
  • it is fun for me and for the audience
  • they set me apart from other speakers

-- Tom Skibosh:

After working in major league baseball (PR) for 20 years, this has become my brand. I hand out baseballs in all my speeches, showing people we can all "Be a hit and have a ball!" The balls have my 800# on them, so they are also a good marketing tool. I also use a real Louisville slugger baseball bat in my talks with my name, company name and phone number on it. I used to give them to meeting planners, but they are pretty expensive, so I stopped that. People might not remember, my speech or my name, but they remember the baseballs and the fact that I'm the "baseball guy."

-- Allen Klein, MA, CSP:

To entertain; to get my message across in a visual way.

-- Jim Jacobus:

I use three main props:

  • Our "attitude" buttons (Get over it!, Get excited or get out!, Better than most!, Shut up stop whining and do something!, I make a difference!, I will pay the price!, Living Life Large!, I love my wife! and I love my husband!) we give out before, during, and well after all of our programs.
  • b) A ruler I score and break into smaller pieces to illustrate we don't have much time left to make a difference.
  • A white dinner napkin I use to pull a small trick on the audience. (You have to be there for it to make any sense.)

-- Dawn Waldrop:

I use visual props: materials in different colors, ties, shoes, ... Since my topic is: How to present your best image for financial success. How we communicate through our attire is very visual because people communicate visually. I also use audience members as visuals. If I am sharing a way they can improve I always ask permission first so as not to cause any embarrassment.

-- Melinda Brody:

I use props because they're fun and silly things to make a point.

-- Luther Beauchamp:

Props provide a change of pace and a change of scenery. The prop can create a memorable moment for the audience. Seeing and hearing increase the likelihood of remembering.

-- Karen Rowinsky:

  • To meet the needs of some adult learners.
  • Because they can be fun and memorable.
  • Because they can illustrate a point better than slides/overheads/PowerPoint.

-- Ann Villiers:

I use props to distinguish myself in the marketplace (too much death by PowerPoint!), and to demonstrate key points in a light-hearted way. My signature piece, the 'sock demonstration,' provides an opportunity for the audience to participate and by people's responses (usually lots of chuckles and head nodding) I can gauge if the audience is 'with me.'

-- Robin Getman:

I'm a trainer at heart! Props reinforce the message and help anchor learning. For example, 2-3 conventions ago, Dale Irwin and Nido (or was it Terry P?) exchanged one-liners at a general session. While I don't recall what they said, I can still picture the bird that spurred their humor. Similarly, we watched numerous film clips in NSA's tribute to the legends but only one lingers in my mind's eye. Zig "priming the pump" is indelibly printed in my memory!

-- "Will Rogers" (Randall Reeder):

Will Rogers used lassoes in his performances (talks) because that was how he got started, and it helped keep interest of the audience. He could keep the audience involved, to the extent of sometimes throwing a lasso around the neck of a particular person and 'dragging' them to the stage to be interviewed. I use a lasso, for just a minute or two, to keep an important piece of the WR legacy. Roping gives a change of pace for the audience. It is simply a part of my presentation, like talking about today's news. When I learn a couple more rope tricks I'll do more.

Patrick Donadio suggested I use a dollar bill during a part of my talk where I am emphasizing the importance of saving. I hold a dollar bill during the quote, then offer to give it to anyone in the audience who will promise to save it, not spend it. The first person to raise a hand gets the dollar. I promise to autograph it after the talk. It's a way to get one-on-one interaction with an audience, get them involved.

Sometimes I take 4 or 5 small trick spinning ropes with me for audience participation. These are specially made so anyone can learn to spin a flat loop in a few seconds. I get audience members up front to rope with me, using these ropes. Sometimes I use leaders of the group, and make a point about teamwork and how they can work together, kinda in unison. Other times it is random volunteers, and I try to draw humor from their comments. A benefit of this 'group involvement' is that frequently it is a good photo op, and that picture shows up in a newsletter. It is another way to connect the speaker with the audience.

-- Edward Leigh, M.A.:

Props add a visual reminder of your main points. Many people use props simply because they are fun. That is fine, but I prefer to use props to make a point. When I am talking about creating magic in the workplace, I bring a magic wand. On every speaking trip, I visit toy/magic/novelty shops in search of new props.

-- Lynn Durham:

For fun and to make points memorable for the audience. I use a flashing antenna to make the point about tuning in to how you think, feel, etc. Someone told me the next time they felt stressed, they remembered how dumb I looked with the things on my head and they felt better. So I let them know - that's why I do it - for them.

-- Linda Swindling:

Props seem to add some fun/hands on aspects to presentations. My favorite is when I pull out a fake citation & "serve" my audience with a lawsuit.

-- Nanci McGraw:

I say it in all my sessions on public speaking: 'Remember, YOU are your best visual aid.' And I believe it. Nothing, no THING is as important as the speaker, the voice, the message.

But I add other physical, 3-D, showable, workable "props" when I need them. I can teach and train and speak WITHOUT props. But if I do use a prop, it is always to illustrate a point, kick off a discussion, encourage brainstorming, and create a lighter environment. I have found them particularly effective when I present to people who speak English as a second language!

But above and beyond that: It is a completely natural flow for me. For about 2 years I was full-time "Rainbow" -- professional clown. I was used to working with kids of all ages, simple magic tricks, games etc... Well, I often use all those same skills with adults in a professional setting, in professional dress, for a specific purpose. By the way: I mention nothing of my clowning experience.

-- Jean Palmer Heck:

I use props in my presentations to reinforce my message and to give my audience an interesting visual aid. The added benefit is that it can help keep me on track on my outline.

-- John Cooper:

To visualize my message., to drive home a point, to share a concept. I use props in my time mgmt. seminar (Magically produce a giant wristwatch) as I ask the question: "Are you managing your time or is time managing you?" I use several other props in presentations on stress mgmt., humor in parenting, classroom humor as well as corporate wellness.

Let me address an issue that I've encountered at GSA & NSA: A lot of speakers are scared of props or look down on the use of props in presentations. But props can help drive home a message and stimulate ideas and creativity in your audience. Remember speaking needs some elements of show biz or TV. Adults today are very visual. Sometimes you need some "Razzle Dazzle" mixed with a high content message!

-- Dan Surface:

I use a spinning plate like the circus plate spinners to illustrate how we all are trying to keep all of our plates spinning. Props make a presentation memorable. Many times people will comment on the plate spinning rather than all of the good information that they received. I think props jog their memory about something they have learned.

-- Larry Kryske:

I use props to help my audience remember the message I wish to share with them. During my 55-minute presentation "Creating Your Finest Hour" I complete a 24-inch by 36-inch oil painting to illustrate a compelling motivational message. Your audience sees as well as hears, thereby engaging more of their senses. The props I use include an easel, canvas, and paint brushes. Unlike many keynote presentations where the audience's interest wanders after the program begins, the painting keynote keeps the audience's attention riveted throughout the entire presentation. People have a natural curiosity about watching an oil painting develop, especially when there are some visual surprises.

-- Larry Kutner:

A speech is a form of theater. Props help me do demonstrations and reinforce key points so that my audience is more likely to remember what I am saying.

-- Marsha Petrie Sue:

Creates energy, helps retention, adds humor, builds credibility, makes a connection with the audience, and let's them see you are humorous.

-- Silvana Clark:

I use props because I think it adds interest to my presentations. We always hear how audiences are so "visual". It makes sense to give them something to look at. For example, in talking about creativity, I mention how Southwest Airlines has GREAT prizes for some of their trivia contests. I say. "Some incredibly lucky person in this room will win the prize that Southwest Airlines gives to passengers....a vomit bag filled with candy!" I bring out an actual vomit bag and it is much more effective than if I just told the story. People remember me as "The lady with chocolate in the vomit bag" (Not sure if that's the best way to be remembered....) When discussing a University study that found people are in better moods before meetings if they get a small gift like candy...I give everyone in the audience candy.

In addition, part of my props is the safari-type outfit I wear with a jungle shirt and pith helmet. Then when I talk about, "Taming The Marketing Jungle" the costume ties in with my speech and my book. For team building, I bring sections of PVC pipe and have people design new exercise machines.

I bring an assortment of weird odds and ends and groups use them to make "worthless inventions". I also use the props as give-a-ways to the audience. When passing out a calendar of untraditional holidays, I select people in the audience to receive items such as yo-yos, Twinkies, Inflatable Saxophones and popcorn to tie in with the various holidays. Needless to say, I have a very large suitcase.

Infrequently bring my favorite prop...my 11 year old daughter. She's published 2 books and has appeared on national shows like Donny and Marie, 700 Club, etc. If I'm speaking on creativity, she performs humorous monologues for the group that tie in with my ideas. Then she does a question and answer session with the audience. She's performed at several NSA events and conferences all around the world.

-- Ray Pelletier, CSP, CPAE:

Our goal should be to make our message memorable and that the audience will have triggers to reinforce our message. Some participants are visual learners. I like the audience to enter a room and to be curious about what's all this stuff is for. Our vignettes and word pictures are the key to keep them involved and to understand our teaching points. Props also help you stay focused on your points and remind you of where you are going with your message. Locker room setup -- I only use a small case to bring props that will go inside the lockers. I use a local company for renting lockers and benches for a sports theme program. The client will normally pay for this setup. If they won't I have often paid for it myself as it adds to the program. I feel it is a reasonable expense for such a powerful set.

-- Mark Mayberry, CSP:

To add to the "drama," and help the audience remember the points I am making.

-- Gary Wollin:

  • to GET their attention at the start of every presentation
  • to keep their attention during
  • to emphasize a point I want them to remember
  • to keep ME interested; magic is fun

-- "Captain Bob" Smith:

I went to the NSA Humor Lab a couple a years ago and because of NSA comic magician Scott Francis came away with the idea to use magic props. I use them to deliver a few major points. It grabs the audience's attention. Then it keeps their attention because they don't know what you're going to do next.

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What advice/cautions would you give to speakers who are considering using props in their presentations?

-- John Tenza:

Do the props add to the presentation? Are they appropriate to the audience? Sometimes a great prop just goes for the ride with me because that day a more serious audience showed up and the prop would have detracted from the talk.

-- Della Menechella:

Make sure they are relevant to the point you are trying to make. Be willing to be creative and silly, if necessary. For instance, in one of my customer service programs I wear a headband around my forehead with the words "How may I serve you?" on it to get people to understand that when they see their customers, they should see this phrase on their customers' foreheads. I look ridiculous, but it gets my point across.

-- Patt Schwab, Ph.D.:

Don't let them overwhelm your presentation so that you are remembered for your props but not your message. Have a purpose to match your prop. The rule with humor is that the longer the joke the better the punchline had better be. The rule with a prop should be, the bigger, more elaborate the prop the better integrated it had better be. I've seen speakers come in with an elaborate prop that undoubtedly was difficult to schlep along and then undermine their credibility by using it to make an inconsequential point. The audience is left distracted, wondering if they missed something.

-- Marianne Matheis:

I would caution speakers NEVER to use props unless there is a specific point that they want to make! If the audience can't easily understand WHY a prop is being used, the speaker will lose credibility. If a prop requires involvement by someone from the audience, make sure that you have picked someone in advance and have coached them through it. If you don't do this, be prepared for all kinds of surprises (some of which may not be helpful to the presentation).

-- Jeff Davidson, MBA, CMC:

  • use them sparingly, make your point and move on
  • use EASILY transportable items

-- Rosemarie Rossetti, Ph.D.:

Advice: Be willing to try new things each time you present. Introducing a prop is not very risky. Go to toy and novelty stores to find props to enhance your playfulness in the session. Buy something, even if you aren't yet sure how you will use it. Someday you will find a tie-in to the content you are presenting. Watch the children playing in the store. See what caught their attention. Think of how you could use that toy to your advantage. Buy it! Toys are great props.

Store your props in one place so you can find them. I use a piece of luggage. Each time I prepare a program, I take this bag out and look inside. I think of what will fit with the program and the occasion. Usually I can integrate some toy prop into my training. I have not done so on keynote speeches, yet.

The prop I use in my keynote speech is a modified golf tee that was made for me by my husband in order to play golf while seated in a golf cart. Since I am paralyzed, I can't stand to play. This tee is an attention-getter and works well as I deliver a line designed to get a laugh. "I guess everyone who plays golf has a handicap."

Cautions: Do not take yourself so seriously. Be willing to have fun and lighten up! The audience will not think less of you because you utilized a toy for their enjoyment and enhancement of learning.

As you come to the part of your program where you want to show the prop, take it out of a container (bag, box) so that this is the first time the audience sees it. No use having it sitting on a table in plain view as they all wonder what it is. Let the element of surprise work for you to gain their interest.

-- Rita Emmett:

Practice, practice, practice and be ready to laugh if they don't work.

-- No Name:

For learning value/they must be relevant to your topic. Caution -- use only props you feel comfortable with.

-- Jeanne Murphy:

I think if you are using a prop just to get attention or jazz up your presentation that audiences today think it is pretentious and find you less authentic and believable in the long run.

-- Kathie Hightower:

Be creative. I'm always on the lookout for items that will help me get the message across -- when I'm in toy stores, hardware stores, paper stores, wherever. Really listen to your workshops/keynotes and see what things you mention/describe that could be shown as well. For example, I talk about how our creative thoughts often pop up in the middle of the night. We need to be prepared to capture them. I first mentioned that there are pens that light and notepads that light up when you remove the pen to write. Now I bring those along to let people see and touch them. And of course think about transport if you are traveling by air. I have some props I only use in local presentations because they are too bulky to pack when I'm flying. And I adjust when I can -- the books I used to carry to hold up and show and let people look at are now book covers blown up and laminated.

-- Sandy Campbell:

Make sure the prop is appropriate for both the message and the audience. Just like stories they need to make a point and enhance the message to make it more memorable.

-- Patrick Wahl, DMD, MBA:

Props, like anything else, can be overdone and could distract attention from the speaker and the message. At worst, a prop could interfere with the speaker's connecting with the audience. Improperly used, props could be seen as gimmicky or could trivialize an important point. Props should be tied clearly to content, and the speaker should have the presence to maintain a connection with the audience even if the prop does not work as planned.

-- Dr. Deanna Berg:

  • Be sure the props relate clearly to the points you are making
  • Don't use the same props everyone else is using
  • Be sure the props are visible to the audience

-- Michael McKinley, CSP, CPAE:

It must be identifiable to the audience and it might be something that is an example for the content that you are presenting.

-- Kathy Brown, RN, CSP:

Don't use props just to use props. They need to mean something significant that you want to emphasize. Otherwise they could be perceived as "cheap tricks" to get a laugh which may or may not be what you are trying to achieve.

-- Peter Turla:

Think of the main message you want to convey and dream up a symbol or metaphor that is suitable for your key point.

For example:

  • A magnifying glass that concentrates the rays of the sun
  • An easily bendable soda straw to symbolize being flexible.
  • An extra bouncy ball to symbolize resiliency and bouncing back from difficult situations.
  • A rope made up of many strands (each strand by itself is weak but together they are strong)
  • An eagle (soar high, have lofty thoughts)
  • A small ladder (small steps to your goals or ladder to success)
  • A mirror (look at yourself and see the greatness within)
  • A star (reach for the stars or you are a star or find your star)
  • A bag of marbles (don't lose all your marbles)
  • A soda straw (sipping at life through a straw instead of getting fully involved)
  • Some sort of birthday paraphernalia (celebrate that today is a new beginning)
  • A fake ball and chain (what is holding you back?)

Use your imagination. The possibilities are endless.

-- Michael Kerr:

Two main cautions:

  • Consider visibility. Unless you are talking to a very small group the props need to be large enough, and positioned clearly enough, for the audience to easily see what the heck it is.
  • Be careful not to overdo it, a tendency that I (a die hard prop-oholic) often have. By the same token, however, I've seen speakers under-use props, only bringing out one item in a one-hour talk. (I figure if it's only going to be one item make sure it's a live grizzly bear or something equally captivating). I think of props as a way of adding seasoning to a talk -- too many you can overpower the flavor, too few and it's hardly worth the effort and doesn't make enough of an impact.

Advice:

  • Match/link props to main segments/stories of your presentation, they can then serve as your visLual guideposts much as a slides would in a PowerPoint presentation
  • Look for everyday household/office objects to use in different ways. Audience members will be more likely to remember a story/point 3 days later when they pick up their stapler if you used a stapler in a way to make an engaging point.
  • Even adding simple props can make a story that more visual and engaging. Putting on a hat, or picking up a brief case or umbrella, anything at all that helps set the stage a little or put you into a character, or time and place for the audience
  • Finally, if you're like me and turn into a prop-oholic, buy a mini-van!

-- Robert Alan Black:

  • check out how easily they can be seen from the entire room
  • perhaps provide a simple drawing of the prop in handout material if in a large room
  • known objects do not necessarily have to be as easily seen (holding up a nickel, an egg, or other common object)
  • often common objects can actually be imaginary objects

-- Tom Skibosh:

  • First of all, they should complement what you do.
  • Secondly, make sure you can still perform without the props (things happen).
  • Never forget, you are the show, not your props. You are what the client is paying for!

-- Jeff Slutsky:

Make sure the prop is relevant to the story. Not distracting but enhancing. Large enough for the audience to see. Easy to transport and use in the speech.

-- Allen Klein, MA, CSP:

Make the props relevant to your message.

-- Jim Jacobus:

Always practice, practice & more practice. Also not to be dependent on them for you never know when they may become unavailable for a gazillion reasons.

-- Dawn Waldrop:

Make sure the prop is large enough for large audiences. If you use audience members beware there are those people who do not want to be in the limelight. (I speak about this in my program to speakers - how to recognize who these people are and who are the best candidates to ask to come to the front of the room).

I use myself as a visual prop to show examples of short sleeve vs long sleeves. I also have the audience share words that describe me based on my attire, grooming and accessories. I've recently introduced showing a tattoo - First with permission of the person who has hired me and second with permission from every person in the audience. If even one person is uncomfortable then it's not done.

-- Melinda Brody:

Hold them up when you demonstrate them so everyone can see them. Display them, don't hide them under a table. It lets the audience know, this will be a fun meeting. Make sure they work!

-- Luther Beauchamp:

Make certain the prop adds to the effectiveness and does not distract. Removing an object from a paper bag may create unpleasant sounds if the mic is too close. Don't forget your prop when the program is over. If it was helpful you'll want it for later and if it bombed you'll want to destroy it.

-- Karen Rowinsky:

  • Practice, practice, practice. You need to feel comfortable handling them.
  • Use a mirror when you practice to see if your hands or body block the view of the audience.
  • Don't overdo. You don't need a prop to illustrate every point.
  • Be careful of "silly" props like hats or toys. It is easy for the audience to not find them cute or funny. Unless your personality matches the silliness, I wouldn't try it.

-- Ann Villiers:

The props need to be relevant and visible. There's no point using them if people can't see them or they can't grasp the point! Their use needs to be well-rehearsed. The point of the story that goes with the props needs to be clear and flow smoothly from the use of the props. The art is in extrapolating from the specifics to the general lesson.

-- Robin Getman:

Less is more.

-- "Will Rogers" (Randall Reeder):

Use props only when they contribute to the talk, not as a gimmick. A prop is a visual aid. It should not dominate or get in the way of the message. Props require space. A prop that seemed like a great idea when you drove to all your engagements, may not be convenient on a plane. Have "ad lib" lines prepared for when something does not work. In Will Rogers' papers, his family discovered a hand-written page from 1907. On it were eight different lines he could use when a particularly difficult vaudeville rope trick did not work. Eventually he had so many joke lines for when he muffed certain tricks, and they got such a good laugh, sometimes he would miss on purpose so he could use 'em.

-- Edward Leigh, M.A.:

Different props for different audiences. For example, for healthcare professionals, I use props that are medically related. We need to customize our props, just like we customize our programs. For one association meeting that was held at a beautiful resort, through my research I discovered most of the association members would be playing golf. In my program, I used many golf analogies and had many golf props.

-- Lynn Durham:

Know up front that everyone doesn't like them. Evaluations from the same place have: loved and didn't like props.

-- Linda Swindling:

Make sure they are relevant, not too silly & you have used them enough to feel comfortable. For instance, I once used a big picture and had some definite problems with handling it. (i.e. I turned it the wrong way & didn't realize how heavy it was, etc.) It would've been better if I had used the picture for some smaller meetings before I used it in front of this group.

-- Nanci McGraw:

Props? Speakers stay alive with these five:

  1. Be sure you are completely comfortable, familiar, at home and totally "practiced."
  2. Be sure the prop does what you want it to do.
  3. Be sure everyone can see it.
  4. Be sure to be selective.
  5. And one more VERY IMPORTANT point: Be sure you are not using props just because you saw some other speaker do it and it looked kinda cool. NO NO NO! It will looked forced and imitative. You will act apologetic. You will lose credibility.

-- Jean Palmer Heck:

The bigger they are, the more difficult they are to pack. If the prop is an essential part of your presentation, make sure you can hand carry it on the plane. Be prepared to do that segment of your speech without the prop.

Another hint if you have large props...transport them in garbage cans with wheels. When I am doing a speech in town and have the luxury of driving, I can put a garbage can on wheels in the back of my SUV. Into that I can put my props, handouts, notes, back of room materials, etc. and wheel it through parking garages, hotel elevators, etc., and not work up a sweat lugging things around.

-- John Cooper:

  • Look for props that are easy to handle, flyable and sturdy.
  • Don't use props just to use them.
  • Have them fit your presentation. Example: I use a series of comedy mind reading cards. After the laughs I tie in the message: As marketers we sometime expect our clients to be mind readers but they're not! You have to be clear and concise in marketing your services.
  • If you fly with props in your carry-on be prepared for questions, especially from security.

-- Dan Surface:

Practice, Practice, Practice. The props should flow into and out of your presentation, look natural, while you still remain the focal point, not the prop. Also I saw a speaker that used way too many props and it really distracted from the message. It became a performance rather than a message.

-- Larry Kryske:

Practice, practice, practice until everything is second nature. Make the props an extension of who you are not a distraction from the message you are sending.

-- Larry Kutner:

Make sure they're an integral part of the presentation you're giving, not an add-on simply so that you can use a prop.

-- Marsha Petrie Sue:

  • Don't start with too many props, or any. Warm the audience up.
  • Tie prop with speaking/learning point - always! When prop is particularly funny, let the audience absorb the connection and the prop, wait for their laugh.
  • Make sure everyone can see it and the size of the prop is appropriate for the size of the audience.
  • Tell people where they can buy them (they WILL ask).
  • Practice using the prop and hone the timing.

-- Ray Pelletier, CSP, CPAE:

PROPS:

  • Provides visual representation of your message
  • Reinforces teaching points
  • Opportunity to show that you care enough to go the extra mile
  • People LOVE them
  • Successful reinforcement of your program and is great for repeat busine$$

-- Mark Mayberry, CSP:

Make sure they have a purpose. I try to use props that no other speaker would use.

-- Gary Wollin:

  • DON'T let your presentation be about the props
  • Too many props spoil the broth
  • NOT too much flashbang
  • It's about the talk, not the props
  • Keep It Simple Speaker
  • The props and the talk MUST integrate seamlessly; NOT talk/props/talk/props/etc. ...
  • Great props won't make up for a lousy talk
  • If a prop fails, forget it and go on to the next thing -- usually, they don't know that it failed, or care
  • Always carry a backup if you can
  • Test everything beforehand
  • Be willing to laugh at yourself so you don't make the audience uncomfortable

-- "Captain Bob" Smith:

Tailor the props around your theme. As a firefighter, all my props are around FIRE. I can have actual fire come out of a work sheet, the client's product, etc.

I would caution speakers to practice their props and magic like they would any portion of their presentation.

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Any memorable stories (funny or painful) about using props that you are willing to share?

-- John Tenza:

Have a good sense of humor when you are clearing customs in Canada. The inspections can be very interesting!

-- Della Menechella:

During my breaking through self-limiting beliefs program, I tell participants that they can choose the beliefs they allow into their minds. It's like being in a supermarket and they can only put positive beliefs in their basket. During one workshop, I handed out a dozen cards (face down) to participants with positive or negative beliefs on the cards. I then took a mini shopping basket and asked each participant to turn over and read his/her card to the group. I only put the positive belief cards in my basket. By the time I got to the last few beliefs, the participants who had negative belief cards didn't even want to touch them.

-- Patt Schwab, Ph.D.:

I use a rubber chicken and some plastic chicken feet finger puppets frequently in my presentations. After a while the best of chickens gets dirty. In this instance, I washed them in the sink of my hotel room. I squashed the chicken head through the towel rack so it could hang dripping into the bathtub and stuck the feet vertically on a hand towel to drain. I then left for lunch. I was half way down the hall when I heard the maid screaming from my room! You got it! She'd walked in and thought she'd stumbled into some weird sacrificial chicken scene. I rushed back and reassured her that people sacrificing chickens, (a) don't use rubber ones and, (b) don't (as I do) put sunglasses on them!

-- Marianne Matheis:

If you are a presenter who plays off your audience, props will sometimes evoke comments from the audience that you can tie right into your presentation. Often these comments are playful and funny and the audience responds well because they know the speaker is responsive and quick on their feet. This technique usually works better when the speaker uses props without bringing an audience member on stage.

Several bad experiences I've had when using props and audience participation:

  • I picked someone rather than waiting for a volunteer and they focused more on not making a fool of themselves and resisting rather than helping me make a point
  • I had a volunteer who knew the point I wanted to make and did everything in their power to prove me wrong
  • I had a wonderful volunteer. However, I had asked them to do something that only very few people (about 1 in 1000) can do. THEY DID IT! My point was totally lost and I had to struggle with finding another way to make the point.

-- Jeff Davidson, MBA, CMC:

With one group, after showing each prop I tossed them like a comedian, got a big laugh, so I incorporated it.

-- Rosemarie Rossetti, Ph.D.:

There are numerous times when I utilized a prop for the first time and wondered how the audience would react. One of the props I use is a plastic sword that is collapsible. When I first take it out to use it as a pointer on the overhead screen, the audience sees it in its condensed form, then I "whip it out" and the laser-like sword expands to a length of 4 feet. The element of surprise really made the audience laugh, more so than I ever expected.

-- Rita Emmett:

When I first started using a bumble ball, I practiced over and over, but when using it on stage, I set it on a table on which was placed a pitcher and a glass --- both filled with water. The Bumble ball took one bounce, then -- in the blink of an eye -- knocked over both the glass and the pitcher. The water hit me, my handouts, overheads, notes; actually everything having anything to do with my talk was drenched, including me.

-- No Name:

When I have my props set out ahead of time people will pass by and say things like "Boy, this looks like it's going to be fun!" When I'm doing an all-day presentation, I love to use a train whistle to get them "back on track" after their break. The only painful story I have to share is several times I've had my hard-to-find props broken by a well-meaning participant. To prevent this from happening to you, you might want to keep these under cover until it's time to use them. I've thrown balls to the audience -- when they go to throw them back to me glasses of water have been overturned. Be careful. When all is said and done I enjoy using props because they're fun. I find most people enjoy them. Adults like to have fun -- why do you think so many adults go to Disney world?

-- Sandy Campbell:

Unknown to me an uptight CEO was sitting in the front row and I squirted him with silly string! He needed to lighten up big time. There was dead silence while his employees waited for his response. He didn't laugh and believe me they didn't either!

-- Patrick Wahl, DMD, MBA:

I have used the Confetti Microphone available from Tom Antion for a hysterical opening. The first time I used it, I did something wrong. It didn't work and I was caught off-guard. The audience sensed I was upset; I was in "recovery-mode" for the rest of the all-day presentation. I allowed a prop to dictate my mood and therefore my connection with the audience. I should have anticipated the possibility of a glitch, and been prepared to handle it seamlessly. Now, I'm ready for anything, but the Confetti Microphone hasn't missed since!

-- Kathy Brown, RN, CSP:

I asked my meeting planner who in the audience was a really good sport who could "take" answering a phone that would squirt water into their face. I had the name, rang the phone, said who it was for (not knowing what this man looked like), when other audience members said he just went to the bathroom. He didn't know ahead of time when he would be asked to participate so this was just bad timing. I started to laugh as I was half way down the main aisle ...and I said "Would anyone else take so and so's phone call???? A small man who looked very prim and proper said that he would..... I thought, ah...go for it...so I gave him the phone...it squirted and he laughed. I about fell down laughing because he was the perfect opposite of the type of person I normally look for. Just then the guy that was supposed to get in "on something playful" which he said he would to the mtg. planner comes back in the room. Everyone brought it to my attention .....sooooo I had the phone ring again and said that the person who called him earlier called back. He "took the call" and I squirted him too... much to the absolute delight of everyone in the audience. What could have been an uncomfortable situation turned into a DOUBLE dose of fun for everyone. P.S. I am very aware of which audiences want to PLAY.

-- Michael Kerr:

A hilarious thing just happened last week. I was doing a humor workshop for a group of nurses, going through a very fast-paced, prop-intense routine I have done for the past 5 years in my talks, revolving around showing someone "miserable/stressed" waking up on a Monday morning and going through their morning routine. At one point I bring out an IV Drip bag and simulate an IV drip into this stressed guy's arm to joke about how this person needs to have a caffeine IV drip to get through his day. The nurses KILLED themselves laughing at this point, a much stronger response than I had ever had, so strong that I had to stop and ask them what was up? It turns out all these years my "IV drip bag" (given to me by a nurse) was actually an enema bag. Ooops. (I guess the moral of the story is to make sure your props are what they really are supposed to be.)

I also once had a six-foot stand-up cardboard cutout of Elvis fall onto my head off a table half way through a talk. A gust of wind had spun him around then caused him to seemingly leap off the table like he was trying to tackle me!

-- Robert Alan Black:

  • Bottles leaking
  • Eggs cracking and leaking
  • Dropping ping pong ball-sized plastic balls used to represent individuals with unique personality styles trying to represent the difference between heterogeneous and homogeneous teams. My hands aren't always big enough to hold them all. I have developed a series of comeback lines related to my message that causes laughter and increases the interest, attention and retention.
  • Schlepping boxes of props to foreign countries and seeing the eyes of the customs agents when they open the boxes up to search them. Rubber chickens, tiny Koosh balls and many other things. Usually they just laugh and close the box back up when I say they are workshop gifts, which they are.
  • I generally provide a smaller version of my props as gifts that serve as follow-thru metaphoric reminders for the participants. This I have been doing for many years. When I visit clients months to years later I find the participants have kept the "gifts" and still can recall the key points they were meant to represent plus funny stories from the program.

-- Tom Skibosh:

Since I give them away randomly for keynotes, one time was giving a keynote to County Treasurers and City Clerks. Their nametags were color-coded and I wasn't really paying attention and when I gave the first two to people with green badges (County Clerks), one of the red badge people yelled out "Hey don't forget us County Treasurers!" and everyone busted out laughing.

From the marketing end of it, remember I said I have my phone number on it. I got a phone call from a client who began the conversation by saying "You don't know me, but my wife saw your speech, loved it and I got your phone number off a baseball you gave to her."

-- Billy Robbins:

In both my 'Hooked On Safety' and 'Hooked On Life' presentations, I am the story. Being a bi-lateral amputee (no hands -- just a couple of bright shiny hooks) I have two built-in props that serve me very well for the motivational/success/attitude presentations (Hooked On Life). My story, overcoming the adversity, my success, all mixed with high energy, good humor, excellent principles and great personal stories achieve the results I desire.

Although successful, 'Hooked On Safety' wasn't achieving the outcomes I knew were possible. After some re-inventing, research, masterminding and hours of self-inflicted brain crunching to come up with some unique and creative ways to pull off what I knew was possible (and of course some hits and misses along the way), the props were tested and have proved to be very effective.

There are only a few props, a wheelchair, two blindfolds, silly string, a roll of masking tape, some hundred-dollar bills, one of my kid's toys, and even the few volunteers I use are actually props. Reading this list, it may be hard to believe, but just those few items used the way I use them has increased the results of 'Hooked On Safety' in a way which still astonishes me.

The props allow me to reach everyone in my audience. I believe everyone learns in a different manner. I break it down into three categories. Auditory (the speech), visual (the speech and the props) and tactile or touch (the props). When you have these three things working for you no one is left out.

The speaker/speech must always be the strongest thing on the platform. Props or no props the speaker/speech must be able to get the points across, the principles ingrained and the desired outcomes assured. Props can never be counted on to carry the presentation, because if you use props inevitably, at some time, they are going to fail you. And when they do, if you can't recover on your own and deliver what your client is expecting, you're in trouble. They have to be used as a tool to enhance, not a crutch to prop up.

I let people experience accidents first hand in my presentations. At a certain point, I will tape one of my volunteers in a wheelchair making them a quadriplegic. (My volunteers go through a selection process we have in place.) He is in the chair for the remainder of the presentation. I stop by and tickle him with a raccoon tail about every 10 minutes along with several other things that go on, demonstrating how a person's life is drastically changed in just a matter of seconds. It's funny, but it's also real, and the audience loves it. I've never had a problem before, but this time....it had been 15 minutes or so the guy freaks out on me! He's screaming, "I can't take this anymore!" He has the chair rocking on the platform trying to break out of the tape, people are standing up to see what's going on, the next thing I know, he's running by me, off the platform, scratching and yelling. Needless to say, I was taken back a bit. Everyone is cracking up in the audience. They think it's great. I'm thinking, "Oh my gosh," watching to see if he runs completely out of the room. As he reaches the back wall, I'm watching this 250-pound contractor rubbing up against it like a bear on a tree. It happened in a matter of seconds, although it seemed like an hour. As I recovered, and things started to settle down some, I heard myself calling him by name, "Jim, Jim are you alright?" He answers, "Yeah, yeah I'm ok." Then the next thing out of my mouth was, "Aren't you glad you came today, I do believe your life has been changed." He starts to laugh, and then walks back up on stage and announces something to the effect of, "Believe me guys, nobody wants to be in that chair for a lifetime!" It couldn't have turned out better. But in the short time it took for it all to take place I was having many career sinking thoughts.

-- Jeff Slutsky:

At one point in my presentation, I pull out of my inside suit jacket pocket a Glad plastic bag with a zip-lock top. I mention the use of this baggie when I chartered a Learjet to get to a gig on time. There are several laughs when I mention the use of the bag. (The copilot gave it to me to use because there was no bathroom on the plane.) Then when everything dies down, I tell my audience that I never travel anywhere without it. That's when I pull out the baggie and I get one more huge laugh.

-- Allen Klein, MA, CSP:

There are many -- The burnt-out pastoral counselor who told me how the pickle whistle, which he got at my workshop as a reminder to lighten up, helped him continue his work when he was thinking of quitting. How a clown nose breaks down barriers at meetings or bonds a parent and their child.

-- Jim Jacobus:

In front of a very, very large audience at the National Automobile Dealers Association I was using my ruler to make a demonstration about how much time we have left in our lives to make a difference. I score the rulers in advance so they break exactly where I want and need them to so I can make my point. The first break comes in the middle and the next two on the half I keep in my hand. Well ... I threw away the half that was scored. In front of a very large audience on a very big platform I had to stop, run down off the stage, retrieve the half I needed to finish and just went back to the point where I broke it in half and started over. My belief was the editing crew for the production could, after the fact, edit out the snafu and at least those who later viewed the video wouldn't know what happened. Well the video guys said it was staying in because it was far too funny for anyone else to miss.

-- Stephanie:

I was doing a distance education program with puppets as props to liven up a potentially dull medium. The problem is I had not practiced enough. The result of that lack of practice is that I have NEVER shown the tape of it to anyone without their being reduced to tears of laughter. And the subject matter was not funny. They remember the trouble with the puppets and not the content. Props can be distracting even when the person has mastered their use. They need to be seamlessly woven into the program and not seem as if they are "cute;" if they do not add to the message, leave them out.

-- Melinda Brody:

I use a prop that is a small box with a woman's voice that yells, "Excuse me, excuse me, could you get me outta here" ... it demonstrates the point of how we feel sometimes at work. I forgot to turn it off and as I was wheeling my suitcase to my car, you could hear, "Excuse me, could you get me outta here" real loud from my suitcase. Everyone stopped in their tracks in the parking lot and stared at me. I just cracked up and continued with the laugh on the plane (Southwest, of course, where they appreciate a warped sense of humor). It was hilarious. I now use it as a funny story in my speeches.

I also use a big rubber chicken. I ask for a volunteer when I talk about feature benefit selling and the importance of it. I then ask for someone to come up and I hand them the chicken. They have to "sell" the audience on all the benefits of owning this chicken. The answers have been hilarious. Some memorable ones: "whack it on your customer so they'll stay awake during your sales presentation," "use it as a vase," "use it as a back scratcher," "surprise your husband with his favorite dinner." When they are done, I give them a miniature rubber chicken with a lollipop on the end as a gift.

-- Luther Beauchamp:

When having my first video made I used a Vanderbilt University cap as I told stories about the Vandy football team during my law school days there. The lighting was such that when wearing the cap my whole face was shaded so that my facial expressions could not be seen. That was only one of many reasons I am glad to have another video now and hope that all copies of that first one have been forever lost.

-- Karen Rowinsky:

In one of my talks I use props to illustrate points and then I give each prop to a member of the audience. I do this by numbering the props and putting a corresponding number on random handouts. One of the props is a piece of Godiva chocolate. At one conference, after giving the Godiva to the person who had the corresponding number, another member of the audience stood up and said she had that number also and she wanted chocolate too. I felt horrible since I only had one piece. I apologized but she made a big deal of it and even though I tried to lighten the mood and told her I'd send her a piece, it just felt bad. It was an all-day event and so I went out during a time when I wasn't speaking and bought her some chocolate. When I gave it to her, she told me she had actually written the number on her handout and was just pulling my leg. Very funny. Anyhow, I learned never to leave home without spare Godiva.

-- Edward Leigh, M.A.:

One meeting planner told me she would make an announcement at the end of my speech that I will have a table in the back of the room with props (for sale). After my speech, she went to the microphone and said, "For those of you that are interested, you could go to the back of the room and check out Eddie's equipment!" Everyone roared with laughter! Without missing a beat, I got back on the microphone and said, "I'm sorry, but only my wife is allowed to check out my equipment, but if you want to see the props I brought, those are available in the back of the room!" The lady who made the announcement, said she suddenly could not think of the word props and the first word that came to her mind was equipment!

-- Linda Swindling:

I've used signs where people were suppose to cheer like the old Bud Light commercial "Taste Great/Less Filling" -- instead, they say "We don't" and "Discriminate." The poster wasn't glued on well and fell off when my cheerleaders where trying to cheer on their teams.

Also, tried to play on company "humor" I saw on a poster in the lunchroom. Took the symbol they had (a paper bag with a smiley face on it) and made a few jokes. Wow...what a bunch of blank stares. Either they didn't know about the poster or didn't know about the sack or I just didn't set it up properly. Lesson: Make sure you set up whatever it is you are using and that everyone knows why you are using it.

-- Jim Snack:

I was presenting my Magic of Change keynote program for the General Services Administration in Arlington, VA in January. As a former professional magician my program always includes three or four of my favorite magic tricks. I love performing them since they entertain the audience while helping me emphasize key points.

After this particular program, one of the senior members of the planning team approached me to tell me how much she enjoyed the program. She had seen me present the same program in Seattle a few months earlier, but this time, she said, "she got more out of it." "The first time I saw you I was entertained by the magic," she explained, "but this time, since I knew what was coming, I listened more closely to the message and it had a greater impact on me."

Her comment reminded me that the danger of using props is that they may actually distract the listener from the message. This is particularly true for magic tricks. As soon as the audience sees magic, a part of their mind tries to figure out the trick. They can be so busy trying to figure out how I did the trick, that they miss the point I'm trying to make! In the future I'm going to use an idea Ron Arden talked about. After entertaining the audience with magic and humor, I'll signal the switch to topic with a comment like, "but seriously folks....." and go into a more serious character.

-- Nanci McGraw:

I have often twisted balloons, telling information, building up to my point as I go. But balloons are persnickety, and can break, or not work right etc. Therefore, I learned that I must have lots of patter to "cover" when one pops. One time I had a hundred in my audience for a communications session on dealing with difficult people. Ha! I had three balloons in a row NOT work! So I learned that you need LOTS of hot air patter! Plus I learned that it worked so well when it didn't work, that I worked it that way ever after for that topic!

-- Jean Palmer Heck:

When I was doing a speech on dealing with change, I used a cardboard cutout of an actor that was used to advertise the movie, Miss Saigon. I talked to the cutout as if it were someone in my audience. This allowed for lots of opportunities to adlib, use facial expressions, show emotion and just have lots of fun with the plastic/cardboard actor.

-- Dan Surface:

I once started a model airplane gas engine in a restaurant meeting room and the management thought something terrible was wrong with the freezer and announced to all customers to clear the restaurant.

-- Larry Kryske:

During one of my first public presentations (a freebie), my French paint box wooden easel broke at a critical part of the presentation. The entire easel with canvas fell over backwards. I had some of the audience bring up an empty table upon which I sat my easel. I continued on with my program as if nothing happened. Afterwards, I overheard two members of the audience discussing whether the breakdown was planned and part of the program. I have used that story in all subsequent presentations to illustrate that as a person pursues his or her vision, a breakdown is merely an inconvenience, not a show stopper, and is an opportunity to recommit to one's vision.

-- Larry Kutner:

My favorite use of a prop was a little clip-on koala that I used to make a point about separation anxiety in young children. I used it during a live, studio-based radio interview. The reason it's my favorite is that I'd forgotten to bring the prop with me. But I realized that since this was radio, the audience didn't know that. So I held up this imaginary clip-on koala and demonstrated to the host how parents could use something like this to help their young kids. ("As you can see, this particular one is about an inch-and-a-half high....") After a few moments, the host caught on to what I was doing, and even asked me to hand him the (imaginary) clip-on animal!

-- Marsha Petrie Sue:

I use a smile on a stick (Humor Project). I only had a light-skin-toned one -- because it matches me. My audiences are always very diverse. A person approached me after my talk, and they were not of my skin color and said, 'I wish they had different skin colors to choose from.' Humor Project now carries two other skin tones, I bought bunches of them all. I share mine first, then for a second round of laughter I hold up the other two and say, 'Because I am diversity conscious, I wanted to let you know they do come in other skin tones.'

-- Ray Pelletier, CSP, CPAE:

I had the lockers fall over during a presentation and it was very funny and I was able to play off of the event and it was even more effective. Some people asked me if it happened on cue. I wish I was that smart.

-- Mark Mayberry, CSP:

Many years ago, I took a "pop gun" - you pull the string and tinsel flies. Most of it landed in a woman's hair in the front row. I haven't tried it again!

-- "Captain Bob" Smith:

Since my props are magic, I need a wireless lavalier mic to free up both hands. On one speaking engagement the client did not honor my request and provided a hand-held wired mic. I was trying to use one of my props that would cause fire to come out of a product while trying to hold the mic at the same time. In the process, I was holding everything too close. When I finally was able to light the prop off, it lit the front of my hair on fire for an instant. The audience went "WOW! That was great! Can you do that again?" I could smell my hair burning. I sometimes tell this story to my audiences.

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