Toastmaster Speech Manual Number Eight
Add Impact To Your Speech
| Objectives |
* To use the value
of props in speaking
* To learn how to use props effectively
in your presentation
* TIME: Five to seven minutes
|
In Project 4 you learn to use body language in your speeches to illustrate and emphasize
the pojnts you are makking. Another way to illustrate and emphasize your message is to use
visual aids.
The most common visual aids are overhead transparencies, slides, flip charts, videos,
handouts, and props. In this project you will learn how to use one of these aids -
props.
Helpful Aid
A prop is an object that
contributes to your speech. It can be a book, a ball, a rock, a tool, a kitchen gadget, a
hat, an animal, or just about any other item that audience better understand and remember your message.
One example is the speaker who juggled three balls to emphasize the difficulties she faces
as a working mother with two children. The balls were props. Another example is the
speaker, a chef, who demonstrated how to use a food processor. The speaker actually had a
food processor on a table and showed how he used it to prepare the ingredients in his
favorite recipe. The food processor was a prop.
Props can add impact to your speech. They can:
| 1 |
Emphasize your message.
Props can be used to dramatize your point and help the audience to remember your message.
The speaker who juggled used props in this way |
| 2 |
Add visual interest. Had
the chef verbally explained how to use the food processor without even having one on
display, his listeners most likely would not have grasped the instructions and would have
lost interest in the presentation. Actually seeing the processor itself
and how it chopped, diced, and blended food added interest for the
listeners and increased their
understanding and retention of the instructions. |
| 3 |
Focus attention. Audiences
can be easily distracted. Beginning your presentation by displaying an object can
immediately attract attention. Even if they are interested in your message, after a few
minutes listeners' mind may wander. By using props in your speech, you can draw listeners'
attention back to you and renew their interest in your presentation. |
Risky Business
When you use a prop, you are actually taking a risk with your
presentation. The wrong prop can damage your speech, offend others, and destroy
your credibility withthe audience. Selecting your props carefully will help make
your presentation successful. Make sure any prop you choose is:
| 1 |
Appropriate to the message.
Professional speakers always advise beginning speakers to tell a joke or story only
of it relates to the speech subject. The same applies to props. Every prop you use must be
relevant to your resenataion's theme and relate to a major point. Using a prop that has
nothing to do with your presentation - just to attract attention - can confuse and
distract the audience. |
| 2 |
Appropriate to the audience.
Are your listeners corporate executives? Writers? College-educated? Middle-aged men
and women? Farmers? Teachers? Wealthy? A prop should be tailored to the audience's
interest, experience, and sophistication. |
| 3 |
Appropriate to the occasion.
Will your presentaion be at a formal awards dinner? A sales meeting? A community picnic? A
service club's conference? The local Chamber of Commerce meeting? A retirement
roast? A Parent-Teacher Organization meeting? The occasion and its purpose always should
influence your choice of props. Donning a funny hat at a serious corporate seminar may not
be well-received by the audience. |
| 4 |
Enhancing, not overpowering,
the message. A prop should add impact to, but not overshadow, your presentation. For
example, a speaker did a spectacular magic trick to emphasize a point she was making.
However, she took five minutes audience remembered the trick, not the point. A shorter,
less fantastic trick may have been more effective. |
| 5 |
Clearly visible. A prop
that is too small or too complicated will distract the audience and leave them puzzled.
Your audience should be able to easily see a prop. Some props may be readily seen by a
small audience, but be far too small to be visible to a larger group. |
| 6 |
Used with confidence. Any
nervousness or discomfort you may have about using a prop should not be apparent to your
audience. The working mother who juggled the balls appeared confident with her trick,
which added impact to her presentation. Had she said, "I'm not sure I can do
this" or "Please don't laugh if I drop one," her message would not have
been as effective. When you appear confident with your prop, your audience will think you
are confident. |
Display Techniques
In most cases, you should display the prop only when you are ready to use it. This means you may have to cover it or hide it until the appropriate moment in your talk. Revealing the prop as you refer to it gives the prop and your message greater emphasis.
Generally, pause as you first display your prop, then continue speaking. This gives your audience time to see the prop. Don't hold the prop in front of your body. If you do, people may not be able to see it. Hold it out to the side instead. If the prop is resting on a table, stand off to the side and back a
step. Do not block the audience's view of the prop. When you are finished with it, remove it from view if...... Take
care not to fuss with the prop, too. The audience becomes
uncomfortable when the speaker spends too much time arranging the
item. In some situations a prop cannot or need not be kept from view
until you are ready for it. For example, the chef not only had his
food processor on a table, he also had an assortment of vegetables,
cookware, spices, and utensils. Instead of hiding them from view,
he kept them on the table slightly to the right of the speaking
area. As he began his presentation, he stood a few feet to one side
of the table, then moved behind it when he began to demonstrate the
food processor. Take care not to let your prop turn into a
pacifier. Had the chef habitually tapped a juggling working mother
unconsciously tossed a ball from one hand to the other as she continued with her presentation, the prop would become a distracting
nervous habit instead of a helpful speech aid.
Rehearsal
Using a prop successfully requires practice. Displaying it too soon or too late can decrease its impact, as will dropping it or inadvertently holding it upside down. Rehearse your speech carefully. Memorize the line you will say just before you display your object, as well as the line you will say afterward, and practice revealing the prop. This ensures your prop will help you make your point effectively. If you will need a table on which to set
your prop, bring one or make sure one will be available. If
necessary, bring a cloth to cover it from view until you need
it.
Remember, too, that if anything can go wrog, it most likely will. Imagine how embarrassed the chef would have been if the juggling working mother would feel when she discovered she had lost one of her balls enroute. Bring a spare prop, especially if t is breakable. If a prop requires power, make sure a power outlet is available and bring an ectension cord. Plan every move associated with your prop. Anticipate any problems that may occur and develop plans to overcome each one.
Your Evaluation
For this speech you will select a subject that allows you to use
one more props to add impact to your message. The props to add impact to your message. The props you use should be appropriate
for your message and the audience, and be displayed correctly with
ease and confidence. In addition, you should use all of the skills
you've learned in the previous projects.