Posts Tagged ‘Motivational speaker’

Motivational Speaking Props

Saturday, December 20th, 2008
Props are so captivating, so effective, so connecting for your motivational speaking job. In his book, Do Not Go 
Naked Into Your Next Presentation, Ron Hoff discusses the importance of good props:  
I’ve been trying to forget the O.J. Simpson trial, but one picture 
keeps developing itself over and over in my mind. It’s defense attorney 
Johnny Cochran, delivering his summation to the jury. He’s wearing a dark 
stocking cap, pulled down right over his head. The cap was a piece of 
prosecution evidence, but it didn’t look very dangerous on Johnny. And the 
most compelling part of this picture is that it’s locked in my brain forever. 
Images have a way of doing that.  Never underestimate the power of a vivid 
image to make linkages into the mind that words alone simply cannot 
accomplish. 
 
         Cochran’s is a good example of prop-power. I’ve already related a number of 
instances when speakers used props with excellent effect. You’ve probably seen 
examples as well.  
It’s always fun when you use props that you can hand out to members of the 
audience.  My friend, Marda, gave a presentation entitled, “Who Packs Your 
Parachute?” in which, instead of simply thanking the audience for all the community 
service they’d done, she gave each audience member a little plastic paratrooper – 
something memorable for them. Great fuel! 
As mentioned earlier, I once used nine different props in a speech. Also, 
whenever I tell one of my signature stories — the Nordstrom Story — I actually hold up 
the ratty old green shirt I’m talking about, so the audience can see it. When I share 
about my phone call to my wife, I actually speak into my cell phone. When I mention 
that I was lacking cash for a transaction, I pull out my wallet from my back pocket and 
rummage through it with a sad look on my face. I don’t just tell about the tie I bought, I 
wear it and flaunt it.  

 

This is the captivating power of props, and they are especially essential in 
meeting the needs of visual and kinesthetic learners in your audience.

 

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The Questioning Motivational Speaker

Saturday, December 20th, 2008
Why are questions so powerful?  
  Have you considered the benefits of asking for audience responses?  
        How do questions encourage dialogue and discourage lecture?  

 

I recall listening to a speaker who began her presentation asking “How old would 
you be if you didn’t know how old you are?”  
This inspired laughter and discussion in the group… 
“Does that mean how old do I feel?”  
“How old do I look?”  
It made an immediate connection and it led into the point of her talk.  
Asking questions is also a good opportunity to start off with some humor:   
“How many people are in the wrong place?” 
“How many wish they were in the wrong place?” 

“How many care where they are?” 
“How many wish I would stop asking questions?” 
People will laugh, and you’ll see hands raised after each question. This provides 
both spark and a change of pace.  
You do have to be careful, however, when you’re asking rhetorical questions 
because some people won’t pick up on the fact that they are rhetorical.  It’s not that I 
don’t love to get responses from the group. I frequently interact with audiences. But 
there are times in a speech when you don’t want people shouting out answers. It can 
undermine a dramatic or inspirational point in your speech. You can’t ignore that raised 
hand or that shout. I effectively set up rhetorical questions by letting the audience know 
in various phrasings that no verbal response is expected. I’ll say…  
“Let me just ask you a few rhetorical questions…”  
or 
 “I want you just to think about possible answers to this question…”  
or 
 “There’s no need to respond to this, but why would…”  

  

These pretty much guarantee that you won’t be faced with the awkwardness of 
someone speaking up from the audience when you’d rather them not.  
Why don’t more speakers use this magical device that shows respect?   
Why do teachers rarely use questions, except on tests?   
Will you consider asking more questions in your presentations?   
Can you think of a better way to involve others in your keynote speeches as a motivational speaker?

 

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