Visual aids and props can go a long way in lending interest and depth to your presentation. Many people are very visual in nature. “Did you see that!” Audiences tend to remember visually presented information with greater clarity and detail. If you’re still a little nervous, a little “accessory” will help keep your hands “busy”, so you can avoid a series of unconscious “nervous habits”. Some props and visual aids that I have found useful during my presentations include these items.
small stuffed animals
I have used “Winnie the Pooh”, “Tigger”, and “Piglet” on more occasions than I can count. I have also successfully used “generic” stuffed rabbits, frogs, puppies and mice. Be creative and imaginative in coming up with ways to use them to help get your point across and your audience will eat it up.
brochures
Brochures remain an effective means of keeping your audience in tow. Use them to reinforce your main points, as an outline for your audience to follow along with, and as additional information they can take away. If you have additional services or a product to offer, be sure to include a flyer as part of your distribution package. In fact, I’ve had seminar attendees almost literally fight over the brochures, climbing over each other in their quest to get the packet of brochures.
Photographs
Photographs are great visual aids – when I recently gave presentations to a group of fellow teachers, I included slides that not only quoted some of them, but also used a photo of them. In another presentation, I used a photo collage to illustrate my presentation’s upcoming topics and themes. One of my most memorable “Thank you for coming” slides featured a collage of photos I had previously taken of people in the audience. Needless to say, it turned out pretty well.
charts and graphs
Charts and graphs put verbal information into a visual form that is much easier for the audience to digest and remember. They can also add a more colorful dimension to key statistics and data in your presentation.
demonstrations
However, don’t miss the opportunity to include a short demo in your presentation. Use volunteers from the audience, mini-competitions, etc. to deeply engage attendees in your presentation. It will be even more memorable not only for them, but also for their fellow attendees. Ask them to make a brief comment, recount an experience, or offer a relevant anecdote during your presentation. Ask for volunteers, “Has anyone had an experience with…” or “Has this ever happened to anyone here?” I always get at least a couple of eager volunteers. They sure can liven things up.
Video
Video is a wonderful tool that is being included more and more in all kinds of presentations. Digital video clips do not need to be long or overly large and can be inserted into a Power Point slide. These include full color, motion, and sound to introduce, illustrate, or elaborate on a key point. Their use should be controlled, if not limited, as they can cause “glitches” if the equipment you are using is not yours. A differently configured computer can wreak havoc on your carefully crafted presentation.
don’t leave out the sound
Don’t leave aside the sound in your presentations either. Some ideas include using a bell, whistle, rattle, kazoo, slide whistle, flute, rhythm sticks, or some other small noisemaker. Save the Klaxon horns and foghorns for New Year’s Eve. Sound can be used as attention-grabbing prompts, slide or activity directions, or for audience participation: “Now, when the bell rings, everybody say…
Use more audiovisual aids and accessories in your presentations. You’ll also have more attendees coming up after your presentation to shake your hand and say, “Thank you, I really enjoyed your presentation.”
