Motivational Speaker Jobs and Props

Props are so captivating, so effective, so connecting for your speaking career. In his book, Do Not Go 

Naked Into Your Next Presentation, Ron Hoff discusses the importance of good motivational speaker 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 motivational 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 motivational speech 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. (More on the 

different styles of learners will be discussed later in this chapter). 

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