Listening can lead to understanding; seeing can lead to believing.

Phil couldn’t wait to deliver his speech about Harley-Davidson motorcycles to the rest of his class. The purpose of the speech was to inform his audience of the difference in quality between American-made motorcycles and those made in Japan and Germany. A longtime Harley owner, Phil felt that if his audience could actually see a Harley up close and hear the distinctive rumble of its engine, they would understand his point in a more visceral way. But how could he provide this experience without actually driving his Harley into the classroom?

Phil considered other possibilities, such as playing a recording of a Harley engine being revved up, showing enlarged photos of different Harley models, or playing some video footage from a recent motorcycle convention he’d attended. He knew that any of these presentation aids would help him convey the unique character and quality of Harley-Davidson bikes. But to his mind, they still weren’t as potent as showing his listeners an actual motorcycle.

That night, Phil shared his concerns with his wife, Claire. She came up with a solution: she would park the family Harley outside the classroom’s windows during Phil’s talk. When the day of the speech arrived, Phil opened the window shades and invited his classmates to stand near him as he extolled the virtues of Harley motorcycles. Outside, Claire pointed to various parts of the bike as he mentioned them. Phil’s audience immediately grasped his passion for Harleys (not to mention his wife’s love for him!). Through creative use of presentation aids—in this case, an actual bike and an assistant who focused his listeners’ attention on various aspects of the machine—Phil was able to deliver an exceptionally engaging and interesting speech.

In this chapter, we take a close look at presentation aids, examining their advantages, the many different forms they can take, and strategies for using them effectively.