First-Class Humor for Presentation

This presentation tip is in the category: First-Class Key-Note Speaker Know-How Series

First-class speakers can always keep the audience focused and excited during their presentations. They are always able to effectively say something to make the audience laugh - no matter if it is a simple joke, a funny example or an interesting personal experience. Adding humorous content in the presentation is a high-risk, high-return activity. If you do it correctly, you will have a high payback of a committed group of audience who could recall your jokes after years of your presentation.

The following are some key points to incorporate humor in a presentation:

Know your audience:
who’s actually attending the conference? The same joke could be funny to Company CEOs but offensive to HR Directors. My advice would be to ask for the attendee list from the event organizer before start planning for the presentation. Otherwise, don’t tell a joke.
Relate to the topic:
don’t tell a joke just for the sake of doing it. All funny content should relate to the overall theme and add values to the overall presentation. If this is just something happened to be funny, don’t put it in the presentation.
Be clear and short:
If people laugh, that’s great. If they don’t, quickly move on.
Be original:
I have been to a presentation where the speaker told us a so-called funny story that everyone in the room has read it on newspapers the day before the event. The result was that no one thought the so-called funny story was funny. You should always make sure your funny content is original or at least you have customized it for the presentation.

Starting today, try to think of at least one funny example and add it to the presentation. However, always remember the key points I mentioned above. Last but not least, test out the funny examples with a friend who has similar demographics to your future audience. If the jokes couldn’t make the friend laugh or the person doesn’t like them, don’t put them in the presentation.

Why should we tell a funny story in a presentation?

Keep up the excitement level
Help your audience easily remember the key points or examples
Build a link to the audience if the audience had similar funny experience in the past

First-Class Humor for Presentation

Know your audience:

Relate to the topic:

Be clear and short:

Be original:

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