Today I am going to talk about public speaking humor.
We have been warned many a time never to use humor in public speaking, unless you have a knack for telling public speaking jokes.
We know that humor is no laughing matter. If it is not used appropriately, it can land you in a tight spot and lose your speaking credibility.
But if you know how to handle your sense of humor, it can be a powerful presentation tool for getting your message across.
But if you know how to handle your sense of humor, it can be a powerful presentation tool for getting your message across.
You can make use of humor to gain attention, create rapport, reduce tension and help to make your speech or presentation memorable too.
When humor is well woven into your speech or presentation, it can help to draw attention to your points more effectively.
When humor is well woven into your speech or presentation, it can help to draw attention to your points more effectively.
If you can can use humor to engage and entertain their audience, then you should use it to your advantage.
But you have to know the difference between just simply being funny and communication with a sense of humor. You don't just make people laugh for laughing sake.
But you have to know the difference between just simply being funny and communication with a sense of humor. You don't just make people laugh for laughing sake.
You don't just simply insert a joke that has relation to your speech or presentation, just because you want to feel popular or you think you are a stand-up comic.
You do not just tell jokes.
You use humor to effectively illustrate your message in your speech or presentation.
What happens if your joke falls flat?
What happens if your joke falls flat?
You will feel uncomfortable and silly.
But if you use a relevant humor to make a point in your presentation, even if it doesn't draw any laughter from your audience, it doesn't matter.
The not well-received joke still serves its purpose; that is to make a point.
The important thing to remember when planning to use humor in public speaking or presentation, make sure it has to be relevant to your subject and appropriate for your audience.
As I have said when you use humor in public speaking appropriately, you create rapport with your listeners.
But when you use inappropriate humor or offensive jokes, it could hurtful, not just to your audience, but to you as a speaker as well. It makes you look bad, hurts your credibility.
Avoid off-color jokes, sarcasm, and humor on race, ethnic and sex.
I strongly believe that everyone can use humor effectively, once they find the kind of humor which fits their speaking style.
Choose humor which you will feel comfortable, and that fits your presentation style, so that you can use it effectively in your talk.
There are many types of humor which you can use in your presentation or speech. One good and safe humor is the use of analogy.
A funny analogy makes the comparison easy to understand and interesting at the same time. I am sure you have heard of this popular analogy about public speaking.
A good speech is like a mini skirt short; short enough to keep everyone interested but long enough to cover the bare essentials.
There are other public speaking humor which you can incorporate in your talk, which does not require comic timing are personal anecdotes, funny quotes, abbreviations and acronyms, cartoons, puns and parodies news headlines.
There are other public speaking humor which you can incorporate in your talk, which does not require comic timing are personal anecdotes, funny quotes, abbreviations and acronyms, cartoons, puns and parodies news headlines.
You have to find out all you can about their demographics, their interests, their political leanings, their favorite sports teams, etc.
So you don't end up with your foot in your mouth.
By knowing your audience, it also provides you a good idea from which to draw your humorous materials.
The more you know about your audience, the easier for you to come out with effective relevant humor.
