When’s the last time you didn’t work at least a little bit of humor into your presentation? If you can think of an example you’re in even worse trouble than we thought! Humor is used in presentations so often because its so effective on so many levels:
Humor can:
- Capture an audience
- Put them at ease
- Keep them engaged
- And make them adore you!
But, it had better be funny…
When it comes to your next presentation, humor is no laughing matter! We’ll now look to some legendary jokesters to give us their best tips for a hilarious presentation.
Ellen Degeneres
Before success as an afternoon talk show host, Degeneres earned years of veteran experience as a stand-up comic who was known for her irreverent, rambling delivery. Degeneres continues to be a riot on stage, but she’s not known for her jokes. What makes Degeneres funny isn’t what she says, but the way she says it. Degeneres’s genius is in gestures, expressions, movement, body language and timing – not in crafting funny quips. Instead of trying to “come up with something funny” for a presentation, liven up your storytelling by becoming a funnier presenter.
Carrot Top
He gets a lot of flack for his prop-shop comedy, but Carrot Top has a thing or two to teach any presenter. When it comes to laughs a visual gag can bring a surprising, memorable jolt to any staid, stoic lecture. Cutting to a hilarious slide at just the right moment can be a punchline all by itself and having an actual prop that helps you make a concrete image of your idea can help you create a message that will stick with your audience.
Henny Youngman
The King of the One-liners left this mortal plane before the end of the last century, but his brilliant joke-telling techniques can still inspire us to bring both levity and brevity to our presentations. Youngman’s basic formula was a set-up and a punchline. It was simple, straight-forward and devastating. You can find examples of the master’s work all over the Interwebs, but what’s most important for us presenters is the man’s example. When it comes to humor in your next presentation, don’t make it complicated, make it funny.
