Here are three things to consider before you add humor to your presentation.
1.) Am I a funny person?
Some folks feel or get pressure to "be funny." They think, "If I'm funny, my audience will like me
more," which isn't necessarily true. If you're not comfortable being funny, your attempts at humor can
come off as being awkward and uncomfortable, and your audience will feel that. If you're uncomfortable,
your audience will be too. Stick with your natural style or practice humor in lower-stakes scenarios until
you're more comfortable.
2.) Have I tested my humor with someone else?
Not everyone receives humor in the same way. Practice with people beforehand and get their honest
feedback. While it might be true that "you're not for everyone," you are there for your audience, and you
don't want to offend them.
3.) What's my recovery plan?
Even the best-laid plans fail from time to time. Do yourself and your audience a favor by thinking through
how you'll handle humor failure. Be ready to acknowledge the fail, apologize if needed, and prepare a
transition phrase or activity to get everyone back on track.
The moral of the story is do your homework and have a game plan before attempting to add humor
presentation. Knowing yourself and your audience will help you determine what’s right for you and for them.
Don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter here and connect with me on social media!
Sign up for my weekly newsletter here.
Connect with me on
LinkedIn Alex Perry
Instagram @pswithalex
Best Practices for Visuals
Engaging Your Audience
Crafting a Compelling Story: Business vs. Interpersonal
Understanding Your Audience
Presenting Made Simple: Conversational Mindset versus Delivery Mindset
How Do We Become the Best?
How to be More Assertive at Work
Are You Using Aggressive Communication?
What is Aggressive Communication and Why Does it Matter?
How to Overcome Challenges with Passive Communication Style
What is Passive Communication and Why Does it Matter?
How to Respond to Passive Aggressiveness
Passive Aggressive Much?
How to Say No to Requests for Your Time
How Do You Repeat Yourself Without Sounding Repetitive?
Resiliency Revisited
Lies Revisited: Answering a Listener Question
How to Handle a Complainer
Listen
Words Shape Success
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Commercial Edge: Unleash the Power of People
The emPOWERed Half Hour
NABOR® TALKS
U.S Property Podcast
Aligned Money Show
The Ramsey Show
Planet Money