Why Use Humor in Your Presentations?

by Tom Antion

Why use humor?
• Why should I bother using humor in my presentations?
• Can't I just deliver my information and sit down?
You sure can! That's what most people do. The problem is that most people are not effective presenters. They are nighty-nite, snooze-inducing, say-your-prayers, hit-the-sack, unlicensed hypnotists. They are ZZZZZs presenters. They might be experts in their field and able to recite hours and hours of information on their topic, but is that effective?
According to Bob Orben, Special Assistant to President Gerald Ford and Former Director of the White House Speech writing Department, "Business executives and political leaders have embraced humor because humor works. Humor has gone from being an admirable part of a leader's character to a mandatory one."
A survey of top executives who earned more than $250,000 per year was conducted by a large executive search firm. The survey found that these executives believed their communication skills were the number one factor that carried them to the top.
Mastering the use of humor and other high-explosion techniques puts a fine polish on your presentation skills which can help propel you to the top of the speaking profession.
Benefits of using humor
There are many benefits you can derive from using humor in your presentations. Keep in mind that these benefits only help you reach your ultimate purpose for making the presentation. They are not purposes in themselves unless, of course, you are only interested in entertaining.
How humor helps you:
• Enhance your connection with your audience
• Makes you more likeable
• Arouses interest
• Keeps attention
• Helps emphasize points and ideas
• Disarms hostility
• Overcomes overly flattering introductions
• Gets your point across without creating hostility
• Helps relate facts and figures
• Makes a positive impression
• Shows that you do not take yourself too seriously
• Helps paint pictures in the audience's mind
• Makes information more memorable
• Lightens up heavy material
Tom's List of Top 4 Benefits of Using Humor
• You will be asked back
• You will get higher evaluations or more sales
• You will make more money
• You will make people happy.
The last one is my favorite benefit. I get great satisfaction from knowing that I have brightened someone else's life. I had an executive come up to me after one of my humor seminars and say, "You opened up a whole new world for me." I almost cried right on the spot. I'll never forget it. "
Tom Antion is a veteran of over 2300 paid presentations. His Great Speaking e-zine has the largest subscriber base (over 85,000 as of this writing) in the entire speaking industry.