If You Want More Humor in Your Presentation(s)

An article on public speaking and humor

I want to introduce you to one of Three Musketeers of Speech Writing… John Cantu is a San Francisco comedy legend, owner and producer of the legendary Holy City Zoo, who helps you laugh all the way to the bank. He’s written material for Joan Rivers, Phyllis Diller, and the Smothers Brothers, many professional speakers and corporate executives.

Enjoy,
Patricia Fripp

This article gives you some concrete suggestions on how you can evaluate your current presentation and discover how effective your presentation’s current humor really is. If you are not totally satisfied with the effectiveness of humor in your presentations right now, chances are that your material can be slotted into one of the following three situations:

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Avoid Clichés – Like the Plague

Whether you’re writing or speaking, clichés will weaken your message and cause your audience to tune out. Here are Fripp’s Four Foolproof Tips for making your point:

  • You MUST use original material.
  • The audience will forgive you ANYTHING but being boring.
  • If someone else has already said it, say it in a completely different way.
  • If it’s a cliché, throw it out!

Sol Stein’s advice in Dialogue for Writers is equally useful for speakers: “The majority of novels are turned down, even those written by well-educated people, because they are cliché-ridden. And so is a lot of popular fiction that does get published.”

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How to Present to a Board of Directors

Gail was the Association Executive when I was president of the National Speakers Association. We planned the board meetings ahead of time at a health spa in Palm Springs. We would exercise in the morning, plan in the afternoon. The tough job for an Association Exec is that they have a new president every year, and it is really their job to coach the president on how to make this a productive and fun experience for the year. Some, of course, don’t want to be coached, so you have to do it very subtly. Because we don’t want to cause competition, it is better to not say, “I worked very well last year with such and such because__.” Just say, “Each person who has been president has brought something to the table.”

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How to Get Great Evaluations Every Time… Ask!

Ask for great evaluations in advance! Whenever you deliver seminars or break-out sessions, greet the attendees at the door and shake their hands. Start your presentation by asking the audience what they want and expect from their time with you. What ingredients are needed before they can rate you excellent?

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Are You Using Too Much Technology in Your Talks

We sit in the audience and watch spectacular audio/video presentations with PowerPoint™, Director™, and banks of coordinated slide carousels, and we think, “Wow, if only I could do that!”

Without a doubt, audio/visual has added showbiz impact to business and professional speakers’ presentations. However, just because it is available, doesn’t mean we have to use it! Here is another point of view.

I am an exceptionally high-tech marketer and get good business and prospects from my Website, e-mail newsletters, MentorU online learning, and other high-tech parts of my business. In my work as executive speech coach and presentation trainings, more and more managers are telling me, “Our CEO used to be a really great speaker before he had PowerPoint. Now he relies on it so much that he is less effective at motivating our sales force.”

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Top Speed: Great in the Movies, Bad at the Mike!

You’re charged with energy and maybe a bit nervous. Too often this can translate into talking too fast, maybe even a rise in voice pitch until the best-intentioned speaker sounds like Minnie Mouse.

Pay attention to audience feedback. If one person reports a problem with understanding you, this may be an individual perception or opinion. But if several do, it’s time to time yourself.

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The Great Comedians: What they Say about Comedy

“The jester is brother to the sage.” – Arthur Koestler In a conversation with my friend, Larry Wilde (New York Times says he is America’s best selling funny man) he said, “Making people laugh is the most specialized and respected talent in the arts. It does not matter how successful or famous or rich a comic becomes — each time he faces an audience he has got to be funny. That agonizing, persistent pressure, that constant challenge keeps the comedian honest — there is no let-up.

In my I attempt to shed some light on the serious business of making people laugh; an effort to comprehend the inscrutable; an endeavor to gain some insight into the mechanics and craft of comedy I invested 3 years interviewing The Great Comedians and wrote my book of that name.”

I was so fascinated with his stories of conversations with The Great Comedians, I convinced him to let me research his research and interview him on tape about the insights he gained, and life long lessons learned, as a young comedian fighting for interview opportunities talking to household names. The result is “The Gift of Laughter: Dialogues with The Great Comedians.”

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Business leader, what do you charge for talks?

Appropriate fees for business executives seeking engagements 

I am often asked what fee CEO’s and business executives should charge. Many have expertise, or have run a good business, and would like to gain national media attention and exposure. Recently I was asked, ” Is there a national list or organization that posts that type of info? ”

ANSWER: There is no list. People get paid for what they say, how and where they say it, and sometimes just for who they are. Speakers can earn anything from $25 on up to $100,000 for the top celebrity of the moment. Your best bet is to check the websites of similarly qualified CEOs to learn what they are currently charging.

However, since many top business people are skilled speakers, willing to promote their organizations and agendas without being paid, you or your CEO may not be offered any remuneration at all unless he/she is a big star in his/her field or has unique, leading-edge information that the audience can’t get anywhere else.

Remember, though, that there is no such thing as a “free speech.” If, by speaking at an industry meeting, you or your CEO gets positive PR for your organization and adds to personal reputation, that may actually be worth a lot more than a $1,000 speaking fee.

A lawyer once came to me for speech coaching. He was already a pretty good speaker and much in demand. “I am speaking for nothing,” he said, “but I think I should start charging.”

“Do your speeches result in new clients for your firm?” I asked. He said they did.

“And what is the average yearly income from a new client?” He said it was between $10,000 and $100,000. “Then, why on earth would you want to compete for $5,000 speaking engagements and reduce the number of contacts you can make?” His ego was getting in the way of his purpose.

Speaking at industry meetings where you get business is ultimately more profitable than trying to compete for fees with professional speakers who have spent their lives perfecting their messages.

If you or your CEO still wants to charge, decide your/his/her time is worth to your organization. If it takes a day for preparation, travel, and giving a speech, what should the hourly fee be? Then double that amount! In general, you are not considered a professional speaker if you charge less than $2,500. However, some groups you may want to reach might think $250 is a large honorarium. Weigh the relationships that can be developed against the fee itself, and you may decide that “free speech” is more lucrative than any speaking fee.

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Tips to Make You Look Professional and Win With Your Audience

Recently I had a conversation with author, speaker and consultant Jeff Davidson. Here are a few tips and guidelines we offer to help your next speech be an even greater success.

Fripp’s Top Tips to Win with an Audience Every Time!

  1. Have a personal relationship with the company whenever possible.
    I have been introduced by my bank account number and insurance policy number, or started with a story about doing business with the company.
  2. Spend as much time before and after the talk with the audience. There is more business to be had from the connection with the audience members and contacts from the client organization than the greatest speech.
  3. Tell a story in your talk that was obviously created for this audience. This is easily done if you ask you contact for a person who well illustrates one of your major points. Many of the stories I created for specific groups have become some of my classic ‘signature’ stories.
  4. Make mention of something you read in the client’s annual report and press release.

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Work in the Humor Place

Some Hot Get-Ahead Tips for Speakers, Comedians, Humorists and anyone interested in Comedy History from John Cantu

John Cantu is a comedy legend and was producer at the famous Holy City Zoo in San Francisco from 1975 to 1981 and co-owner from 1979-1981. He told me how the comedy club got its name and how the philosophy of a young comic can help any of us achieve maximum success. Although these events happened many years ago they are part of the comedy history of the super stars of today. There are lessons for life and all performing. Hope you enjoy reading of my conversations with Cantu.

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