Learn to Be Funny - Jokes to Open a Presentation

An easy and simple way to immediately add humor to your presentation is to include it in your introduction. This way you can potentially have your audience laughing even before you set foot on stage, this is not a bad thing. Now, when I say you can use jokes to open a presentation you do not necessarily have to use a street joke.

If you are not clear on the term, a street joke is a joke you get told by a friend or work colleague in a social situation. Such as the "man walks into a bar..." type jokes. More often than not these do not have an authorship.

But you do not have to use those. You can simply create your own presentation introduction jokes, but harnessing your own sense of humor. Can you think of something humorous, and relevant to your presentation which the person introducing you can read out? Quick tip; if you do make sure it is appropriate for the environment you are speaking in.

Is there a way that you can find a witty quote, or inside joke that connects well with your presentation as well as with your audience?

You can use street jokes, but I would provide two warnings if you do so. The first is if you use a street joke I would edit it so that it was in my words and I would personalise it. Secondly, be very careful if you find a street joke online or in a book. There is a very high chance that someone else may be using the same joke. If they are on the same bill as you it could be dangerous. Or if you are the only speaker, you might have someone coming up to you afterwards and telling you that they had heard the joke before.

Also, many presenters waste valuable audience connection time by having their introduction packed with biographical information. You know the type, "our next speaker as an MBA, BBC and NBC..." who cares?

Remember that your audience is always going to be thinking: "what is in it for me?" So why not tell them right off the bat? Inform your audience exactly what they will get out of listening to you. What is their take away? Will they learn a specific set of tools? Are you giving them an action plan?

By telling them what they can expect to get out of your presentation before you even begin, you can help grab their interest before you even walk out in front of them. So not only are you connecting with your audience through the power of laughter by using jokes to open a presentation, but you are also relaying the benefits they will get.

The next step is using jokes to open a presentation once you are on the speaking platform. Again, you want to make it relevant to your content. You could also find a way to make it relevant to something that is immediately noticeable, like the backdrop. Be careful with this one though, mocking the backdrop or something else that you share the platform with, might seem as though you are biting the hand that feeds you.

You can also open and immediately connect with your audience by referring back to something that got a laugh by a previous speaker. Find a way to slightly re-phrase that person's comment. Your audience will love you for it because it shows that you are in the moment, you are paying attention and your presentation is alive and fresh just for them.

Do not spend too long being funny in your opening though, remember you have to carry on and deliver your overall message. Unless of course, your whole speech is humorous then that is a whole other ballgame as you will want to continue being humorous.

Remember, if you say that you are going to provide them with definite take-ways, actually provide them with those take-aways. Do not fail to deliver on your promise. Always strive to over-deliver on your promise.

Jason Peck is a Humorist, Speaker and Coach based in Chicago, Illinois. He provides upmarket presentation skills training and coaching. Check out his blog Pro Humorist

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Everyone Should Learn Three Inoffensive Jokes

A man who won millions in a lottery was once asked how the money had changed his life. The man answered: "People you to say I was rude and they now say I'm refreshing and I'm not witty where I once was a guy who new the punchlines to all he dirty jokes."

For anyone who does not have the luxury of being considered "witty" then learning a few inoffensive jokes is a must. This may not be as easy as it sounds as different people are offended by different things and some people are offended by almost anything. This not to say that there is not a time or place for the more colorful jokes.  These jokes should be avoid in public meetings, workplaces and when you first meet someone. Commonsense will go a long way in determining if a joke is safe to tell. Here are a few tips.

1) If the joke has offensive language which cannot be cleaned up then it should be saved for when you are with your friends.

2) Any joke that deals with any sexual situations or innuendos should likewise be avoided.

3) It should go without saying that racial jokes are big no. This also extents to nationality jokes as well. Telling a joke about a drunk Irishman or a penny-pinching Scot may seem harmless but people do take offense them just the same. Just because you are a member of a certain race or nationality does not give you the right to make self-deprecating jokes of that race or nationality.

4) Sexist jokes, whether about males or females, are also to be avoided.

5) You may think that blonde jokes, lawyer jokes or doctor jokes are safe to tell. If you do not know the professions of the people you are talking to, you may want to tread carefully.

Everyone should learn at least three inoffensive jokes to see them through any situation. To help with this task, three inoffensive jokes are listed below.

Joke 1

A man in a supermarket was pushing a cart which contained, among other things, a screaming baby. As the man proceeded along the aisles, he kept repeating softly, "Keep calm, Fred. Don't get excited, Fred. Don't yell, Fred."

A lady watched with admiration and then said, "You are certainly to be commended for your patience in trying to quiet little Fred."

"Lady," he declared, "I'm Fred!"

Joke 2

Why are there no romantic restaurants on the moon?  Because there is no atmosphere.

Joke 3

The cowboy lay sprawled across three entire seats in the posh Tucson theatre.

When the usher came by and noticed this he whispered to the cowboy, "Sorry, sir, but you're only allowed one seat."

The cowboy groaned but didn't budge.

The usher became more impatient. "Sir, if you don't get up from there, I'm going to have to call the manager.

The cowboy just groaned.

The usher marched briskly back up the aisle, and in a moment he returned with the manager. Together the two of them tried repeatedly to move the cowboy, but with no success.

Finally, they summoned the police.

The cop surveyed the situation briefly then asked, "All right buddy, what's your name?"

"Sam," the cowboy moaned.

"Where ya from, Sam?"

With pain in his voice Sam replied "the balcony."

Brian Goethe runs the website http://www.cleanandfunny.com and understands the importance of not offending people with a joke.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Learn How to Tell Jokes, Part 1 of 2 - Your First Joke

Heard any good jokes lately? I sometimes ask people this, and do you know how they often answer? "Oh, I can never remember jokes!"

That used to be me. I used to never remember a joke. In fact, you could tell me the same joke over and over and I'd never remember the punch line until you got there. At least I got more than one laugh out of it.

But I felt a little left out. I wanted to tell jokes, too. Jokes are a way of making a person smile. It's a way of sharing with each other. If you tell a joke well, they'll remember you with a smile.

I assure you, you can remember jokes. If you can remember a story, you can remember a joke. And you do remember some stories, don't you? Do you remember Hansel and Gretel, or Pinocchio, or The Three Musketeers, or Star Wars? If you remember any stories you can remember a joke, for a joke is just a short story with a funny end.

And just like with a story, you don't need to remember the joke exactly in order to retell it. Here is a secret: usually good joke-tellers are changing small details of the joke -- either to make it better -- or because they don't remember it exactly how it was told to them.

So here is what you can do to learn how to tell jokes. Begin with short jokes:

Patient: "Doctor, I have a terrible problem! I can't seem to remember things I have just said."

Doctor: "When did you first notice the problem?"

Patient: "What problem?

Now immediately look away or close your eyes and retell the joke out loud to no one. Then, all you have to do is call a friend and tell the joke. Try to do it soon. Tell the same joke this afternoon or tomorrow to someone else. Keep telling it. You remember it better with each retelling. You might even change it a little and make it better.

Social network users, click for myspace comments such as compliments, cool comments, love, flirty, birthday, holidays, religion, funny, cute, etc. You can also use myspace graphics .If you love Halloween, click Myspace Halloween Graphics to send to your friends and add to your profile.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.