Tip of the Week

Picture this. You have done a great job of telling the setup part of your joke or humorous story. You have the audience in your hands; they are listening intently. Then as you finish the set up part, you blurt out the punch line without taking a breath, and move on to the next part of your speech. You wonder why there was so little laughter.

Tip: don't rush the punch line! Common mistakes are: saying the punch line really fast, saying it in such a low voice that no one can hear it or stepping on the laughter by moving too quickly to the next sentence in your speech.

Next time try this. Just before the punch line, pause. Let the audience anticipate. Then deliver the punch line clearly, emphasizing the most important words. When the audience laughs, don't step on it. Wait until the crest of the laughter begins to flatten before going on to the next sentence of your speech. Or if you are the humorist, enjoy the laughter and wait until it begins to wane before sitting down. Challenge yourself to take on the role of humorist at the next meeting. Have fun!