How to Add Humor to a Presentation

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