To What Extent Does Humor Fit in a Presentation?

Consider any movie virtually! Have you ever wondered why is it that most of the script writers introduce a serious situation right after the scene that included laughter? The basic mantra is that such kind of balance further intensifies the seriousness of an upcoming scene. Same is the case with business presentations!

Whatever may be the topic of a presentation, it is the style of presenter that can make the real difference. And of course, the elements that you keep adding from time-to-time to lend it a personalized appeal also counts. Further, there is one more aspect that deserves attention, viz, the humor quotient.

Besides putting the audience at ease, appropriate usage of healthy humor makes illustration of points easier thus, engaging the listeners for a longer duration. But you have to be extremely careful with your word selection.

If at certain instants, a joke may fall flat then at other points, you may end up offending the sentiments of your audience. So, the point is that you must know where to draw the line. To make this idea even more clear, we are discussing a few points on the extent to which humor fits in a presentation. Read carefully to make the best possible use:

• Making Relevance With The Presentation Topic: At no point does adding humor imply being illogical. This is because gathering points from nowhere to add humor; will only demean your presentation. Therefore, use punch lines that are in conjunction with the topic of your presentation, your ideas and of course, your niche audience.

• Perfect Timing is The Key: Hold an open eye to the nerve of your audience so as to beware of the right time to add a humorous punch or two. As stated earlier, coming up with funny statements right before a serious statement is always beneficial.

• Having a Point is Essential: Do not try to be humorous just for the sake of it. Rather, it is suggested to use witty quotes at suitable situations while maintaining the tone of your presentation script. You do not want to be another Adam Sandler so, make sure that your presentation is both informational and interesting.

• Forget it, if You Doubt it: Your humor should never come at the expense of integrity of your presentation. So, you have to be sure about the type of humor you are planning to include. And if there is an iota of doubt over the authenticity of a joke, it is better not to use it.

If deep inside you feel that humor does not come naturally to you then, practice a lot before the day of delivery and go for a sensible yet, hilarious presentation.