What are some ways to use humor and emotion in public speaking without being melodramatic?

A real time example of this for me was when I decided to use a new polling app, to poll attendees during a presentation. The app was working, the attendees were excited to use it- one problem: The Hotel conference center was in the basement, without phone service or WIFI. Instead of trying and trying to fix this, i made fun of myself that there is always something that goes wrong in a presentation. Thankfully i was prepared enough to poll them orally instead, and it was a great humanizing way to keep the conversation flowing, instead of a technical glitch that halts the talk.

One thing I have found useful after over 200 public speaking engagements is making your personal stories come alive for the audience. Just like a story told on a stage on Broadway it has to follow a basic story arc. Arc refers to the structure and shape of a story. This arc is made up of the events in your story — the sequence of occurrences in the plot — and determines the peaks and plateaus that set the pace. A good arc is vital if you want to engage your audience from start to finish, and deliver a satisfying talk.

I agree knowing your audience is important. Additionally, knowing your audience is to share humor we can all relate to, like soda popping on your suit unexpectedly, or a stocking tear, you are trying to hide with clear nail polish. "You can see it, but nobody else can, right?" I am sorry, "pantyhose."

Knowing your audience is important when using humor in your speech. Consider their age, background, and cultural differences. Also, make sure your humor is appropriate for the occasion and won't offend anyone. Use humor sparingly and make sure it's relevant to your topic. Practice your timing and delivery to ensure your jokes land well. For e.g. - If you're speaking to a group of college students, you might make a joke about ramen noodles or pulling all-nighters to study. However, if you're speaking to a group of CEOs, you might make a joke about the challenges of managing a large corporation. In both cases, the humor should be appropriate for the audience and relevant to your topic.

I give 30-40 keynotes a year and the best advice I can provide is to talk to members of your audience BEFORE your speech. You can ask the event organizer if he/she would be willing to facilitate introductions. ?? Also, I always arrive the night before my talk and mingle with attendees. The intel you'll get from these conversations will prove invaluable.

Using memes to explain a point or illustrate the absolute OPPOSITE of your point is super helpful. I've found that it makes most presentations more relatable and easier to digest.

Making fun of yourself during a presentation makes public speaking much more comforting. It is an excellent tool for transitions, introductions, and closings. For example, you can joke about how nervous you are at the start of a talk. Doing this will help the audience humanize you while lowering the stakes for yourself. Just be careful, It should be very light and no-too-serious, or else it may make the presentation uncomfortable.

Self-deprecating humor is an effective way to humanize yourself and make yourself more accessible. Be careful about making someone else the butt of a joke. The audience will see themselves in that person or you may come off as a bully.

Careful - too much humor can be distracting or even offensive. If done right - Humor can help engage your audience and make your speech more memorable. Start with a strong opening joke to grab your audience's attention, then strategically sprinkle in humor throughout your speech to keep the energy up. Remember to stay true to your message and use humor to support your main points, rather than detracting from them.

I always love inserting my real and honest opinions. Intonations help here, so does comedy. For example, when I’m telling a story about graduating during the pandemic, sometimes I make a joke about it being my grad gift. But also maybe a few sentences later I make sure to pause, let the audience feel the sadness associated with that devastation. And carry on with explaining how I moved forward. That’s much more dynamic than saying, “I graduated during the pandemic,” because people want to be taken through a journey.

Using emotion in speaking is everything. It's important to be genuine when sharing personal stories or experiences that evoke strong emotions. However, be careful not to overdo it or force emotions that aren't natural. Your audience will be able to tell if you're not being authentic. Use emotion to support your message and reinforce key points, but be sure to balance it with logic and facts.

People love it hen emotion is used as it shows the person is real and authentic. However, use it too much and people won't engage. So it is important that you feel comfortable talking about the topic so you won't have too many emotions coming up from it. However, if real emotion comes up then showcase that as that will help people see the real you.

Stories. Stories. Stories. Humans evolved from fireside conversations to industry conferences. But there is a maxim that will never change: People want to hear stories so they can attach mental anchors to the speaker and material. Take some time to sketch the stories from your life that will help enliven your key points. Final Tip: Always stick around after your talk and ask attendees which stories resonated with them. Then, keep those stories for your next talk and discard the rest. At the end of this process, you'll have a bundle of stories that will connect with a wide range of attendees.

Nothing helps you deliver a strong speech than a strong story. Using stories and examples can help bring your message to life and make it more relatable to your audience. Stories can create a powerful emotional connection, while examples can help illustrate complex concepts in a more tangible way.

Pausing is a powerful technique to add to your public speaking tool belt. Depending on where you do it, pausing can help your audience digest a main point or prepare to hear a main point. Pausing can also help audience members refocus if they happened to momentarily zone out. As an added benefit, pausing will help you slow down your thinking and speech. But like anything else, be sure not to overdo it.

Using rhetorical devices can make your speech more memorable and impactful. Rhetorical devices are techniques used to create a persuasive effect on your audience. Some examples of rhetorical devices include: Metaphors: comparing two things in a way that highlights their similarities. Hyperbole: using exaggerated language to emphasize a point. Repetition: repeating a word or phrase to create emphasis.

Most speakers skip this step. Don't be most speakers. ????♂? Suck up your pride, quiet your fears and practice your speech in front of other humans before you take the stage. It will be nerve-wracking at first, but rest assured - your speech will improve exponentially.

"Practise makes perfect" is a lie - "Practise makes permanent". So how you practise (and get feedback matters). The best way I have found to practise before you present to others is to stick your headphones in, pretend you are on the phone and go for a Pitch walk. It allows life, the traffic, the birds, to get in the way of your presentation, so you bring more energy to it. Then it is about presenting - but only from that place of confidence. The best questions I have found for feedback are: "What stuck to you"? (in a good way) "What would you like more of"? If you tell your audience this is what they will get to give feedback on, it gives helpful boundaries to the feedback and gets them specific.

I get a lot of feedback that my speeches and presentations are humorous. But most of them don't start that way - they evolve through practice and repeated presentations. The presentation I gave a year ago is not the same presentation I am giving today. I take careful note of which iteration works best. Always be improving...and yes, you can read that as improv-ing. Try new things all the time. Don't be afraid to fail - even the flops can be funny if you know how to recover.

Be open to constructive criticism, and use it to improve your skills for your next speaking engagement. Practicing allows you to become more comfortable with your material and can help you identify areas that need improvement. Rehearse your speech multiple times, and practice in front of a mirror or with a friend or family member. Or even record yourself and watch it over to improve!