When your opening jokes don't work with the audience- has this happened to you? Public speaking blog-10

Remember the iconic dialogue from the movie Kung Fu Panda? “Never underestimate the power of a dramatic entrance.”

One of the most common and useful tips to give a speaker is to have a great opening in your speech or presentation. It is the opening that will help your audience connect with you and become interested in your talk. I have coached and helped several people who are willing to try something new and quirky at the start to get the attention of the audience. Most of the time it is a joke, a dramatic fact or picture, or a funny rhetorical question.?

This is all fantastic. But does it work all time? To be honest, no! I've seen these openings fail while sitting in the audience. Why?

It could be for many reasons, but most often, it depends on how the speaker delivers it. Many speakers feel shy about starting with something so dramatic or quirky that they choose to rush it or do it so subtly and softly that it makes little to no impact.?

Have you ever witnessed such incidents? Isn't this more common in a formal setting? Did you ever find yourself in one of these situations where the opening fell flat, even though it was supposed to be funny and grabby??

This is a common symptom that happens to almost every speaker, especially when they are speaking at work or in formal situations.?

Here are some tips that can help you overcome this situation and make a dramatic entrance in your speech or presentation:

Choose your own joke -?

Every speaker should know their own comfort level for how far they want to go in the opening. I have seen speakers who are comfortable being totally outrageous at the start because they know they can pull back when the content part starts. It is great to be inspired by other speakers, but know for yourself what your limit and benchmark are.?

Push it every time -?

Once you know your style and comfort level, the next step would be to push it a bit further every time. Remember the speaker who made everyone laugh until they burst? He didn't have this skill on Day 1. They were thinking like you are thinking today, but by pushing through that discomfort every day, they managed to reach this level.?

Do it with confidence -

When you decide to make a funny opening, remember not to rush it. Remind yourself that this part of your presentation is equally important to the rest and needs the same amount of time, attention, and assertiveness as the rest of the talk. Remember not to rush through the opening.?

It is not about making them laugh -?

If you don’t get much laughter or reaction at the opening, do not worry. The objective is not to make them laugh, but to warm them up so they are focused on listening to the rest of the talk.?

End with the what you said at the start -?

If you can revisit the opening at the end of your talk, that will make it even more powerful. However, if your talk is a pitch, then remember to have an additional line with the to-do at the end.?

Try this to create a dramatic and powerful opening like the one in Kung Fu Panda.?