Humor is a very powerful tool for even the occasional public speaker or presenter. It can:

- Instantly attract the attention of the audience

- Be used to illustrate the points in your speech

- Break up your speech into more manageable chunks and give the audience a breather

- Increase your likeability factor with the audience

- Be used to transition from one point to the next

- Be used as a planned response when the unexpected happens

Of course, for some people humor comes easy. For others, it can be a struggle and they doubt whether they should employ it. The advantages to the public speaker from using humor, mean that it is well worth learning the techniques of humor, and with a little application anyone can use it effectively.

Here are 8 tips you can use to spice up your public speaking:-

- Build up a storehouse of stories and quips that you can use. You can find these by being a keen observer of every day life. Other sources of humour newspapers, books, magazines, conversation, films, TV etc.Make a written note of these stories and utilize a filing system to categorize them under appropriate headings.

- Observe other successful public speakers. Analyse how they use humor in their speeches. Do they start with humor? How do they use it in their speech? What gestures, facial expressions, body language etc do the employ?

- Memorize the story especially the punch line. This is crucial to the success of the story. If you happen to stumble over the punch line the opportunity for humor is lost.

- Practice and rehearse in front of a mirror, so you can see your facial expression, gestures movements etc. Also practice your timing and pauses. The more times you tell a joke the better you will become at telling it.

- Make the stories relevant to your speech. When using humor it should illuminate the point you are making. Stories and jokes that do not relate to your speech will detract from the main body and will confuse your message and the audience?

- Use humor like it is used in every day in great conversation – it is effortless and natural

- Know your audience. The humor used should match the audience. Humor that is appropriate at convention of sales people may not be suitable at a religious event.

- Don’t milk the joke for more than one laugh and if it falls flat, move swiftly on as if you did not expect them to laugh anyway.

By adding the spice of humor the right way you will instantly improve the audience’s perception of you and your speech. Why not take the time and apply the above tips in your next speech?

However, humor has a number of great benefits in helping the speaker to be more effective in achieving the overall purpose of their speech. The advantages of using humor in your speech are:

-You’ll quickly gain control of the audience – it gains their attention and helps in pulling them together

- It can be used to transition from one part of the speech to the next

- Helps to illustrate the points that you are making 

- It will give the audience a “breather” by breaking up your speech. It is difficult for listeners to concentrate for long periods and it gives them a rest and keeps them interested.

- The use of humor can show that you do not take yourself too seriously and will increase your “likeability” quotient 

- When presenting new ideas and policies that may not be popular, you can use humor to put your point across without creating hostility.

Humor can be learned and utilized by anyone willing to try. Most of the best speakers use it. To develop the art of humor will take you only a few minutes a day. To put humor in your speech apply the following:

- Develop a stockpile of stories – be on the lookout for good brief stories in newspapers, magazines and the internet. Be a careful observer of life. Also be a “watchful “listener of stories on TV or other speakers. Note the stories down. Do not rely on your memory * Observe other speakers. Note how they tell the story, the tone of their voice, their gestures, face expressions, the timing and pauses.

- Memorize the stories. You cannot read humor – you need to be looking at you audience to sell it. Also you do not want to lose your opportunity by stumbling over the punchline. * Be prepared to deliver “impromptu” stories. Carry an index card in your pocket with the first line or a suggestive line of several stories. By quickly glancing at the card you will be able to quickly recall the story. 

- Practice. A story gets better the more times it is told. Practice in front of the mirror or your family. Try different things – your voice tone, pauses, gestures, facial expressions etc.

- If the audience does not laugh at your story or joke move on. Don’t let it throw you off course. There will be time to assess after the speech.

- Make the stories relevant to your speech and appropriate to the audience

- Plan the “spice” in your speech. Most TV and radio performers follow their scripts so closely there is not even room for an “ad lib” sneeze.

Humor is an important tool in gaining and keeping an audience’s attention and can be applied by anyone with the desire to develop the art. In summary, memorize and practice, tell the right story at the right time, be prepared, and gather a fund of stories.