CHAPTER 4
Using Humor
TIP 36: Get your first laugh fast to release tension, build rapport, and prime your audience to like you and be open to your message.
At the beginning of a speech, just as the applause melts away, the audience falls into silence and stillness. This change introduces physical and psychological tension in the room. Out of respect, people with a tickle in their throat hold back their cough; people who are uncomfortable in their chair wait to shift their weight. This tension is precisely why getting the first laugh fast is so critical to building a connection with the audience. The audience wants the speaker—no, needs the speaker—to ...
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