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Here we present 13 tips, images-5, images-1, 129237748-burbuja-de-diálogo…
Here we present 13 tips
The longer the story, the funnier the punch line needs to be
Attention spans are short. Lengthy stories can lead to big expectations. They end in disappointment with a poorly delivered or less-than-hilarious punch line.
Know your reason for using a story
To illustrate a point, to entertain, or to build common ground with your audience, identifying your purpose will make your selection much easier. You’ll also understand the length of time you should devote to telling it, and the effort that should go into telling it well.
Ensure a beginning, middle, and end
It doesn’t matter if your story is less than 60 seconds long when delivered; it needs to have a beginning, middle and end. Without all three, your listeners will feel as though you are leaving something out. Now, this doesn’t mean you have to complete the entire story all at once. You may move the story along during an entire presentation to make several key points during your presentation.
Choose relevant, appropriate details
It is tempting to talk while you think. Don’t. Either work out your story by talking it aloud until you perfect it, or write the story and then edit out what’s not interesting. Ask yourself with each word, phrase, and sentence: Does it add to the mood? Does it create the scene? Is this detail necessary to move the story forward and make the point? Take out unimportant details that diminish or add only length.
Avoid a big buildup that sets up disappointment
Inexperienced speakers warn, “Here comes a joke,” with a long, long lead-in. And with a long buildup, the typical group reaction after you tell the anecdote will be: “That wasn’t such a great story. And it wasn’t so funny.” Just get into the story and then make your point. The audience will let you know if it was funny or not.
Don’t rush the laugh lines or the pregnant pauses
Standing silent while a group responds takes courage. Such pauses may be the longest of your career. However, if you rush through them, the audience will take their cue from you and assume that you did not want to or intend for them to respond audibly. Their non-response then destroys your confidence in telling additional stories in the remaining sections of your presentation. As a result, your delivery gets dry. The presentation descends to disenchantment.
Set up the anecdote in an intriguing way
A bad example: “Now I’m going to tell you about a teacher who made a mistake in a school in Mexico City.” Instead, you can use it like this: “Teachers can be great leaders, but sometimes they can make mistakes, too. And great leadership is shown when that happens, and that was the case when I was teaching in Mexico City, when…”
Prefer scene to narrative
Recreate the movie scene, add the dialogue, and step into the story as a character, if necessary, to breathe life into the telling. Don’t be an omniscient narrator, but enact is as best as you can.
Let the punch line stand by itself
If you have to explain the punch line, it does not work. Play with it until it does. Sometimes the substitution of one key word will make the difference between a laugh and blank stare. Practice the punch line and the punch word until others understand it. If they don’t, delete it, rather than explain it.
Perfect facial expression, voice tone, and body language
In the same way that both content and delivery work together to make your entire presentation either dynamic or dull, a story and its delivery work together to create the total impact. We have discussed this before, and telling stories and anecdotes work in the same way.
Perfect your timing
Always practice your delivery. A good story (and especially if it’s meant to be funny) needs the right pause and time to be said. You’ll notice that one word makes or breaks the entire story. You can’t fumble that word or line in your story.
Rehearse your stories and anecdotes before the real deal
Before you use an anecdote in a presentation, make sure that it works. The best way to do this is to see how others react as you tell it. Tell it to your family and friends. Tell it at a cocktail party. Tell it at work. Do people laugh? At which points in the story do their faces change? When do their eyes change expression? Were they shocked? Amused? Surprised? On the next telling, play up those parts. Create more suspense. Add more dialogue, less narration.
Rework your story until perfected
Changing a single word, adding one specific detail, or changing a person’s name can be the difference between confusion and clarity, a laugh and a booing, retention and oblivion. Details always matter!
Conclusion Enhancing your overall performance as a presenter is an ongoing process that evolves with each iteration. It's crucial to be aware that audience reactions may differ from your expectations, with some finding humor in unexpected places. Familiarizing yourself with these nuances beforehand can significantly reinforce the key messages you aim to convey during your actual presentation.
Your vocal delivery serves as a vital instrument for captivating and inspiring your audience. Achieving clarity, a natural tone, and expressiveness are paramount for making a lasting impact. We've previously discussed methods to infuse more enthusiasm into your speeches, and these should be taken into account to refine your presentation skills.
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