================================================= Simply Speaking...Selling Yourself & Your Ideas E-Zine Volume 2, No 8, August, 1999 Copyright, 1999 ================================================= Published by Lenny Laskowski, International Professional Speaker President of LJL Seminars (tm) 106 Schoolhouse Road Newington, CT. 06111-4002 United States Of America (860) 666-4855 or Toll Free 1-800-606-4855 Web page: http://www.ljlseminars.com mailto:President@LJLSeminars.com ------------------------------------------------------------- In this issue: 1. Make 'em Laugh 2. Our NEW Simply Speaking Discussion Board 3. SalesAmerica.com - Your Site For Success! 4. Lenny's new program - How to Grow Your Business Using the Internet" to be provide at Columbia University Business School 5. Seminars, Workshops, Consultation services 6. Lenny's keynote speeches 7. Lenny's books, videotapes, audiotapes & booklets 8. How to request more information about Lenny's services 9. How to Subscribe / Unsubscribe -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * FREE Monthly Speaking Tips - July, 1999 * -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This month and occasionally in future issues I will be featuring articles from other professionals which I feel are a benefit to my subscribers and matches the focus of my newsletter. I have had several requests by people to include articles and I am willing to do so as I have done in this issues but they must be related to the topics of speaking, presentation skills and communication skills. Below is the 2nd part of a two-part an article from a very good colleague and friend of mine. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- =================================================== 1. Make 'em Laugh - Part 2 =================================================== Make 'em Laugh: How To Use Humor in Presentations by Tom Antion Delivering humorous speeches has a lot more to it than simply having good material. Take some time to incorporate these tips into your presentations and watch the fun and laughter factors rise. MAKE IT RELEVANT If you make all your attempts at humor relevant to your presentation, you get an automatic excuse from your mother if your humor is not all that funny. If your humor is received as funny, so much the better; but if it isn't, at least you made your point. Audiences will be much more tolerant if the humor ties into the subject at hand. Use this formula: A. Make your point. B. Illustrate your point with something funny. C. Restate your point. VARY THE TYPES The above formula would get boring and redundant rather quickly if you used the exact same type of humor every time for part B. By varying the type of humor in B, you can go on virtually forever and no one will recognize that you are using a formula. I have identified more than 34 different types of humor to plug into the formula. You could use, one liners, jokes, humorous props, funny stories, magic, cartoons, other funny visuals, etc. RULE OF THREE One of the most pervasive principles in the construction of humorous situations is the "Rule of Three." You will see it used over and over because it is simple. It is powerful, and it works (see I just used it there in a non-funny situation). Most of the time in humor the Rule of Three is used in the following fashion: The first comment names the topic, the second sets a pattern, and the third unexpectedly switches the pattern which is funny. Here's an example from a brochure advertising my seminars: In the "How to Get There" section From Washington, D.C. take Route. 50 From Baltimore, MD take Route. 95 From Bangkok, Thailand, board Thai Airways LOOK FUNNIER I have been accused of being too "corporate" looking to be all that funny. When I'm being funny, I use facial expressions, odd body angles and bizarre comments and props to make up for my "normal" look. Those of you that have obvious physical characteristics that can be used in teasing yourself do have an advantage. People love characters who are not afraid of teasing themselves. You can enhance the funny look with fun patterns and colors on ties and dresses, hats, and funny glasses. BOMBPROOF YOUR TALKS Are you afraid of bombing when you get up in front of a group? You don't have to be. With proper material selection, a few prepared comments in case of unexpected problems, and attention to time, worries about bombing can be virtually eliminated. As stated above, make sure your material is relevant to your topic, and keep it short. The longer a piece of humor is, the funnier it better be. A. Saver Lines Saver Lines are what you say when your supposedly humorous statement does not get a laugh. You shouldn't be ashamed to have to use saver lines. The top comedians in the world need them and some purposely make mistakes so they can get a laugh from the saver line. Johnny Carson was an expert at this. After a poor response to a joke he would say a comically insulting line like, "This is the kind of crowd that would watch Bambi through a sniper scope." Don't overdo the saver lines. If you have to use too many, your material must be pretty bad. B. Pre-Planned Ad-Libs Another way to keep from bombing is to always "expect the unexpected." Canned or pre-planned ad-libs are pre-written responses to unexpected happenings or mistakes that occur during a presentation, i.e., microphone squeals, projection bulb burns out, you say the wrong thing, etc. Prepared ad-libs actually do more than just save you. They make you look tremendously polished. Here's the continuum: A bad presenter will stammer around when a problem occurs. A ZZZZZs presenter will say nothing and try to ignore the problem. A great Wake 'em Up presenter will make a witty comment that appears to be spontaneous. The audience believes you are originating humor on the spot. You are just quickly recalling pre-planned responses. MICROPHONE SQUEALS This is the portion of my presentation where I do my elephant impression. PROJECTOR LIGHT BURNS OUT This is the first time I have been brighter than my equipment. HIGHLIGHTER RUNS OUT OF INK I'm out of ink. I'll be back in a wink. (remember . . . "k" words are funny) THINK DIVERSITY Watch your political correctness, your sexist language, and keep in mind there is more and more ethnic diversity in our audiences than ever. Not only is it easy to offend, which will turn your audience off completely, understandable word choice is more critical than ever. You must be sure your audience members can "get" the humor. Across cultures, visual humor like magic, cartoons and comic strips are the most readily understood forms of humor. end Tom Antion is a keynote speaker, seminar leader and speaker coach. He is the author of "Wake 'em up! How to Use Humor and Other Professional Techniques to Create Alarmingly Good Business Presentations" and the "Wake 'em Up Video Professional Speaking System." Tom is the publisher of "GREAT SPEAKING" a FREE electronic magazine for speakers, trainers and business presenters. To subscribe mailto:tomantion@aol.com and put SIMPLY SUBSCRIBE anywhere in the email, or visit his speaker resource website http://www.antion.com ==================================================== 2. Our NEW Simply Speaking Discussion Board !!! ==================================================== I asked, you responded and I listened... By popular request, I have created an on-line discussion board where you can participate and ask me questions specific to presentation skills, speaking, communication skills & related topics. You do this by "posting" you questions on my discussion board and I will provide a response. Other visitors to my website and subscribers to my Simply Speaking E-Zine can also post a response. This is YOUR Discussion Board. To go immediately to the Simply Speaking Discussion Board take the link below and enjoy! http://www.ljlseminars.com/discussion.htm ==================================================== 3. SalesAmerica.com - Your Site For Success! ==================================================== Are you looking for other helpful articles from other professional speakers? Would you like to know about a great resource where you can find articles by other top speaking professionals in the the business? Look no futher. I have teamed up with SalesAmerica.com where I and other leading authorities in the industry offer hundreds of other articles on a variety of related topics. This one website can save you hours of time and probably hundreds of dollars per year in sales journals! SalesAmerica.com is an online service dedicated to the success of sales professionals, entrepreneurs and small business owners. If you have spent any time on the web, chances are you have found most search engines frustrating and most sites incomplete. SalesAmerica.com is unique! SalesAmerica.com's theory is simple: They have aligned themselves with the very best authors and speakers in the industry and brought them together in one place. A One-Stop_Supersite! Plus, they have an incredible selection of business greetings -- over 200 distinct electronic greeting cards all with a business theme! Send them to clients, prospects, associates..whoever! The response to a simple greeting card will amaze you! They also have wholesale pricing on productivity books and products, a FREE reminder service, discounted travel and much more! You can find it all at SalesAmerica.com. Take the link below and mention you heard about them in Lenny Laskowski's Simply Speaking E-Zine and Jim Hammarstrom will personally take of you. ==================================================== 4. " How To Grow Your Business Using the Internet" - an exciting new program will be presented at Columbia University Business School. ==================================================== Lenny's website routinely receives between 40,000 and 60,000 visitors EVERY month and the number continue to grow! In fact during the last few months, Lenny's website has received up to 3800 visitors in ONE DAY and continues to grow. Lenny has sold his speaking products in over 76 countries and now has over 17,600 subscribers to this Simply Speaking E-Zine as a direct result of his Website! Lenny's internet articles are published regularly in over 100 newsletters or magazines every year. His website has visitors from over 85 countries around the world! Do you have a website? Are your thinking about developing a website? Would you like to know Lenny's secrets? Would you like to know Lenny's Secrets. In fact, Lenny has been invited to present his program at COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY BUSINESS SCHOOL in September, 1999 about his internet marketing techniques. Lenny has developed a BRAND NEW exciting program entitled, "How To Grow Your Business Using the Internet". This exciting program will provide you all the inside secrets to Web Page Design so people CAN find you, How to rank high in the search engines, How to effectively use newsgroups and E-mail marketing and much more. Want Lenny to deliver his powerful 90 minute keynote by this same title? Would you like to spend a FULL DAY with Lenny and learn all his secrets? Maybe you would like a 2 hour private telephone consultation with Lenny. You can. Just call 1-800-606-4855 or E-mail us at Sales@LJLSeminars.com and ask about this exciting program. This might be just the perfect program for 1999 to launch you or your organization into the 21st century. Why not call today and schedule Lenny for your next meeting. Can't wait and need to know some of Lenny's top secrets now! Lenny has written a powerful new book entitled , "How To Grow Your Business Using the Internet" which describes in detail what Lenny has spent the last 3 years learning about the Internet. This book retails for $ 49.95 and if ordered in response to this E-zine can be yours for only $ 39.95!!! You can even order this exciting new book directly from Lenny's website. Just send along a corresponding e-mail and mention this e-zine to purchase this book at this special rate. VISA, MASTERCARD, AMERICAN EXPRESS, DISCOVER CARDS CARDS WELCOME!!! Why not order today! ==================================================== 5. Seminars, Workshops, Consultation Services ==================================================== 6. Lenny's keynote speeches =================================================== 7. Lenny's books, videotapes, audiotapes & booklets =================================================== 8. Where to get more information Lenny's services. Feel free to request information about Lenny's seminars, workshops and keynotes. If you would like a formal proposal, please E-mail your request to: Sales@LJLSeminars.com or mail to the address below: Lenny Laskowski, International Professional Speaker President of LJL Seminars (tm) 106 Schoolhouse Road Newington, CT. 06111-4002 United States of America (860) 666-4855 or Toll Free 1-800-606-4855 ===================================================== ******* You can earn 10% commissions ******************** ===================================================== You can also earn 10% commissions on any leads you send my way. Provide me the name, address & telephone number of those you know who might be able to use my services, make the initial call with them and tell them I will be contacting them and send me an E-mail that you have done so. When I contact them and if we result in doing business with them I will mail you a check for 10% of the total contract just for referring us! ============================================================= 9. How to Subscribe to This E-zine: Send an e-mail to majordomo@ljlseminars.com and in the BODY of the message type: subscribe simply To unsubscribe to our newsletter by e-mail: Send an e-mail to majordomo@ljlseminars.com and in the BODY of the message type: unsubscribe simply =========================================================== ********************************************************************** FREE Monthly Speaking Tips ==> ============================================================ Feel free to distribute these FREE tips to EVERYONE you know. You may also publish these tips in any of your company's newsletters or publications FREE if you include the above address below and credit me as the author. Also, send me two(2) copies of the actual publication to the address below: As new monthly tips are developed they will be e-mailed separately. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks again for visiting my website and remember to keep returning EACH month for new tips. Also, let me know if you would like to see any other speaking tips and remember to pass these tips along to EVERYONE you know! Until next month! - Lenny Laskowski :-)