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5 Myths about Hiring a Funny Guest Speaker

Posted by Jody Urquhart on Mon, May 09, 2011 @ 11:40 AM

funny guest speakerMyth #1-Being funny is natural. Sure, so is driving.  So is ice skating.

Developing your funny bone takes time and practice. It is a mindset that allows you to recognize the connection between two seemingly unrelated ideas. Marrying two unexpected concepts in a funny motivational speech can create gut wrenchingly halarious content. The more time you spend seeing the world as funny, the funnier it actually becomes. I do agree, though, that some people do just naturally have an ability to find the funny in things. For the humor challenged, a sense of humor can be developed. It takes time to learn, just like driving or ice skating.

Myth #2- If a speaker is funny to one group they are funny to all groups.
Humor is personal. When I worked at a bank, I hired a funny guest speaker for a financial conference. He was very funny, and his funny motivational speech was a hit. Years later, we were both guest speakers for a group of nurses, where his corporate office oriented humor fell flat. It was a good lesson. A funny guest speaker must cater to the humor of the audience.

Myth #3- Funny speakers are funny but they have no real message.

If this is true, than you should hire a comedian for a lot less money. A speaker's role is to make people laugh as a form of engagement but the message is just as important as the humor.  The message, in fact, is the payload and the humor is the vehicle that carries it.

Myth #4-Hiring a funny guest speaker is a risk! He may bomb.

True, he could bomb. Yet it is much more likely a comedian whose job is to have the audience in stitches laughing will bomb because there is more pressure and expectation for humor.

When a motivational speech is crafted to deliver a solid message relevant to the audience in a humorous way, your chances of success are much higher. The content and motivational message carries influence and garners lasting value. It is thought provoking and inspiring, not just entertaining and funny.

Myth #5- A funny guest speaker should only speak after dinner or at a cocktail reception.

A humorous motivational speaker can speak at lunch, dinner, or they can open or close a conference. At venues where the audience is eating dinner and drinking a lot, a funny guest speaker is probably your safest choice. Inebriated crowds are in no place to learn the 6 steps to influence others, or other heavy content oriented themes. Keeping it light, humorous and inspiring is your best choice.

Find out How to Hire a Funny Motivational Speaker Here

Tags: funny guest speaker, funny motivational speeches, humorous motivational speaker for financial

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