Humor in a presentation: It's just wicked good!
Sometimes you need Humor in a presentation. A few weeks ago I was up in Maine for a company trip. The rental car had Sirius Satellite Radio and I happened to come across the Blue Collar comedy channel. Needless to say it captured my attention for the entire trip. I immediately fell in love with the works of Carl Hurley, Brother Dave Gardner and the Jerry Clowler. I even heard some of Maine's own Bob Marley talking about "Biddaford"!
I began taking notes. These guys are clearly great story tellers, they add a unique picture to their words and this helps draw in the audience. They develop a relationship with you, they make you feel comfortable and they sell their story in a way that makes you accept it. Simply put, if done right you laugh.
Like these comedians I am always working on my presentation skills. It's a hobby of mine. So in my free time I started to research what people do to become comedians. After some quick Google'ing I found quite a few classes and schools in the local area. They help you learn to be a comedian and most importantly help build your improv skills. Then the light bulb came on! Wouldn't this be a great way for sales people, pre-sales engineers or anyone that makes presentations to add uniqueness to their skills? Wouldn't it help deal with the "no's" that are common? Dealing with the "no"'s is the key here because your improvisational skills are what makes or breaks that conversation. Well, I wasn't the first one to think of this.
As you can see from this StarTribune article this idea is starting to get traction in corporate America.
"In many ways, acting and selling a product are similar, analysts said. You study a script but adjustments must be made depending on the audience." - StarTribune
So you next question is, "Are you going to take one of these classes Jim?". The answer is yes! Now, I just need to find the time. Look for an update near the end of 1'st quarter 2012.
I would love to hear from anyone who has already participated in one of these classes for this same reason!
and now for the whole reason for this blog . . . . .
It's bright and early here in NC. 4:00am to be exact and I am in my office finishing up some work on my Geology class. It's a requirement and needless to say it's not my favorite subject.
Although I am not a Maine'er anymore, the humor that I have grown to love presented itself to me while answering this lab question. No doubt, it took on a life of it's own.
If you are not a Mainer and you need some translation here is a great about.com article.
1. Your new house is built on soil-covered granite bedrock. Although you think that prospects for drilling a successful water well are poor because of the granite, the well driller familiar with the area says that he has drilled many good water wells in this granite. What arguments might each of you offer to convince the other?
Dam! Every house seems to be built on granite in Maine!. I think it would be rare for the average home owner to know that granite was porous or even question it. I have to be honest with you, I would be one of them. I think the confusion would be in perception. In the winter you would see interesting ice formations on the face of the granite walls that were carved out to create the various highways. Latter in spring you would observer water seeping out from the stones. I now know that is due to small fractures or cracks.
For the sake of argument let’s roll play this. The home owners buddy lives down the road. His buddy went to UMO and knows a thing or two. He told him that his house is right on top of a wicked big chuck of granite. Well, no doubt he might have a haard time drilling and finding water since it’s not all that porous. That means water would have a difficult time get’en through that haard rock.
The drilling man would then say something like “ You know that I drilled your fathers well, your brothers well and my family has been drilling wells in this area since Maine was part of the great State of Massachusetts. Needless to say we drill some of the finest wells in the state. Things have changed quite a bit in the past twenty years and we now can drill in just about anything, even your friends haard head. You see, although he might be correct about the stone not being porous what he failed to mention was you commonly have fractures and cracks in the formation. More likely he was watching that PBS special on rocks and turned to the Red Sox game right before they finished the section on granite. Anyways these fractures and cracks allow water to travel through the stone and make a mighty fine aquifer. It could even clean the water up a bit. Now let’s go down to that Dunkin Donuts and get us some coffee and talk about your new well. ” The home owner would respond “Ayuh, that sounds like a wicked good idear”.
