Want to become a better public speaker?
How about overcoming some fears?
Public speaking is often cited as the number one fear people have. More than death.
Jerry Seinfeld even did a bit about it.
There are lots of ways to help. Specifics to learn.
But if you really want to overcome your fear of speaking in public — and learn everything there is to know about how to do it right — schedule yourself for an open mic night at a comedy club.
Seems absurd, right?
But it works.
Get a copy of The Comedy Bible, schedule your gig for an amateur night about a month in advance, and then follow Judy Carter’s advice to learn how to be funny.
There are so many things you will gain from learning comedy writing and learning to perform. Those two skills are invaluable. I always recommend it to folks who want to be better presenters.
It’s often seen as some crazy advice, but we all know you have to be a little crazy to be an entrepreneur to begin with.
So, forget Toastmasters. If you really want to learn some valuable lessons, learn to be a comic.
Because once you’ve done stand-up, everything else is easy — even death, apparently.
Judy Carter’s book IS awesome. It started my career, and has helped thousands of comics. I suggest it.
I actually have the book as I was using it to help my son pursue his interest in comedy.
It is one of the best examples of a how-to book I have ever seen. I just might have to look at it closer and use it myself. Have you tried stand up Tony?
Funny you should post on this …
I actually did stand-up comedy a million years ago and yes, there’s no question the experience helped to make me a better presenter, teacher AND copywriter.
With your permission, I’ve actually posted about this more than a few times. Here’s one I did for ProBlogger back in May:
http://www.copywritingmaven.com/2007/05/10/5-reasons-why-stand-up-comics-make-better-copywriters/
Jason – I’ve heard that from a lot of folks.
Greg – I agree. It’s one of the best instruction books I’ve read on ANY subject. And yes, I had my day in the limelight. Unfortunately it was before I discovered Judy’s book. 🙂 But since then, it’s shaped the way I do a lot of my work – specifically presentations.
Roberta – Great article! Thanks for sharing it with us.
I never thought of it that way, though it makes perfect sense. If you are comfortable being funny in front of people, there shouldn’t be any reason to be nervous talking about something reasonable.
There is a much higher chance of flopping comedically than stating a business idea to like-minded peers going for a common goal.
Hey Tony,
Once you can make people laugh, you have the charisma, rapport and confidence to enter any social situation. Love it!
I’m sure if I could do stand-up I could do anything. Only problem is I’m not going to give stand-up a try anytime soon.