As you navigate through your public speaking career, you will learn from failures. You will

learn your strengths, what resonates well with different audiences and how to truly captivate

your audience.

Comedians are a group of people who are forced to learn these things very quickly. Unlike public speakers, they risk the chance of being booed off the stage instead of simply being met with a

few people walking out of a theatre.

Here are four lessons that public speakers can learn from stand up comedians.

Create a Story that Your Audience Will Appreciate.

Learn from The People You Admire.

Work the Room Before Hitting the Stage.

Comedians Hustle. You Have to Hustle Too.

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Create a Story that Your

When a comedian crafts their jokes, they don’t target the entire world. They target a specific group with a specific point of view and focus on truths, biases and opportunities to challenge or reaffirm the audiences

hostilities and prejudices.

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How Comedians Do it:

Create a Story that Your Create a Story that Your

No matter what size the audience is, always aim to connect with them. Understand the audience and

strive to deliver a presentation that will provide them with the value they need to leave the presentation

feeling as if they learned something.

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How to Do it yourself:

Create a Story that Your Create a Story that Your

The target audience is arguably the most critical factor in writing successful material.

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REMEMBER:

Create a Story that Your LEARN FROM THE

The best comedians learn from the best before them and study their craft. They recognize the importance

of studying the greatest in order to understand the dynamics of good jokes and audience reactions.

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How Comedians Do it:

LEARN FROM THE

The best public speakers have thousands of YouTube videos online of them presenting at events and

conferences around the world. Spend a few hours a week watching them perform and study everything from their delivery, to their stage presence, to the way they interact

with the audience.

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How TO Do it YOURSELF:

When a comedian crafts their jokes, they don’t target the entire world. They target a specific group with a specific point of view and focus on truths, biases and opportunities to challenge or reaffirm the audiences

hostilities and prejudices.

LEARN FROM THE

These folks are ahead of you for a reason: they’re doing something you’re not. Studying their craft

and understanding their success will help you build your career.

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REMEMBER:

WORK THE ROOM BEFORE

Most comedians starting out work the crowd beforehand. Its an easy way to handle hecklers,

because the individuals they’ve built rapport with will often jump in and help mute them. It’s a simple tactic but it’s also one that’s helped ensure that the

delivery of jokes are appropriate for audiences.

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How Comedians Do it:

The target audience is arguably the most critical factor in writing successful material.

WORK THE ROOM BEFORE

Never hit the stage without having a conversation with one or two people in the audience first. Strive to build rapport

with this person and you’ll feel confident knowing that they’ll come save you if things go wrong.

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How TO Do it YOURSELF:

WORK THE ROOM BEFORE

In business settings, a heckler is different from a heckler in comedy. These people don’t scream, “you suck” from

the back of the room, instead they raise their hand and ask you questions that add nothing to the conversation or

simply tell you they disagree without reason. Be prepared to handle them.

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REMEMBER:

The best comedians learn from the best before them and study their craft. They recognize the importance

of studying the greatest in order to understand the dynamics of good jokes and audience reactions.

I disagree.

COMEDIANS HUSTLE.

Seinfield is known as one of the greatest comedians of all time. Outside of his amazing standup routines, he is also

known for working harder than anyone else in the business.

People say that Jerry Seinfield studied comedy more than anyone else, got on stage more than anyone else and spent

more time writing than anyone else.

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HOW COMEDIANS DO IT:

COMEDIANS HUSTLE.

Work hard, understand the art of the hustle and be truly dedicated to your craft. Hustling will help you to generate

a consistent revenue stream from being paid to speak.

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HOW TO DO IT YOURSELF:

Most comedians starting out work the crowd beforehand. Its an easy way to handle hecklers,

because the individuals they’ve built rapport with will often jump in and help mute them. It’s a simple tactic but it’s also one that’s helped ensure that the

delivery of jokes are appropriate for audiences.

COMEDIANS HUSTLE.

It’s rare for even the best public speakers to express that they have “natural ability”. They will tell you that they

worked hard at their craft and studied the best. Natural ability might get you to first base but hard

work will let you get home.

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REMEMBER:

Never hit the stage without having a conversation with one or two people in the audience first. Strive to build rapport

with this person and you’ll feel confident knowing that they’ll come save you if things go wrong.

ROSS SIMMONDS

www.rosssimmonds.com

@TheCoolestCool