Wake 'em Up: How to Use Humor and Other Professional Techniques to Create Alarmingly Good Business Presentations

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Other Educational Materials
by Tom Antion
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/>Visit the site and see samples of all the illu-
sions you can perform in your speeches.
Wake ‘em Up Video Professional Speaking
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www.antion.com/speakervideo.htm
CDs
We have an enormous collection of CDs on
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Here are just some of the
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NOTE: You can listen to audio samples
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• “How to Sell a Ton at the Back of the
Room”
• “The TeleSeminar Kit”
• “Make ‘em Laugh: How to Use Hu-
mor in Business Presentations”
• “How to Make a Fortune with Video .
. . Even if you don’t have a website”
• “Internet Revenue Streams . . . 9
Ways to bring in the bucks on the
web”

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• “Top Ten Ways to Make Money
Speaking”
• “How to Start a Blog to Promote Your
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• “Blog to Book: How to Have Your
Book Ready to Sell in 90 Days or
Less”
• “How to Create, Distribute and Sell
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• “How to Start and Run a Super Prof-
itable Mentor Program”
• “How to Earn Big Bucks Speaking at
Fundraisers”
• “How to Make $2000.00 a Minute
Doing Radio Interviews”
We have many more titles: Check it out at ht-
tp://www.antion.com/speakershop.htm
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Wake ‘em Up!: How to Use
Humor and Other
Professional Techniques to
Create Alarmingly Good
Business Presentations
by
Tom Antion Your A to Y Guide (No
ZZZZZs Allowed) to More Interesting, Fun
and Memorable Programs
Anchor Publishing
Copyright © 2010 Tom Antion All rights re-

served. No portion of this book may be re-
produced mechanically, electronically, or by
any other means, including photocopying
without written permission of the publisher.
ISBN: 0-926395-43-2 Anchor Publishing
Box 9558 Virginia Beach, VA 23450
(757) 431-1366 Fax (757) 431-2050



(get two free
minicourses here)




Electronic Clip art by Corel Corporation
Edited by Janet Novotny Printed Book Cover
by Vicki Flores, Optima Design Print version
printed in the United States of America
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Limits of Liability and Disclaimer
of Warranty
The author and publisher shall not be liable
in the event of incidental or consequential
damages in connection with, or arising out of
injury as a result of excessive laughter
caused by using the techniques described in
this book. All business presenters, speakers,
and audience members should consult their

doctor before attempting to use or allowing
themselves to be exposed to excessively in-
teresting information. The author and pub-
lisher have used their best efforts in prepar-
ing this book and the information contained
herein. No warranties of any kind are ex-
pressed or implied other than Tom says, “If
you use this stuff, you won’t bore your audi-
ence to tears.”
I dedicate this book to Kay and Maggie.
The printed version of the E-book you have
purchased is part of the Wake ‘em Up Video
Professional Speaking System (pictured
above). Full details on how this system can
assist you in becoming a great presenter are
located at the end of this book. PLUS this
system will teach you how to make several
thousand dollars per speech. See it on the
web at
/>ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tom Antion is an internationally ac-
claimed expert in the field of high-impact
and humorous communication techniques.
He is a full time professional speaker and
speaking coach who has been featured on
major news media worldwide including the
Canadian Broadcast Network, The Australi-
an Broadcast Network, Associated Press, The
Tokyo Today Show and hundreds of radio,
television and print outlets across the United

States. His clients include Kodak, Blue
Cross/Blue Shield, John Wanamaker De-
partment Stores, Hallmark Cards, Siemens
Rolm, Sylvan Learning and The National
Geographic Society.
A favorite at many corporate and associ-
ation meetings, Tom was the featured speak-
er at the All California Regional Conference
for Meeting Professionals International and
also for their educational retreat in Ottawa,
Canada. In addition to his busy corporate
speaking schedule Tom has presented 65
Chapter Training Events and 6 National
Training Events for the prestigious National
Speakers Association where he is the one
called to teach other professional speakers
how to make their audiences say WOW!
Tom was starting offensive guard for the
West Virginia University football team where
he earned his Bachelor’s degree in psycho-
logy. Tom says he got his clinical experience
in psychology in the six years after he
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graduated when he owned a nightclub just
outside Morgantown, West Virginia. The ul-
timate entrepreneur, Tom has never had a
job. Starting from scratch, he owned five
apartment buildings and a hotel BEFORE he
graduated from college. He currently owns
three small businesses and has owned an in-

ternationally acclaimed entertainment com-
pany called Prankmasters
SM
, a firm that cus-
tom designed more than 4500 good-natured
practical jokes.
Tom is the author of the only video sem-
inar of its kind The Wake ‘em Up Video Pro-
fessional Speaking System. This training
course is considered the standard for train-
ing professional or aspiring professional
speakers in the art of speaking and the sci-
ence of marketing professional speaking and
training services.
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You can also make quite a bit of money
referring Tom for speaking engagements.
Visit />for details.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
(OK. I know you won't read this, but they
will.)
Thanks to: Mom and Dad who have sup-
ported me in everything I have ever done
(except the time I ran away from home and
tried to survive on grass soup and hot dogs
that lasted about three hours). Janice
Stevens for her NOZZZZZs idea at our brain-
storming session and her tireless late night
editing. Bonnie Davies for sticking with me

through all the ups and downs. Chris Davies
for keeping my computer running and being
such a good friend. Art Gliner for his overall
assistance especially on the international
section and for always coming through
whenever I needed a list of something. Sheila
Feigelson for her wonderful name tag ideas,
female presenter segment, and proofreading
and editing. Paul Radde, Ph.D., Director of
the Audience Centered
TM
Seating Institute
for being such a great mentor and teaching
me all about State of the Art Seating and the
trick to keep my tie straight. Dottie Walters,
Lilly Walters, Michael Walters, and the Cow-
boy my "left coast"family, plus all their fine
support staff. Carol Krugman for all around
support for me, "the fence man," and for be-
ing such a great leader of all my MPI net
buddies. Janet Novotny for being such a top-
notch editor or is it editriss? Joan Eisenstodt
for sharing her precious time and vast exper-
ience with me and also for getting me on
MPI network. Cindy Butler and Andrea Scott
and the rest of my "MPI Net buddies" for
their title suggestions. Larry Tracy for his
section on hostile audiences. Wendy Zhorne
for her tireless page and a half of editing
(Ha-ha).Vicki Flores at Optima Design for

her excellent cover work (take another look
at the beautiful work she does). Wolfe Rinke
for being a great business mentor and for
contributing to the involvement section.
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Sally Walton for keeping me up on diversity
issues. Bob Lunsford who was always there
when I would get into some weird computer
problem. Dan Poynter who got me started
writing and publishing many years ago and
who is always ready with a good joke. Marie
Betts-Johnson and Mary Murray Bosrock
two fine protocol experts that helped me on
the international section. Maggie Bedrosian
who keeps trying to teach me that Life is
More Than [My] To Do List (For those of you
that don't know that is the title of her latest
book). Steve Hardiman for his WordPerfect
tips. Pat Carlyle for her videoconferencing
tips. David Rich for his sales and marketing
tips and also for being a great roommate at
Meeting World. Gene Perret and Linda Per-
ret two famous and funny people for their
manuscript review. Bob Lucas for his help on
the body language section. Lizz Curtis Higgs,
Patricia Fripp, Hope Mihalap, Nancy Rosen,
Denise Koepke, Barbara Sanfillippo, Joyce
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Saltman, Marianna Nunes, and Lola Gille-
baard, for their contributions to Chapter 19.

Mike Rounds, Doug Fox and Vern Hoven for
their contributions to Chapter 17. And to my
idol Charlie Jarvis, (folks there's not a funni-
er man on earth), for the countless hours he
spent on the phone with me talking about
humor.
If I forgot anyone out there, it's only be-
cause it's three o'clock in the morning and
I'm desperately trying to get the last words
typed on this manuscript. Please forgive me
and watch for your name in the next
printing.
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Table of Contents
Foreward by Mark Victor Hansen
Backword by Dottie Walters
Preface
Introduction
PART I The Basics
Chapter 1: Why Use Humor
Chapter 2: Audience
• Pre-Program Questionnaire
• All Male/All Female
• Size
• Outdoors
• Time of Day
• International
• In Fun
• Nametags
• Handouts

• Alcohol
• Connecting with the Audience
Chapter 3: Room Setup
• Equipment
• Atmosphere
• Seating
• Sound System
• Music
• Visuals
• Climate
• Distractions
Chapter 4: Introductions
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• Self Introductions
• Openings
◦ Starting Off
◦ Response to Introduction
◦ Localized/Personalized
Comments
• Bonus Material
Chapter 5: Body
• Maintaining Interest Level
• Attention Gaining Devices
• How much humor is right?
• How to Make a Point With Humor
• Bits AKA Chunks, Series
• Transitions
Chapter 6: Closings
• Bonus Material
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Chapter 7: Selection of Material
• Appropriate Targets
• Humor to Avoid
• Touchy Subjects
Chapter 8: Delivery
• Stage Fright Strategies
• I Can't Heeeeere You!
• Joke Telling The Punch Line
• Rule of Three
• Callbacks To Laugh or Not to
Laugh That is the Question
• Timing Types of Pauses
• Humor Placement
• Dynamic Range
• Dynamic Range Quick Fixes The
WOW Factor
• Other Important Tips
• Extra Special Genius Technique
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Chapter 9: Bombproofing
• Theory of Relevance
• Humor Risk
• Saver Lines
• Pre-Planned Ad-Libs
• Emergency Situations
• Acknowledgments to Tough
Situations
• Watch Your Clock So They Don't
Watch Theirs
Chapter 10: Movement and

Appearance
• Stand Up and Be Counted
• Stage Positioning
• Bad Habits
• Clothing
• Is Anybody Out There?
• Bonus Tips
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Chapter 11: Involvement and Interplay
• Axe the Lectern
• Standing Ovation
• I Won! I Won!
• May I Help You?
• Old Yeller
• Mental Involvement
• I Get So Emotional
• I Could Do Without Some Emotional
Audiences
• Interplay
Chapter 12: How to Practice
• Do It Alone
• Use Your Friends . . . Carefully
• Record Your Presentations
• Get Coaching
PART II Types of Humor
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Chapter 13: Thirty-Four Ways to Be
Funny
• Acronyms and Abbreviations
• Advertisements

• Alliteration
• Anachronisms
• Asides
• Audience Gags
• Bloopers
• Caricature
• Cartoons and Comic Strips
• Comic Verse
• Costumes
• Definitions
• Exaggeration
• Fake Facts and Statistics
• Jokes
• Juxtaposition
◦ Oxymorons
◦ Pleonasms
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