Check out this YouTube video footage of me testing my jokes and humor in Minnesota at the Mayo Clinic

In my job as a motivational speaker, I feel strongly that customized humor is an CRUCIAL way to “connect” with the audience.

The following article was written for speakers who are eager to learn how to “foolproof” customized humor. The truth, of course, is that there is no substitute for experience and humor “chops.” But, having said that, there are ways to make sure your humor is funny before you go on stage.

The best shortcut to connecting with any audience are jokes or short stories about them — meaning your audience. Their venue, their industry, their lunch, their hotel, their whatever. If you can make a current, fresh joke about them you win.

When you start with a fresh and topical joke they know cannot have been written in advance, they appreciate the joke — and you — more than any other type of material.

In other words, new, topical and customized humor has a lower bar for success, and greater chance for huge payoffs.

Of course the biggest problem is that you don’t know if it IS funny or not. Good news folks… I’ve got a system for testing these jokes, and you can learn it faster than you can say, “I’m Scared To Try New Humor for $500, Alex!”

Here’s the deal: as the audience files into the room, mingle with them. Test your story, your joke, your quip. Don’t tell them you’re testing it, just do it. For example, if you all had some
chicken dish for lunch and you want to joke about it, now is the time to get a feel for it.

If your first group laughs you know you have a keeper. If not, move to the next group and massage the joke a bit. Take mental notes and move on. If you do it right, you might get to try that material several times.

When you hit the platform with that killer joke about the chicken lunch, you’ve got a joke (or story/bit/line…. whatever) that you’ve tested several times. And now you KNOW it’s good.

And that confidence will help you deliver on stage!

Get it? You can try out (tell) those fresh stories and jokes and bits you just thought of a few minutes ago. And you can audience-test them by using small portions of the audience. And you can do it last minute (for VERY topical stuff.) And in the end, you are brilliantly funny…. even if you aren’t.

Looking for a comedian motivational speaker? I’d love to be your guy. Learn more here.

Technorati Tags: How to test jokes, comedian speakers, minnesota

Posted by Motivational Speakers: Brad Montgomery | Permalink | Comments (0)

I just got a great note from my client, FBLA Wyoming. It was great being your motivational speaker. folks. Thanks for the kind words!

(Read about my experience with these high school students and the keynote here.)
What’s my point? If you’re looking to hire motivational speakers or humorists for ANY type of group… from corporate to high school to association to education…. check to make sure your speaker has a LONG list of happy clients with whom you can speak. You have a lot more at stake that the investment of the speakers’ fee; your meeting can get a huge hit from a lousy speaker, and get a huge boost from a great one. You don’t have to “guess” which speakers are good…. check up on them. Make sure the references are recent. (Have they done well in front of their last five audiences?) Make sure there are references from years ago. (In other words, is there a LONG track record?) And mostly, make sure that your speaker has a history of doing well for a group like yours.

Here’s what FBLA Wyoming wrote:

Thanks so much for your positive comments on the conference. It is fun to see what great kids we have in our organization and I very much appreciate your working with us on your fee.

I received the box of brownies in the mail on Monday and just tried one today. They are wonderful and I really appreciate them. They don’t really fit into my annual post-conference diet, but they are sure a treat with a cup of coffee after the rest of my family leaves in the morning! The box is really cool, too. My younger boys are fighting over who gets that when the brownies are gone.

Thanks again for a great keynote and workshop. Of course, I didn’t get to sit in on the workshop, but the keynote address was extremely entertaining. For me personally, it was just the comic relief I needed at that point. We will definitely keep you in mind for future conferences. I’ve been told by my “boss” at the State Department of Education that, compared to the other students’ organizations in our state, FBLA hires the best conference speakers, hands down. Thanks for helping me uphold our reputation!

K. H. FBLA Wyoming

Posted by Motivational Speakers: Brad Montgomery | Permalink | Comments (0)

I recently returned from California where I attended the National Speakers Association convention. I had many highlights, but one of them was seeing my good friend and and one of my fellow Colorado speakers Sarah Michel do a concurrent session.

She taught the audience how to increase the interactivity in their programs, and I gotta tell you, the room was packed with some of the top professional speakers in the business trying to learn from my pal Sarah.

She did a killer job. I learned a lot that I’ll incorporate into my program. It was a great job delivering great content. I was proud of you Sarah.

What’s my point? If you are a speaker — or if you are HIRING speakers, you should know that interactivity is crucial. In this day of multi-tasking, insta-media and fast-paced EVERYTHING, in order to really connect to a modern audience, successful speakers cannot just talk AT the audience.

They need to talk WITH the audience. Interactivity is no longer a “spice” that speakers can choose or not. Top professional speakers must connect with their audiences in a special and concrete way. And Sarah Michele — and the high-powered audience learning from her — helped ram that important message home.

Sarah…you did great. I’m proud to be one of your students… and your pals.

Congrats, Girl
Technorati Tags: Sarah Michel, Colorado Speakers, National Speakers Association, Interactive

Posted by Motivational Speakers: Brad Montgomery | Permalink | Comments (0)

Most of my work is doing keynotes in the corporate and association market. But …

Why do I like being a high school speaker? There are a ton of reasons, but one of them is Skills USA. This is a terrific group of high school (and some college) students who focus toward preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled occupations.

I was hired to these high school kids’ motivational speaker to kick off their big conference in Colorado Springs, Colorado recently. In order to get to this conference, the students had to “opt in.” I’ve worked for schools as a whole, but I admit to not loving that back row of slackers that hates being there. (Does anybody love that back row of slackers?)
The greatest part of audiences like this is that there ARE no slackers in the back. They all want to be there. They have all taken steps to make make sure they are there. And, in this case, they had already won a contest to get to this district convention.

There is no greater pleasure than working with a wonderful audience of talented folks who want to be there.

Thanks Skills USA. It was my total pleasure. Technorati Tags: High School Speaker, youth speaker, Colorado speaker, Skills USA Del.icio.us Tags: High School Speaker, youth speaker, Colorado speaker, Skills USA

Posted by Motivational Speakers: Brad Montgomery | Permalink | Comments (0)

I just spoke at the Colorado Association of Child Advocates. They were having an appreciation event for their volunteers and needed a Colorado motivational speaker to fire up their troops, communicate a feeling of appreciation and hope, and do it all in a laugh-out-loud funny way.

I was honored to be part of this group, even if just for the day. They were a special group of people who do amazing work for people who are unable to help themselves… kids.

It was a hoot…we laughed about everything from lawyers to the foster care system to the fact that they are not paid enough. (They are volunteers — they aren’t paid squat!)

But best of all, I think it was good to take that audience who does so much good for the world, and give them some tools to take that laughter BACK to their families, and back to the kids they are serving.

It went well. Check out this testimonial from their meeting planner about my motivational keynote speech:

Looking for a humorist motivational speaker? I hope you’ll pick me.

Technorati Tags: CASA, Children Advocates, Colorado Speakers, Motivational Speakers Del.icio.us Tags: CASA, Children Advocates, Colorado Speakers, Motivational Speakers

If you’re looking for a keynote speaker for your group, I hope you’ll consider me.

Posted by Motivational Speakers: Brad Montgomery | Permalink | Comments (0)

I’ve recently blogged about the Presidential race and about American Idol. My pal, Colorado - based Andrew Hudson sent me this great combo of the two concepts:

In this day of YouTube, I think it would be awesome. And more than a little funny.

What do you think? Comment!

My answer to our elections is to do “American President” similar to “American Idol”.

Think about it. Auditions are held across the country. We get former presidents or former presidential candidates as judgees and we get 30 really good folks - ya know, really good people, like school teachers, city council members, mayors, CEOs, average folks who are really good leaders - folks who really care about this country! They are all lined up and for 10 weeks they have debates and one-on-one interviews to really get to understand whether they have what it takes to answer the 3:00 a.m. phone call.

We all call the 1800 number every week and vote on who we want to be president! Everyone, theoretically, has a shot. At the very least, we can run the winner as an Independent candidate.

Do you think this would be at least as good as the goofy (and somewhat hilarious system we have now?) Comment…. I dare you.

Posted by Motivational Speakers: Brad Montgomery | Permalink | Comments (2)

Check for a ton of legitimate testimonials about the keynote speech or breakout session. Hey! And why you’re at it, check out this cool video from a recent trip I took to Wyoming to speak to the FBLA. Being a motivational speaker is fun…but this group of high school students was awesome!

Check out my impressions about this group in my recent FBLA post.

Thanks Guys! It was a blast being your speaker!

Looking for a speaker for your group? Link

Posted by Motivational Speakers: Brad Montgomery | Permalink | Comments (0)

I recently saw the movie Little Miss Sunshine which features Greg Kinnear as a character who is a motivational speaker totally down on his luck. Throughout the film, he desperately tries to sell his “9 steps” success method, and, though his steps are good in theory, but this guy is a total loser.

The movie makes a decent point: aren’t motivational speakers predictable, platitudinous and (often) frauds?

And why do highly educated, well-travelled, sophisticate people need motivation anyway? Don’t they know what the speaker will say before they say it?

1. Have goals!
2. Try every mountain
3. You can be a winner!
4. Choose to succeed!
etc blah blah.
Well, yes. But if that is true, why do we need motivational speakers? Here’s what I think:

We all need regular doses of motivation.

It’s like a shower… just ’cause you’re clean now doesn’t mean you won’t need another shower later. Independence is a quality highly reveared in American society, so when someone thinks they can do it on their own, they sure will try. But, that doesn’t mean that everyone out there doesn’t need a slight kick in the pants every now and then. We can’t run on full steam all the time; so it’s never going to hurt to have the right person come in and help fuel the fire.

The good motivational speakers are those who can transfer this motivation in a new and fresh way. Something that appeals to today’s sophisticated audiences.

Audiences crave motivation. They WANT, and sometimes NEED, an outsider to help them see their life, job and troubles from a fresh perspective. The CHALLENGE is sometimes giving someone something they need (motivation) when these people might not choose it (a motivational speaker) for themselves.

So… if you are looking for a speaker, what should you do to make sure you don’t get Greg Kinnear and his silly 9 Steps?

How to choose a professional motivational speaker is quite simple. Just remember the basics. When you are looking for a speaker, find somebody who you know “gets” your group. The initial connection between speaker and audience is crucial, so make sure your speaker knows who they’re talking to from the get go. Make sure the program is customized to your people and that the speaker has a hook that can draw you people in. And, most importantly, make sure your speaker is a real person, someone who practices what they preach.

Greg Kinnear had his steps, but he couldn’t follow them to save his life. He was always preaching to his family about not being a loser, when he himself was the biggest loser of them all. A good speaker will have a list of references, so check them! And look for a LONG list of happy clients. Ask your perspective speaker how they plan to do more than just motivate you audience. How do they plan to motivate AND create actual, meaningful CHANGE in your audience? How will your speaker get your people to MOVE from point A to point B?

Your group will see through the 9 Steps. What does your speaker have to offer that is fresh and appealing? Is he authentic and real?

If not, just rent the movie. You’ll save enough green for the popcorn.

Wanna hire a REAL motivational speaker? Check out what I do in lieu of 9 Steps?

Brad Montgomery
Motivational Speaker, Humorist, Keynoter

Del.icio.us Tags: Little Miss Sunshine, Greg Kinnear, Motivational Speakers, 9 steps, Nine Steps Technorati Tags: Little Miss Sunshine, Greg Kinnear, Motivational Speakers, 9 steps, Nine Steps

Posted by Motivational Speakers: Brad Montgomery | Permalink | Comments (1)

I was just working at San Juan College in New Mexico. They wanted a motivational speaker for this “in service day” who could fire up their troops, but then stay and work more in depth with the group about how specifically these hard working staffers could incorporate the humor and laughter as a tool at work.

Lucky me! I got the job. We were there for a half-day seminar and keynote, and we had a ball.

[Link to my post about the trip to this New Mexico College.]

Are you looking for a motivational speaker, keynote, seminar or humor in the workplace expert for your group? Wondering how you can tell if they can fit your specific needs?

Check out these testimonials for more info. My hope is that you’ll think I’m a good fit and you’ll give me a buzz. Link. In-Service Speaker? Pick me!

Posted by Motivational Speakers: Brad Montgomery | Permalink | Comments (0)

I have a pet peeve: I hate it when reporters, speakers, and even bloggers don’t reveal who they are voting for in the presidential race. Who’s it gonna be? Hillary? Obama? McCain?

Yes, I understand some people think that if I endorse one candidate or the other, I could alienate part of my “audience” and the result would weaken my message on motivation, humor, and laughter.

I might not get the chance to help businesses increase productivity though levity if they do not agree with my choice for president.

I say, “Heck with that!” For the first time publicly, I’m revealing my choice in the photos below.

May the best man — or woman — win!

I don’t need your vote in the election. But I’d love your business. If you’re in the process of electing motivational speakers, I hope you’ll call.

PS. Hey Hillary! Hey Obama! Hey John! I just KNOW politicians need humor in the workplace speakers and motivational speakers too! Give me a jingle and I’ll come do a keynote for your campaign staff. (And dare I say…at the White House?) I’ll see you in Washington, D.C.!

I took these photos on a recent trip to Washington, D.C. where I got more than a few laughs and comments. Later we put the shirts on my three kids and had them walk around the Mall as tourists. What a hoot! If you need a laugh, this tee shirt thing was an easy way to brighten anybody’s day.

What we should have done is rent them to people to let them take a photo in the shirts. Can you say, “Daddy, lunch is on me?”

PPS. If you look closely, there is a hint in the photos above about which candidate I truly endorse. Can you tell which one? Comment below and if you are right (and know the the “hint” I’m talking about, I’ll send you a free digital copy of my book.

And no…it isn’t the thumbs up thing. WAY more subtle than that!

Technorati Tags: Hillary, Obama, McCain, funny tee shirts, Washington, D.C., Motivational Speakers, Brad Montgomery Del.icio.us Tags: Hillary, Obama, McCain, funny tee shirts, Washington, D.C., Motivational Speakers, Brad Montgomery Flickr Tags: Hillary, Obama, McCain, funny tee shirts, Washington, D.C., Motivational Speakers, Brad Montgomery

Posted by Motivational Speakers: Brad Montgomery | Permalink | Comments (50)