Add Humor to Your Presentation with the LAUGH Framework

Hey, it’s Conor Cunneen, IrishmanSpeaks here again—sharing some simple tips, tricks, and techniques to help you add relevant humor to your presentation. Humor, when used effectively, reinforces your message and helps you connect more deeply with your audience.

A Conversation That Sparked a Framework

I recently had a great chat with Mike Markiewicz from the Lubar College of Business at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, where I introduced one of my core tools for adding humor. The concept? It’s built around the word:

LAUGH

Yes, that’s right—L-A-U-G-H.

This Is Not About Comedy

Let me be clear:
This is not about being a comedian.
This is about using humor as a strategic tool in your presentation toolbox.

When giving a strong presentation, you already have:

• Solid content

• Good pacing and timing

• Engaging stories

Now, add a touch of relevant humor, and you’ve got a recipe for real connection. Not Kevin Hart or Jerry Seinfeld-style humor—just real-life, relatable moments that make people smile.

Humor Reinforces Your Serious Points

Here’s the idea:
Make your serious point. Then reinforce it with a little bit of humor.
You might even say:

“That bit of humor reinforces the key message—like the importance of teamwork to build a great organization.”

The LAUGH Acronym: Step 1 – Listen

So let’s begin with the first letter in the LAUGH acronym: L is for Listen.

According to research, the average person laughs or smiles 15–20 times a day. And if your audience is anything like you—above average!—they probably do it more often.

But here’s the kicker:
Most of us don’t remember what we laughed at.

That’s a missed opportunity.

Don’t Wait for Jokes—Capture Real Moments

The things that make us laugh the most aren’t always jokes.
They’re:

• Anecdotes

• Stories

• Quips

• Comments

• Offhand remarks

These are the gold nuggets you can bring into your presentation.

Build a Humor Bank

If you say something and it gets a laugh—record it.
If someone else says something that makes you smile—jot it down.

Use the Notes app on your phone, a sticky note, a journal—whatever works. Over time, you’ll create your own “humor bank” filled with little moments you can pull from whenever you need to make a point more memorable.

If you don’t capture it, you won’t remember it.

Conclusion: Humor Lives in the Everyday

We laugh. We smile. But we often move on and forget why.

Start capturing those little moments.
It’s the first—and maybe most powerful—step in the LAUGH Framework.

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Includes funny quotes from Mark Twain, Mayor Richard J. Daley “”The policeman is not here to create disorder. The policeman is here to preserve disorder,” Mother Teresa (honest), George Bernard Shaw, Ronald Reagan, Barack Obama and many more.

IrishmanSpeaks – Conor Cunneen (left) is a Chicago-based motivational, humorous business speaker who delights in adding humor in his presentations and helping others to do the same.

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