Don’t rush the punch line.
Establish a natural, easy tempo and stick with it. Suddenly rushing the punch line unduly jars the audience. Speaking too quickly loses listeners and they might not catch what is being said. This abbreviates the laugh. The punch line should always be delivered in the same tempo and rhythm as the rest of the joke.
Use pauses for effect
Pauses are part of good timing if used judiciously. Stopping in the wrong place will throw off the tempo you’ve begun, disrupt the flow, make the audience uncomfortable and ultimately lessen the laugh. Always pause at a point that is natural or that enhances the sensible phrasing of the joke. Smart, calculated pauses are absolutely indispensable to getting bigger laughs.
Speak with energy
Enthusiasm is infectious. A passionate discourse is a foolproof way to enthrall a crowd. Conversely, an audience becomes bored quickly with a flat, dull, colorless speaker. A spirited voice is always more interesting. Speaking with energy insures that the audience will hear every word. If they can’t hear what is being said, how can they be expected to laugh? To make sure that I’m clearly heard, I always turn up the sound system to the point just before feedback, then I lay back from the microphone at least six inches. By doing this I have greater control over the volume, and my delivery.
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