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Serious Marketing Tips From Stand-Up Comedy
Both can be pretty scary…but ultimately there’s nothing like it.
I’d been taking improv classes for a couple of years and when Philly Improv added a stand-up comedy class, I signed up. (Actually, I thought about it, and then my friends pushed me.)
In my former life as a college professor, I entertained students every day.
When I give talks to corporate audiences, I use some humor. But these are captive audiences who appreciate any diversion from the business at hand.
Doing a live stand-up comedy performance would be the real test. It was the number one item on my bucket list.
Now, you have to understand I knew almost nothing about live comedy. I’d never even been to a comedy club. The class was a revelation.
First we had an introduction and a couple of practice sessions.
Then they challenged us to go find a friendly open mike (i.e., a place where anyone can sign up to perform for five minutes) before the next class. I didn’t want to be the only one who didn’t, so I did. I descended some rickety steps of a dive-y kind of bar, waited forever for my turn, and (as they say in the business) killed ‘em.
