How to use Humor in Presentations [Practical Strategies]
- Ink Narrates | The Presentation Design Agency
- Apr 10
- 6 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
While we were working on a pitch deck for a tech founder named Matt, he asked us a question that made us pause.
“Is it okay to make people laugh in an investor presentation?”
Our Creative Director answered without blinking:
“It’s not just okay, it’s a smart move if it earns trust and makes the story stick.”
As a presentation design agency, we work on dozens of investor decks, keynote presentations, and internal strategy sessions every year. And this isn’t the first time we’ve had this conversation. Humor is tricky territory. People worry it might fall flat, offend, or distract. But the biggest risk? Not using it at all.
We’ve seen humor make dry data memorable. We’ve seen it soften tough truths during board meetings. And we’ve seen it break the ice with skeptical audiences who came in with their arms folded.
So, in this blog, we’ll talk about how to use humor in presentations without trying to be a stand-up comic, without undermining your message, and definitely without adding a random meme for the sake of it.
The Role of Humor in Presentations
Humor in presentation settings isn’t about cracking jokes. It’s not entertainment. It’s a tool. And like any tool, when used with precision, it can change the outcome.
Let’s call out the elephant in the conference room — most presentations are boring. And not because the content is weak. Some of the most impactful data, boldest visions, or sharpest strategies are buried under lifeless delivery. Humor, when used well, is the CPR that brings those ideas back to life.
It does three things really well:
It earns attention.
People tune in when they’re enjoying themselves. That doesn’t mean every sentence has to be hilarious, but a well-timed line can jolt your audience out of their autopilot.
It creates connection.
Shared laughter triggers a social response — a sense of “we’re in this together.” That’s gold when you’re trying to win trust or shift mindsets.
It builds contrast.
In a sea of serious, a small ripple of humor stands out. And when used intentionally, it makes the serious parts hit harder.
Let’s be clear — we’re not advocating for slapstick. We’re talking about strategic levity. Humor that earns its place. That’s what works.
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How to use Humor in Presentations [Practical Strategies]
Strategy 1: Make Fun of the Situation, Not the People
This one’s non-negotiable. Good humor punches up or sideways, never down.
When we worked on a corporate transformation deck for a logistics company, they needed to rally internal teams that were already exhausted by change. Instead of sugarcoating, we opened with this:
“Here’s your quarterly reminder that we’re not just changing — we’re transforming. Again.”
It got a laugh. Why? Because it acknowledged the shared fatigue. It made fun of the situation they were all in, without mocking anyone personally. That laugh gave us permission to walk them through serious structural changes with less resistance.
Humor that mocks people, especially your audience, is the fastest way to lose the room. So is sarcasm — especially when tone doesn’t translate across cultures or Zoom calls. Keep it smart. Keep it shared.
Strategy 2: Use Visual Irony, Not Cheap Gags
A slide doesn’t have to say “funny” to get a laugh.
We once redesigned a sales deck for a software client who wanted to show how outdated their competitors’ solutions were. We used a visual of someone faxing a document... from a flip phone. No text. Just the image.
The room cracked up.
That’s visual irony. It speaks to the absurdity of a situation without a single word. When paired with a strong verbal narrative, it can be incredibly effective.
But here’s the catch — the humor has to support the story. Not distract from it. Memes and GIFs are tempting, but if they feel like filler, they’ll undermine your credibility. Ask one question before adding something funny:
“Does this make the point clearer, or just louder?”
If it’s just noise, cut it.
Strategy 3: Exaggerate a Truth
This is a classic narrative technique — take something everyone agrees on, then push it just a little beyond the edge.
In a product launch presentation we helped craft for a consumer app, the team wanted to showcase how slow competitors’ onboarding process was. So we dropped in a line that read:
“By the time your customer figures out how to log in, they’ve already joined your competitor’s subreddit to complain about you.”
It was an exaggeration — but not by much. And it worked because it was rooted in reality. Everyone in the room had experienced a frustrating sign-up process. The humor came from the recognition, not the absurdity.
This kind of humor works best when it’s used sparingly. If every slide leans on the same trick, it wears thin. Think of it as a cymbal crash — you don’t want to hear it every few seconds, but when it hits at the right moment, it amplifies everything around it.
Strategy 4: Self-Awareness Wins More Than Ego
We once helped a founder prepare for a keynote. Smart, visionary, intense. But too intense. The rehearsal was sharp — but intimidating. So we suggested opening with this:
“I’m aware this is the part of the day standing between you and free wine. I’ll try to make it worth the wait.”
That line changed everything. It signaled humility. It acknowledged the audience’s energy. And it made the founder instantly more relatable.
When we drop the pretense of being the smartest person in the room, the room starts listening. Humor can be the quickest way to show self-awareness — and that’s more powerful than any slide.
Strategy 5: Use Timing Like a Designer, Not a Comedian
Delivery matters.
A slide with a punchline lands harder when it follows a setup slide that builds tension. A funny remark gets more attention when it comes after a few moments of silence. Humor needs space to breathe.
We worked on a leadership presentation where the exec wanted to address a tough quarter without dragging morale. Instead of opening with data, we used a single line:
“Q2 was... an exercise in character building.”
Pause.
Then the next slide opened with the actual numbers, already softened by the humor. That pause made the line land. That contrast made the numbers easier to process.
When you’re presenting live, use your voice the way we use slide layouts — pacing, emphasis, whitespace. Humor works when it doesn’t feel rushed. Or worse, forced.
Strategy 6: Call Out the Obvious (So It Doesn’t Distract)
Sometimes, the funny thing is the elephant in the room — and if you don’t acknowledge it, your audience can’t think about anything else.
At an internal all-hands we helped design for a hybrid team, the CEO opened with:
“Half of you are here in person. Half of you are watching from your kitchen. Everyone’s wondering if this meeting could’ve been an email. Let’s prove it couldn’t.”
Nervous laughter, followed by a collective lean-in. Because it was true. And saying it out loud disarmed the cynicism before it could settle.
This strategy is especially useful when presenting to skeptical audiences — investors who’ve heard it all, executives who’ve sat through one too many consultant slides, or employees who feel burned out. Humor becomes a way to earn honesty points, and those are often worth more than applause.
Strategy 7: Test It Before You Take It Live
Humor is subjective. What works for one audience might not work for another. So test it.
We always advise clients to rehearse their presentations in front of someone who wasn’t part of the project. If they laugh at the right moments — great. If they look confused — fix it.
We’ve seen founders remove jokes that killed on Slack but fell flat on stage. We’ve also seen executives discover unexpected punchlines just by watching how people react during practice runs.
The key is detachment. Don’t fall in love with the joke. Fall in love with the reaction.
If you’re working with a team, use their instincts. And if you’re not sure, use this simple rule: If the humor makes the story clearer, keep it. If it just makes you feel clever, cut it.
Humor Isn’t Optional — It’s Strategic
We’ve lost count of how many times humor saved a presentation from collapsing under its own weight.
That said, we’ve also seen presentations crash because the speaker tried to be funny instead of being useful. Humor is not the message. It’s the sugar that helps the message go down.
When it’s grounded in truth, when it connects rather than distracts, and when it’s used in service of clarity - it works. Every time.
So yes, Matt. It’s okay to make people laugh. In fact, it might be the smartest move you make.
Let’s build smarter presentations and maybe even laugh a little along the way.
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