The Unexpected Secret to Making Your Audience Fall in Love With You (In 90 Seconds)

Not long ago, I was in the kitchen with my son—somewhere between chopping veggies and attempting to convince him that broccoli is, in fact, edible—when I pulled a ridiculous facial expression.

He lost it.

I’m talking full-body, rolling-on-the-floor, can’t-catch-his-breath laughter. For a moment, I was convinced I was the next big Australian comedian.

Kids make laughter look easy.
They’re uninhibited.
They’re open.
And honestly… they’re always on the lookout for a reason to laugh.

Adults?
A different story altogether.

Most grown-ups enter a room with their shoulders around their ears, mentally juggling to-do lists, unanswered emails, whether they locked the car, and an unspoken hope that they won’t accidentally embarrass themselves.

Meanwhile, my son is howling over the way my eyebrows move.

That silly moment took me straight back to my time in Italy performing theatre for children. There is nothing—nothing—like the sound of a room full of kids laughing in unison. It’s warm, contagious, and one of the purest sounds of joy there is.

So I started wondering:
How do we recreate that feeling on stage for adults?
How do we help a room full of cautious, distracted humans drop their guard and laugh together?

Because here’s the truth: shared laughter isn’t just fun.
It’s science.

When a group laughs together, their nervous systems sync.
Trust rises.
Walls fall.
Connection accelerates.

And if you can spark even a small moment of laughter in the first 90 seconds of your talk, you instantly strengthen your connection—with your audience and between your audience members.

But here’s the twist:

Humour in speaking isn’t about being a comedian.
It’s about being relatable.

So if you want your audience warming to you—fast—here are three simple, surprising ways to make it happen (no comedy degree required):

1. Name the obvious thing everyone feels but no one says

Humour thrives in truth.

If the mic squeals,
If you drop your clicker,
If your hair gets stuck in your lip gloss (this is a very specific example for a reason)…
Just call it out with ease.

This shows confidence, grounds you in authenticity, and instantly relaxes the room.

2. Use micro-stories, not epic ones

Skip the long setup.
Skip the elaborate context.

Tell a quick 10–20 second story—something true, human, and instantly relatable:

Your kid’s breakfast meltdown.
Your dog’s sock obsession.
That time you tried meditating and ended up making a to-do list in your head.

Tiny stories → big laughs.
Why? Because people recognize themselves in them.

And recognition builds trust without you needing to “perform.”

3. Let humour come from contrast

This one is gold.

Say one thing… then follow it with a surprising truth.

“I promised myself I’d be calm before this talk.
So, naturally, I reorganised my entire pantry instead.”

Contrast creates a delightful twist—and delight creates connection.

Here’s the real magic of all this:
Humour helps your audience exhale.

It softens the energy in the room.
It warms people to you.
It opens their hearts so your message can land deeper and linger longer.

You’re not trying to run a comedy show.
You’re simply building a warm, human bridge between you and the people you’re here to serve.

And when your talk truly feels like you—your quirks, your truth, your humanity—your audience remembers you long after you step off the stage.

If you’re ready to craft a Signature Talk that moves people, connects, and converts—and finally step onto more stages in 2026—I’d love to support you. Come find me on Instagram @caseysquirescoaching, or reply anytime.

Much love,
Casey
xx