Chandler's Ford Civil Service Retirement Fellowship

On Tuesday, I completed my last speaking engagement of 2007 and it was for one of my favourite clubs - Chandler's Ford Civil Service Retirement Fellowship. I had spoken there on three previous occasions since 2004 and at my last talk on Good Friday, they booked me for their Christmas lunch at Wellow Golf Club near Romsey. I decided that my new Great Comedy Quiz would be the best choice for this event.

This club is always well attended and there were about 60 members and guests there. After enjoying my fourth turkey meal this month (and my first since the previous evening!), the quiz got under way. I had added some more questions since I tried this out for the first time a few weeks ago, bringing the total to 16, and, with the inclusion of anecdotes, it filled the allotted time perfectly.

Quiz questions have to be chosen carefully; include too many easy ones and the whole exercise becomes pointless, make them all too difficult and people get stroppy! You have to strike the right balance, especially taking into account the age of your audience.

Public Speaking Tip #102: The choice of questions in a quiz can affect the whole atmosphere of the event so you need to put time and effort into this. The results can be well worth it!

Two of the eight tables came top with good scores so I included a tie-breaker.

Public Speaking Tip #103: If you are setting a quiz, have extra questions ready in case of a tie; no-one wants to be joint winner!

I was relieved that, once again, the cough didn't interrupt the talk.

The Chairman gave me a super vote of thanks and when we chatted afterwards, he said how well it worked with me including anecdotes connected with each correct answer. I was also relieved that, once again, the cough didn't interrupt the talk.

I am very pleased with this quiz and I can now set about marketing it for special events, perhaps even annual lunches and dinners where they don't usually book a speaker.

Public Speaking Tip #104: Your list of available titles should include something different such as a quiz so that you can be booked for a wider range of engagements.

There's a bit of extra setting up to do with a quiz and I really must thank the lady who acted as Speaker Hostess for distributing papers, pens, etc, leaving me free to concentrate on my notes.

All in all, a very pleasant end to the year's bookings.