23 Tips to Make Money as a Comedian

Make Money as a Comedian: If you wish you had a little more money in your pocket, you’re not alone.

Fortunately, you have a variety of options when it comes to making money.

Doing odd jobs is a quick and easy way to earn money.

Similarly, reselling items or selling items you make can earn you extra cash.

As another option, earn money online by writing a blog, freelancing, or doing online surveys.

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1. Make Money as a Comedian

It’s stressful when you need to make money fast to pay a bill.

Or buy something you need, but you do have options.

You can sell goods and services, recycle or scrap items, do some odd jobs, or borrow money.

These methods may or may not be reliable long-term.

But when you need to make some money in a few hours or days, they are your best shot!

Read 23 Tips to Make Money as a Comedian(https://businesshab.com/)

2. Make Money as a Comedian

Performing comedy is a great career if you want to make people happy by getting them to laugh.

While you don’t need any formal training to become a comedian.

It does take a lot of perseverance and hard work to make it your full-time job.

Start by writing jokes so you can string them together to develop a set.

Once you have enough jokes, you can sign up for open mic nights to perform your set.

With some patience and a lot of performance.

You may be able to start getting paid gigs for your act!

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3. Make Money as a Comedian

Yes, you can become a comedian and start raking in millions of naira yearly from just making people laugh.

The challenges of life are weighing heavily on people and life expectancy is reducing gradually, if not rapidly.

It is a medically proven fact that joy and laughter can help increase one’s lifespan.

4. Make Money as a Comedian

So, do you have what it takes to make people laugh and possibly roll on the floor?

Instead of telling those jokes to just yourself.

Why not take a bold step and start by asking your friends who have events to allow you take 5 – 10 minutes to crack some jokes.

You can start from there and if you are good, you might soon become the next big thing.

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5. Improve your sense of humor.

First and foremost, comedians need to be able to make their audience laugh.

Practice exaggerating things and changing the tone of your voice.

While you speak so you sound funnier to other people while you’re speaking or presenting.

Watch comedy movies and read humorous books so you can develop a sense of what you think is funny.

Try goofing around with friends or telling them jokes to see if you can make people laugh.

• Having a sense of humor can also help you deal with feelings of tension, sadness, and frustration as well.

6. Become comfortable in front of crowds.

Comedians perform in front of new crowds each night, so you need to feel comfortable getting on stage and talking to them.

Practice relaxing your muscles before presenting something so you don’t appear tense while you’re performing.

Take deep breaths before you go on to help calm yourself even more.

When you’re on stage, choose a place near the back of the room to look back to when you feel nervous so you can continue presenting.

• You may feel more uncomfortable on stage when you’re trying to get people to laugh.
• Do your best to relax since the audience will get uncomfortable if you seem the same way.
• Always practice your material before you get on stage so you can feel more confident about what you’re presenting.

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Make Money as a Comedian

7. Be okay with failing every now and then.

As a comedian, there are going to be nights when the audience doesn’t laugh or a set won’t go well.

Failing is a common thing while you’re performing comedy, so recognize that rejection will happen.

Rather than focusing on the failure.

Write down or think about what you can improve on so you can be better the next time around.

• Don’t give up on something just because you fail at it initially.
• If you really want to perform comedy, then keep working on jokes for your next set.

8. Listen to other comedians to get an idea of what style you like.

The best way to develop your sense of humor and style is.

By finding comedians that you enjoy and listening to their sets.

Listen to their specials so you can hear what they’re telling jokes about and how they present them.

Notice their tone of voice and the speed of their delivery so you can emulate it later when you do your own set.

Find a video of their performances if you’re able so you can look at their stage presence and performance as well.

• Try going to comedy clubs or open mic nights in your area to see live comedy so you can determine what jokes other people are telling.
• If you want to try one-liner jokes, listen to comedians like Mitch Hedberg, Demetri Martin, or Steven Wright.
• If you want to tell jokes that are more like a story, try listening to Mike Birbiglia, Aziz Ansari, Brian Regan, or John Mulaney.

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9. Take improve classes if you want to get better at comedic timing.

While you don’t need it to be a funny comedian.

Improve training can make you develop your sense of humor in a fast-paced environment.

Look online or at comedy clubs in your area to see if they offer improve or comedy courses.

Sign up for a class and work with the other students in the class to do funny scenes together.

After you try a bit of improve, incorporate the random humor into your set.

• If you can’t find any improve classes in your area, you may be able to take improve clinics online.
• Improve can also help you get better at listening and working with peers.

10. Determine the comedy persona that you fit into best.

While comedians are usually themselves on stage.

They’re usually elevating certain qualities to make them sound more funny.

Start by brainstorming words that you would use to describe yourself, such as shy, angry, or energetic.

Choose one of your qualities and try to incorporate it into the jokes and style you want to perform.

• For example, if you want your persona to be “angry,” then you may tell jokes about things that make you upset.
• You can also base your persona off of how energetic you are. If you have a lot of energy, you may be more physical with your comedy. If you feel more laid-back, you may tell jokes slowly and act more relaxed on stage.

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11. Brainstorm topics that you think are funny.

Jokes can be about anything you want as long as you put your own personal and funny spin on them.

Write down a list of things that you think are funny on a sheet of paper so you can keep a running list of ideas.

You may add personal stories or topics that others can relate to, such as dating, getting married, or having kids.

Write down all of your ideas, even if they seem stupid or unfunny at the time.

• If you want to do topical humor, watch the news to stay up to date with current events.
• Write down funny things as they happen in a notebook or on your phone so you don’t forget material later on.
• It’s okay to tell raunchy jokes or use bad language, but avoid poking fun at people’s race, gender, or ability since it could limit your chances at being successful. Remember that every joke isn’t going to be appropriate for every audience.

12. List ideas relating to the topics you choose.

Once you have a list of topics written down, choose one of them to expand ideas on.

Write down why you think the topic is funny.

Other things related to the topic you chose, or ideas you have for jokes.

Think about things that you’ve experienced relating to the topic to incorporate into your jokes to make them more personal.

• For example, if your topic was going out on a date, you may write down an awkward experience you had while you were out or how it feels hard to meet people.
• Include all of your ideas at first, even if they don’t feel very funny.
• You don’t know how a joke or topic will do until you perform it.

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Make Money as a Comedian

13. Write a set-up made of smaller jokes that build off of one another.

The set-up for a joke includes the introduction to the topic you’re riffing on as well a few shorter jokes.

Add a few sentences about your topic, but don’t give too much backstory or the setup will feel long-winded.

Focus on the words you’re choosing for your joke so it sounds funny when you read it out loud.

Make sure the point of your set-up is clear, or else your audience may not understand the joke.

• For example, if your topic was about online dating, your set-up may be something like, “I downloaded a dating app to give it a try and I haven’t gotten a single match. It’s been 2 months now.”
• Try a few different set-ups for your jokes so you have different things to try out.
• Combine similar topics in your set-up so you can keep building on the joke. For example, if you want to talk about online dating, you may tell jokes about making a profile followed by going on a date with someone you met through the app.

14. Make the punchline of your joke the funniest moment.

Your punchline is the final few lines of the joke and should get the biggest laugh from the audience.

Make sure your punchline relates to the rest of your set-up or else the audience will get confused.

However, the punchline should feel surprising when the audience hears it so they can’t guess what you’re about to say.

Practice writing a few different punchlines for your joke so you can see which one works best.

• When you’re finished, your joke including the punchline should be around 250 words.
• One-liners have the set-up and punchline in the same sentence, but they may be more difficult to write. For example, a famous one-liner from Mitch Hedberg is, “I like rice. Rice is great when you’re hungry and you want 2,000 of something.”
• Try writing the punchline before you write the set-up so you know what you’re building the joke up to.

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Make Money as a Comedian

15. Organize 3-4 jokes into a short setlist.

A setlist is what you’ll perform while you’re on stage, and can range anywhere from 5 minutes up to 1 hour of material.

When you first start, plan on making a short, 5-minute setlist made up of 3-4 jokes that flow well into one another.

End the setlist with the joke you think will get the biggest laugh from your audience so you end on a bang.

Outline the setlist on a piece of paper so you can memorize the order.

• For example, you may start with a joke about being frustrated with online dating and transition into another joke about how it was easier to date before cell phones. You might then end your set with a story about a person you met on a dating app and your experience with it.
• If you can’t easily transition between your jokes, try using a few one-liners to change topics.
• Remember the order of your setlist isn’t set in stone.
• Rearrange your setlist until you feel comfortable with their order.

Make Money as a Comedian

16. Practice telling your jokes in front of friends and family.

Before you get on stage in front of an audience, ask your close friends and family to listen to your set.

As you perform your jokes, watch how they react to the punchlines and see how often they laugh.

When you finish the set, ask them to be honest about how they felt about your jokes.

Write down their feedback and use it to help you edit your jokes so they’re funnier.

• If your jokes don’t land while you’re practicing, then try revising your word choice to see what flows better.
• If you don’t feel comfortable performing in front of a group of people right away, record yourself as you perform your set in front of a mirror. That way, you can watch the video to see your mannerisms and delivery.

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17. Sign up for open mic nights in your area so you can perform.

Look for comedy clubs in your area and find out if they offer open mic nights.

Sign up for a spot at the open mic night so you can perform your set in front of a crowd.

Speak slowly during your performance so you don’t rush through your material.

Take brief pauses after you finish a joke so people have time to laugh before you start your next bit.

When you’re finished, thank the audience and say your name so people remember you better.

• Record video and audio for each of your performances so you can look back at your sets to see how they went. You may also be able to upload clips from your set online to share with others.
• Keep telling jokes even if your set isn’t going as well as you like. Many times, audiences won’t laugh because they didn’t realize you said the punch line.
• You can also try open mic nights at cafes or other locations, but they may have more restrictions on what type of content you can perform.
• Find a comedy club that has a good crowd and that you enjoy performing at to set as a “home base” to try new material. You may need to try multiple clubs before finding one you like.

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18. Maintain good connections with club owners for chances to get booked.

While you’re at the comedy clubs performing your material, reach out to the employees and owner and chat with them.

Ask them how they felt your set went and if more opportunities are coming up where you can perform.

If you consistently bring in laughs and an audience.

The club may let you have a guest spot or emcee bigger shows.

• As you start performing more, your gigs and setlists will get longer.
• Make sure you keep writing and adding new jokes to your routine so you can continue to grow.
• You may be offered a few non-paying gigs when you first start out.
• But they will help you get in front of a crowd and gain experience as a comedian.

Make Money as a Comedian

19. Network with other comedians at clubs to learn about new gigs.

Other performing comedians may know about gigs.

Or different opportunities where you can perform your material.

Reach out to the comedians to talk about their sets and what jokes you really enjoyed.

Ask them how they felt about your set and what worked for them.

See if you can exchange information with the comedians.

So you can stay in touch if a new gig comes up for either of you.

• If you’re performing before a headliner or a comedian with more notoriety than you, ask them about their “home base” clubs and what the submission process is like. They may be able to put in a good word for you if they think you’re able to perform well there.
• Don’t arrive just before your set and leave right after since other comedians will think it’s rude.

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Make Money as a Comedian

20. Build a social media presence for yourself.

Many comedians get a professional start on social media sites, such as Instagram, Twitter, or YouTube.

Create accounts for yourself with your contact information.

And post funny bits or videos throughout the week so you can build a following.

If you have gigs coming up or you’re performing.

Post the dates and times online so other people can come to watch you if they want.

• Reply to other comedians and verified accounts so their followers can see your posts as well.
• Don’t be rude to other people online since it could affect how other people think about you.

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21. Send your bio and a video of your performance to other club bookers.

After you’ve had successful sets at comedy clubs near you.

Branch out to comedy clubs in other cities in your area so new people can see your material.

Look at comedy club websites to find out their submission requirements.

So you can include everything they need.

Many times, bookers want a 1-2 paragraph bio about who you are and what style of comedy you have as well as a video of your performance.

If the booker likes you, they will reach out and contact you for a spot.

• Some bookers want videos submitted through YouTube while others may want DVDs.
• Make sure you’re familiar with the submission guidelines beforehand.
• You may also apply to comedy festivals to perform in front of larger crowds and get your name out to other people in the industry.

Make Money as a Comedian

22. Submit your work to an agent to help you get more gigs.

If you’ve been performing successfully for a while at comedy clubs, you may be able to get an agent to book you larger gigs.

Look for comedy agents online or ask other comedians who represents them.

Check the submission guidelines for the agent you’re interested in and send them your information.

Many times, an agent will want a video of your performance.

Clubs you’ve performed at, and a short biography about you.

• You don’t need an agent if you don’t want one.
• But it takes the pressure off of you to book your own gigs.

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