Elicit feedback on your jokes and other pitches over the phone.

Mike Birbiglia is a successful comic, writer, and actor. He finds that over the phone, it’s pretty easy to skim through your material (jokes, pitches), and you know when people are interested in what's being said. You don’t have to hear the laughter; you can hear in their silence what their interest level is. Sometimes silence speaks louder than words.

1. Tell people your jokes and pitches over the phone.
   They can peacefully give feedback in a way that’s not judgmental. When you’re face-to-face with somebody and you tell them a joke, they can feel the pressure of thinking, “Oh, I should laugh,” or, “I need to politely respond.”