Humor has always been my ally. I got out of a lot of jams back in Brooklyn when I was a kid by making people laugh. I remember one steamy summer night in particular. Walking home I realized a car was following me. I picked up my pace and darted into an alley. When I came out the other side the car was still there. I started to run. The car closed in. Exhausted, out of breath and with no place left to hide, I sagged to the curb. The car stopped, its headlights fixed squarely on my face. Out jumped 5 menacing kids with baseball bats. I steeled myself for the first blow when a voice yelled out “hey, aren’t you the kid who was making us laugh on the beach today”? “Yep, that’s me”, I replied. Instead of painful blows I received hearty pats on the back. See what I mean about humor being my ally? It’s been that way my entire life.
Not Everyone “Gets It”
In the late eighties I thought it was time to take comedy seriously so I started doing standup in the clubs around Boston. I soon learned a lesson that has stuck with me ever since. Not everyone gets it. Today I still consider humor the most important tool in my toolbox. It helps prospective clients let their guard down and breaks the ice. But … not everyone gets it. You see to be effective, comedy has to have context. And to understand the context you have to listen. There! That’s the secret. Listening. Not only will listening increase the odds that you’ll be funny when you’re trying to be, it will let your clients know you care. And you must care.
For another take on comedy as a sales tool, read A Funny Sales Secret on Bob Poole’s terrific website. In it, Bob talks about his good friend Walt, a very funny guy and a great salesman. What strikes me about Walt is not his sense of humor but his natural ability to make everyone in the room feel comfortable. That’s a gift. And while you’re at it, treat yourself by spending some time on Bob Poole’s website. There are many sales and marketing gurus. There is only one Bob Poole.
Closing Thoughts
These pointers are solely my opinion and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of management.
- If you use humor in a sales context, understand it’s not about inflating your ego. It’s about making your client/customer/audience feel comfortable
- Remember context. Before you start firing off jokes, ask questions, listen earnestly to the answers. Get the lay of the land. Then determine if humor is appropriate. It may not be.
- If you’re not sure if something you’re about to say is funny, chances are it isn’t. Don’t say it.
- In the same way that social media won’t work for you if you’re not a social person, humor won’t work for you if you’re not funny. (Don’t get mad at me for that one … it’s the truth).
So what do you think? Is humor an effective sales tool? Have you used it effectively? Has a sales person used it on you and did it work? I would really love some feedback on this one.
Photo by tofslie
Hi Marvin – I loved your story about your ability to make people laugh keeping you out of trouble when you were a kid. My friend Walt, who you reference, has done the same thing more than once. We once made the mistake while traveling together of walking into a local bar that was 99% bikers. We were wearing suits. I suggested we turn around and head for the door but Walt said just wait. He then walked up to the two biggest guys there, elbowed his way between them and then said something that first made them glower and then had them roaring with laughter. They bought the first round.
So, yes, using humor to make people feel comfortable and to fit into their world is a talent that can be developed. I recommend signing up for humor workshops or improv classes. That's one of the best ways to learn how to use humor effectively.
And, thank you for the shout out!
Wow, I'm not sure I would have had the courage to do what Walt did in that situation. But apparently it worked. Walt sounds like someone I'd like to know. And you're quite welcome about the shout out. It was my pleasure.
I like the perspective of needing to listen to be funny, that's something I hadn't thought about before! I'm not a natural comedian, I just wish I were. That being said, I'm generally good at recognizing a joke and I like to laugh. I think my use of humor is mostly to laugh at the funny things my clients say (laughing with them, not at them, of course!)
Thanks for the thoughtful comment Jen. If there weren't people like you who can recognize when something's funny, then nothing would ever be funny … how sad 🙂