Do you know how to use humor in sales?

There is an old proverb in sales that goes like this:

“If you can make your customer laugh, then you’ll be able to sell almost everything to them!”

Although old, this is still valid today. Humor and good mood are two critical ingredients in building relationships with customers.

What is the challenge with humor?

• People don’t know how to use it
• People don’t know when to use it
• Most salespeople are afraid to use humor because they think it can look unprofessional.

But we at Results Driven like new approaches to sales, so let me introduce to you our four reasons why you should use Humor in your business processes:

1. Humor in sales, the last frontier.

It’s easy to learn about your product, it’s easy to learn about your customer, it’s easy to learn the science of sales, but it’s tough to learn the science of Humor and even harder to learn how to introduce humor in your sales pitch.

The beauty of Humor is that it relaxes people and creates a more open atmosphere. This atmosphere leads to friendship, respect, and empathy. We refer to Humor as the last boundary because it is the last element we put in the selling process. We use Humor when we understand our product, our customer and the science of selling.

If you use Humor and do not understand these three elements, then you will be a clown instead of a salesperson. Humor will make you solidify your relationship with customers and the sales process itself.

2. Using humor in sales shows the highest shape of language mastery.

You’ve probably heard someone refer to someone else says “This guy is hilarious.” Humor is, in fact, the most difficult art to learn. But once mastered, it provides the basis for creating a more effective empathy relationship.

What do you think a customer prefers? A dull and very professional sales presentation or a presentation that balances professionalism with a little Humor, changing the process into something that is much more enjoyable for both parties?

3. The best humor combines professional with friendship and fun.

If your sales presentation is professional only, you are very likely to lose the deal to someone who balances 50% professionalism with 50% Humor.

Humor is a thousand times more engaging than professionalism. If you have any doubts, watch some commercials on TV these days. Are they professional, or are they funny, or both? Which of these salespeople are most successful?

I don’t want to compare your sales pitch to a TV commercial. But I’d like you to think about how your sales pitch should be versus how your customer would most certainly want it to be.

I use Humor in my sales processes whenever I can. In addition to getting more sales, I also get stronger relationships with my customers and sometimes even a lot of friendships.

4. About Humor, it is necessary to distinguish a joke from a story.

Most salespeople are nothing but joke tellers. More than that, they are “
joke re-tellers”.

Telling jokes is extremely dangerous in the sale process.

First, most jokes make fun of people, institutions, races, or any other reasons for mockery. Second, most jokes become a bit forced. And lastly, in most cases, the customer may have heard this joke several times before.

The stories, on the other hand, are genuine. They tell an experience, they use Humor often in a disguised way, and are incredibly engaging.

When you tell a story, you strengthen your sales pitch and help your customer connect to your product in a more friendly way.

Remember that numbers and facts are forgotten, but a good story will forever remain in the memory of your customers.

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Also published on Medium.