12-7-2014
There is nothing that can break the ice and open a relationship faster than making someone laugh. The toughest, most sceptical buyer will let down their guard if you can simply make them laugh.
Everyone from effective public speakers to commercial copywriters have learned to harness the power of humor to generate positive responses from their target audiences.
The toughest sell for any company and any manager is to sell their staff. Your staff faces multiple objections and rejections on the street every day. Selling them on the value they and your company deliver is management?s most important job.
So here is the thing: When was the last time you made your staff laugh?
Are your meetings, communications, and conversations all about spreadsheets and accounts receivable, or do you find ways to weave a little fun and laughter into everyone?s day? I?ve never seen anyone laughing at a spreadsheet.
Humor and laughter have been proven to strengthen your immune system, boost energy, and protect you from the damaging effects of stress. Best of all, this priceless medicine is fun, free, and easy to use.
Here are a few ways you can start to add a little levity to your workplace:
? Count your blessings. The negatives in the workplace or in your market will present themselves without any effort on your part. You have to make a conscious effort to stop and smell the roses in your life and particularly in your career, and to share those with others.
? Spread the laughter. Laughter and smiles are contagious. When someone or something makes you smile, pass it around.
? Build a ?laugh file.? You can use your search engine to find a joke or humorous story about virtually any point you want to make. YouTube has an amazing selection of humorous videos you can use to capture attention and create a smile. File your jokes by the topic or point they make.
? Think about it. When someone tells you a joke, or e-mails a cartoon that makes you laugh, think about how you can repurpose that joke to meet your communications objectives.
I often use the joke my friend sent me about the widdle wabbit during our advertiser seminars to make a point about not assuming why people buy.
It?s the joke about a precious little girl who was missing her two front baby teeth and walked into a pet shop. She asked the owner in the sweetest little lisp, ?Excuthe me Misser, do you sthell widdle wabbits??
As the shopkeeper?s heart melted, he got down on his knees to be on the little girl?s level and started his pitch, ?Do you want a widdle white wabbit or a thoft and fuwwy, bwack wabbit, or maybe that cute widdle waskally wabbit over dere??
The little girl put her hands on her knees, leaned forward towards the pet shop owner, and looking him in the eye said, ?I don?t tink it weally mattows to my python.?
I then go on to explain that had the pet shop owner taken the time to learn why the little girl was asking about wabbits, he probably would not have positioned them as ?thoft, fuwwy, or cute??.neither the little girl nor the python cared about those features.
? It?s easier to spread humor if you are willing to let others be the star. Encourage your team to bring humorous stories, antidotes, and jokes from the street, into your halls and meetings.
? Choose your associates wisely. Avoid the doom and gloom spread by nay-sayers in favour of associating with people who make you smile or laugh.
? Laugh at yourself. Never make other?s the brunt of your jokes, and remember that sarcasm is the lowest form of humor. Don?t take yourself too seriously
If you have a cartoon or joke that you use to make a certain point or to break the ice, I?d appreciate hearing from you, wayne@wensmedia.com
Humor is just one of the tools Wayne uses in his Winning In The New Media Economy advertiser seminars to touch the emotions of advertisers and to sell more radio advertising.
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