Named the “Father of Contact Marketing” by the American Marketing Association and WSJ cartoonist, Stu Heinecke, shares examples of how humor works – even in enterprise sales!

When he started his own business, Stu wanted to create direct mail campaigns for magazine publishers, for subscription acquisitions and renewals. He wanted to mix personalization and cartoons with direct mail. Even though there was a big headwind against doing that (David Ogilvy used to say: don’t use humor, it doesn’t work).

But Stu knew something different. He knew that editorial readership surveys were saying that cartoons were almost always the best read and remembered parts of magazines and newspapers.

Humor is a great way to break the ice, connect on common ground, and lighten the mood but also to provide incisive insights during a meeting. It can also help to make complex topics more accessible and easier to understand.

However, it is important to use humor in a professional and appropriate way that is appropriate to the context.

Here are a few ways you can use humor to entertain and connect with your buyers:

1. Use Humor to Emphasize Certain Points:

You could use a humorous analogy to explain the benefits of your product or service. This can help the customer remember the point and make you stand out.

2. Use Humor to Break the Ice:

You could start off a conversation with a joke or an interesting story. This can help the customer feel more comfortable and be more open to hearing what you have to say.

3. Use Humor to Connect with the Customer:

You could tell a joke or a funny story that the customer can relate to. This can help the customer feel more comfortable and make them more likely to trust you.