Laugh Your Way to the Top — How Humor Helps Brands GrowTop 6 Ways Humor Can Help Your Business Grow
If you’ve paid any attention to recent ads, you might have noticed how they shifted their tone from purely informational to humorous. Even if they aren’t outright funny, most are trying to at least be entertaining. But why is that so?
Well, as it happens, humor sells. Now, maybe customers won’t instantly rush to the shop to buy a product with a funny commercial. But humorous marketing will undoubtedly have a more subtle and unconscious effect. So, let’s take a look at what humor can do for your business!
1. It Helps Your Business Stand Out From the Crowd
Let’s be honest — no matter what kind of services and products your company offers, someone’s done it before. In fact, you’re likely going to compete with thousands of brands similar to your own, a few of which have grown to become large corporations. In such a saturated market, it may seem pointless to even start. After all, how could you possibly stand out?
The solution, as you can guess, is good marketing. And good marketing, more often than not, incorporates some form of humor.
Try to remember the last time a commercial actually caught your attention. It probably wasn’t an everyday, run-of-the-mill kind of ad. In fact, considering that you’re bombarded with hundreds of ads daily, your brain would only register something unique and entertaining. Something, perhaps, like this.
So keep that in mind when you’re designing your ad campaign. Most people are just like you — they don’t come to social media to watch ads. They come for entertainment. If your brand manages to give them that, it will instantly gain an advantage over the competition. And that’s precisely what you want!
2. It Gives Your Brand a Voice and Personality
One thing that most business owners struggle with is building a brand with a unique voice and personality. No matter how good your products and services are, the customers won’t connect with your brand if they view it as impersonal and faceless. And if there’s no connection, there’s no loyalty, so you’ll find it much harder to build a client base.
That’s why it’s crucial to keep your brand’s social media active, answer questions, and, of course, throw in a joke or two. If you do that, you’ll show your customers there’s a person behind the brand — someone who laughs just like they do. Then, they’ll feel more comfortable contacting you and more willing to buy from you. On top of that, if you manage to make them laugh, it’s a huge bonus for your image!
3. It Makes Your Brand More Relatable
Who do you like to spend time with more — someone you can relate to or someone you have nothing in common with? Most people would, of course, choose the first option. Relating to someone or something gives you a sense of belonging, as if you’re not so alone after all. If your brand can provide that to people, you’ll certainly see your customer base stick around and grow.
And what is the most common way of relating to and bonding with other people? Sharing a laugh, of course! Follow the trending topics, make some witty comments, and add an occasional joke at your business’s expense. That way, customers are more likely to see you as one of their own. And as a result, your brand will be held in high regard!
4. It Leaves a Lasting Impression on Your Customers
Some of the best ad campaigns can live for years, even decades, in the clients’ minds. For instance, who doesn’t know about the Old Spice commercials, which actually won an Emmy in 2010? The ads for this campaign are still being produced today, but the ones from a decade ago haven’t been forgotten either.
And what is the secret to Old Spice’s ad campaign success? To put it simply — humor. People remember things they find entertaining or funny even after many years. Even something as mundane as a commercial can remain etched in their memories if it makes them laugh.
So use that to your advantage. Try to make a humorous or at least a witty advertisement for your business. Do something unexpected, think outside of the box. You’ll be surprised how big of a difference it can actually make!
5. It’s Shareable
In the world of social media, the highest value is placed on how shareable a piece of content is. It’s all about creating the next popular meme, the next viral video, or status that everyone will see. And as you know, the most shareable content isn’t necessarily helpful or informative — but it’s almost always funny.
Of course, your primary goal shouldn’t be to go viral — it rarely works like that. Instead, you should aim to present your brand in a funny, creative way, and that will often be enough to make your ad shareable. Then, your customers might send it to their friends and families to make them laugh. And there you have it — your clientele is already expanding!
6. It Helps Associate Your Business With Positive Feelings
When you’re trying to sell something to someone, you should aim to elicit an emotional response from them. Make them feel something for your brand, and you’re that much closer to getting them to buy. Usually, the safest route is to make your clients feel happy. After all, no one will refuse to part with their hard-earned money for a service that brings them joy.
And there’s hardly anything more associated with happiness than laughter. If you can make your client laugh, they’ll feel more relaxed and at ease. They’ll lower their natural guard against sales pitches and show a genuine willingness to hear you out. In fact, around 53% of consumers prefer ads that make them laugh and don’t sound like a sales pitch. So keep that in mind!
In Conclusion
Are you struggling to get the word about your business out? Instead of purely informative social media posts and ads, try to sprinkle in some humor. Even if you don’t feel it’s in line with your brand, a witticism here and there can’t hurt and could make quite a difference! Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone — that’s often the key to building a successful business!