NO JOKE: MOST SIGN companies could do with a bit more humor. Not only does it lighten the mood, it can help boost morale, performance and even the bottom line. Stop us if you’ve heard this one, but the list of benefits from fostering an environment of levity in the workplace is staggering.
Humor enhances sales and productivity, makes advertising memorable and leaders appear more competent and likable. It transforms mundane training into something engaging, increases employee retention and attracts eager new hires. It flattens hierarchies, facilitates collaboration, heightens bonding and encourages people to take positive risks. It lowers stress, builds resilience, reduces hostility, deflects criticism, improves morale and helps management communicate difficult messages. It essentially costs nothing. Perhaps best of all, it just makes coming into the shop or office more enjoyable for everyone.
So, what’s the punchline? A rather depressing one: Some bosses and workers, especially those in more white-collar settings, think humor is a bad idea … at least in their particular circumstances at their particular places of work. And that mindset is pervasive. According to some studies, we spend about a third as much time laughing as people did in the 1930’s — during The Great Depression!
What could explain this? There are three main reasons, all of which you’re probably quite familiar with: Humor is viewed as inappropriate for the serious discourse of business; it’s hard to do well; and when poorly executed, it’s dangerous. Jokes depend on a shared view of the world, an understanding of the same cultural and linguistic touchpoints and, crucially, a willingness to violate the same norms and laugh at the same things. When they bomb, it’s ostracizing. Plus if the quip or story is viewed as offensive, it can damage the teller’s professional standing by making them appear lacking in both competence and intelligence — or it can even be legally actionable.
In the following pages, we provide tips from your fellow sign company owners and managers, comedians, academics and our own reading to help you up your humor game, and your business operations as well.
Despite the weight of the occasion, this is often the perfect opportunity for a little irreverence. “We try to get a laugh out of every single customer that comes into the shop,” says Chad Lawson, Sign Pro of Skagit Valley, Mount Vernon, WA. “Humor tends to make the customers feel comfortable with our process and gives them confidence that we are going to take care of them.”
Disarmed, a customer is more likely to listen and in the mood to buy. Done right, humor has the power to build bridges instantly, lull the customer into surrendering useful personal information and help overcome objections. “Most customers are already excited, they have mentally committed to spending their money, but they are very nervous about overspending,” says Jasper Burton from Cuerden Sign Co. in Conway, AR. “Humor helps build trust, and confidence.”
Studies even show that something as simple as adding a lighthearted line at the end of a sales pitch can increase customers’ willingness to pay nearly 20% more. “The funny thing about humor is that we don’t need to tell a joke to get a laugh. It can be enough simply not to take yourself too seriously,” notes business communication expert Carmine Gallo in The Storyteller’s Secret.
Naomi Bagdonas, co-author of Humor, Seriously: Why Humor Is a Secret Weapon in Business and Life concurs: “This is not about becoming a comedian; it’s about looking at the world in a different way. And the good news is that our lives are already full of humor if we only notice. When we live our lives on the precipice of a smile, we shift how we interact with the world.”
“Humor brings people together; especially when it comes on the tail of a negative experience that a group of people have suffered through,” says Jake Zani, Rule Signs & Graphics, Randolph, VT. “Having to crawl under your car at the height of mud season to wire your muffler to the frame … sucks, but it sucks a lot less when there is someone in the mud next to you that you can crack a joke with.”
“We have had many instances over the course of our signshop’s life that fall into the category of ‘You can’t make this sh*t up,’” says Mallory Lynn, Signarama Brighton, Brighton, CO. “From some of the interview stories to working with some crazy vendors to an employee that hand-cut a wrap on the vehicle, the stories never end.”
Advertisement“Read the room,” says Kurt Stoner, Stoner Graphix Inc., Hummelstown, PA. “Use [humor] as needed, or if the opportunity arises … it may be appropriate.”
QUESTION:
Yep, unique is the word, none other like it |
55% |
Lame is probably more accurate |
1% |
Probably not much different from that of the general population |
37% |
Way better than the general population — another level |
7% |
There’s no room for humor in the sign industry |
0% |
“I think there is a fine line between humor grabbing attention and humor degrading your professionalism,” says Carl Heinlein, Cincinnati Custom Signs, Cincinnati. “Do people that enjoy the humor really think more highly of you or do they laugh and do business with a more ‘mature’ or serious business?” Finding balance and the right audience are key.
“I belong to two networking groups. From the beginning, it was difficult to stand and speak to a large group of people. But I discovered that humor relieved some of the anxiety of public speaking,” says Jeffrey Cross from Cross Signs, Seminole, FL.
Christopher Meinsen, Perspective1, Tampa, FL also recommends sneaking lighthearted humor into everyday encounters. “From a job interview with a new candidate to a collection call with a national partner that won’t pay, I use humor to break the tension after I make a direct statement,” he says. “And I always end an awkward conversation with something light and funny.”
“Before you try to say something humorous, try to determine the type of person you’re addressing — the wrong humor will sink you as fast as the right humor will boost your chances of a sale,” says Tarvin. Mark Pietras-Weed, Webb Signs Inc., Fairfax, VA shares a similar sentiment: “Funny is one thing, rude is another. Know the difference.”
Nicolas Estrada, Tyko Sign Group, Los Angeles, reminds us where our true profession lies: “Humor lightens the tone, but at the end of the day we are in a services business and professionalism and good communication are what win and keep business.”
“The more you understand everyone’s styles, the easier it is to read the room and know when to drop that perfectly timed frog joke,” says Aaker. “You’ll also be better able to mitigate risks. For example, sweethearts and magnets need to watch out for excessive self-deprecation that can undermine their reputations, while standups and snipers have to make sure they don’t offend or alienate.”
But you need to go further than simply watching out for someone’s background or identity. “Don’t punch down. So that means never making fun of someone of lower status,” says Aaker. Finally, check your distance — how close are you to the person you are making fun of? “I can make fun of my mother but not your mother,” says Aaker. “Appropriate humor is the key … know your audience,” advises Lisa Havniear, LA Designs, Mabelvale, AR.
“While I know I can’t joke around with all clients, I do use humor to make clients comfortable when I can,” says Meri Lindenmuth, G&L’s Sign Factory, Bethlehem, PA. “I enjoy the clients that I know I’m safe in joking around with. It has assisted me in building long-lasting relationships where the client trusts me to create the best product for their use.”
However, there are two things to keep in mind when going for a humorous approach in your advertising: 1) studies show your claims may not be taken as seriously; and 2) the humor needs to reinforce the principal point of your ad. “Here’s the litmus test,” says Wizard of Ads author Roy H. Williams: “If remembering the humor forces you to recall the message of the ad, the humor is motivated. Good job. But if recalling the humor doesn’t put you in memory of the ad’s main point, the humor is unmotivated and will make your ad less effective. Sure, people will like the ad. They just won’t buy what you’re selling.”
“One of our icons is our Dalmatian puppy with colored spots that we call Hue,” reports Steve Rowe, SpeedPro Affinity Solutions, Sarasota, FL. “One of our clients is the local Polo Club and we sponsored them this year. In our ad in their magazine we put our puppy on the ad and a thought bubble that said, ‘If only I was a horse.’ It got a few chuckles and we’ve had a few people actually mention it to us.”
That’s a sentiment shared by many of the contributors to this article. On the importance of humor, Renato Pinto, CDL Electric Co., Carl Junction, MO sees the bigger picture: “I wouldn’t just say [humor is needed] in the sign business, but in general.”
Perhaps John Johnson, A-Plus Signs Inc., Fresno, CA sums it up best: “If you’re not having fun, then you should look for something else that makes you happy.”
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