Humor is often overlooked as a strategy to build connections and create a shared experience with your customer. By adding a little delight to your reader’s day, they’ll come to associate your brand with the positive feelings of laughing and the trust associated with that shared experience.
Being funny doesn’t have to entail pictures of cuddly animals holding banners with your organization’s name, especially since they probably have no idea what they say and tricking animals isn’t especially professional.
Here are a few tips to infuse humor into your messaging strategy. Because funny is…well, funny.
1.) Be unexpected.
Think about your customer’s day-to-day routine: Probably too many emails, too many meetings, too little time. In all the hustle and bustle, a little fun can serve as a singular beam of light, helping to break apart the bleak overcast that is one’s day.
Take this shipping notice from Photojojo as an example:
Different approaches to a typical notification—such as a shipping notice—can be small, but have a lasting impact over time. Small injections of humor to your customer’s day can build up to create a meaningful and memorable brand.
2.) Have a sense of humor about yourself
People often believe that being silly can devalue a company’s professional stature, and with excessive use it can, but there’s nothing worse than taking yourself too seriously. Humor is a chance for companies to put what they sell in a different light—a jovial, interesting light.
Even if your brand or service doesn’t fall into a category typically associated with “fun” or “having any idea what we’re talking about”, fun can be had.
GE created a Pinterest board about their founder—Thomas Edison—that took a totally different angle in looking at such a brilliant scientific mind.
If you’ve ever taken a chemistry class, you know carbon dating isn’t the most lighthearted process, but if GE can make it seem cool and funny, then trust me, you can make your product appear the same.
Don’t be afraid to approach why people should why people should care about your product from a different angle. Your customers will appreciate it.
3.) Make a connection with personality
You can build an authentic and emotional connection with your customers and community even when doing simple things like administering a survey.
In order to improve their video hosting product, Wistia created a “Take a Survey” video, featuring their entire company actually doing the Hustle, in order to collect useful feedback. Remember, Wisita is only a fun brand because they choose to be.
The video hosting industry is not a sexy, or an exciting one, however they used their content to show off their personality and culture to build a connection with their customers.
4.) People, not product
Instead of always talking about yourself and what you have to offer, shift your focus on the customer. It’s in our nature to desire attention, so play with that. Celebrate your customers!
Even if you’re not necessarily gaining anything tangible from what you’re doing, showing your appreciation for what your customers do for you supports a lasting healthy relationship, making them happy to be your customer.
Here’s a little love coming from Redbox:
In closing, here are some other examples of spreading a little love to your customers or associates:
- Thought you’d enjoy this!
- Check out this interesting article on a subject we’re both interested in.
- Saw your good news—congrats!
- Woo-hoo, we’re so excited to be working together!
