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Humor is often an underestimated tool in the arsenal of sales and lead generation strategies. Today, I’ve got Eitan Soloducho, founder of Edamame Lead Generation, to lend some expert insights into this. Let’s unpack how humor can be your secret weapon.
Break the Ice, Build the Connection
The sales process is pretty much a relationship, albeit a short-term one. As Eitan puts it, The first step to a successful sale or lead conversion is breaking the ice and establishing rapport. Humor can act as an instant ice-breaker, making the prospect more comfortable and open to hearing what you’ve got to say.
Real-World Application: Next time you’re reaching out to a new prospect, whether it’s through a cold call or LinkedIn message, throw in a tasteful joke or pun related to your industry. You’ll be surprised how this small act can set the tone for the rest of the interaction.
Makes Your Brand Memorable
Your prospect likely receives dozens of pitches a day. Humor makes you stand out. A joke or a funny anecdote sticks longer in people’s minds than a drab, by-the-numbers pitch.
Expert Insights: Soloducho explains, When you make someone laugh, you create an emotional connection. This boosts recall, and when the prospect is ready to make a decision, guess whose name pops up first?
Eases the Tough Conversations
Let’s face it; not all sales talks are smooth sailing. You’ll hit snags—objections, concerns, price negotiations. A dash of humor can defuse tension and make these difficult conversations easier.
Real-World Application: Got a prospect who’s concerned about price? Lighten the mood by saying something like, We offer first-class solutions at a budget airline price! The humor takes the edge off and makes the subsequent discussion easier to navigate.
Challenges Conventional Sales Wisdom
Conventional wisdom says, Be professional. Be serious. But guess what? People buy from people, not robots. Throwing in some humor shows that you’re human, relatable, and yes, trustworthy.
Expert Insights: By using humor, you’re challenging the stereotype of the pushy, robotic salesperson, says Soloducho. This adds a layer of authenticity that prospects find appealing.
Increases Social Shares and Engagement
Ever wonder why funny videos go viral? People love to share content that makes them laugh. When your brand is associated with humor, the chances of your content getting shared increase dramatically.
Real-World Application: Create a funny, industry-related meme and share it on your social channels. Monitor the engagement and watch your brand’s visibility soar.
Before we wrap up, Soloducho wanted to share some behind-the-scenes insight into how we practice what we preach at Edamame: You know, sales is a high-pressure job. Targets, deadlines, KPIs—it can get intense. That’s why I believe in lightening the mood whenever possible. Happy salespeople are productive salespeople.
He recently sent his team a curated list of funny sales quotes and humorous sales videos. These aren’t just random picks, he says, each quote and video had a key sales lesson hidden within the humor. It’s like sneaking veggies into a fruit smoothie; you get the goodness, but it tastes better!
He adds, The response was overwhelmingly positive. Not only did the team share a laugh, but they also found the quotes and videos motivational. It fostered a sense of camaraderie that’s priceless in a sales environment.
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