I really enjoy experimenting with creative sales approaches for our business. Right now, we're conducting an A/B test on a new sales campaign that incorporates a touch of humor.
Using humor in sales can significantly boost your chances of success. The reason humor can work is because it can help you connect with potential customers. When you're trying to sell your product or service, the main goal is to establish a connection.
When humor is used appropriately, it leaves a lasting impression. By making your outreach memorable, you increase the chances of being remembered when the prospect is ready to make a purchasing decision.
In the book "Yes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive," authors Noah J. Goldstein, Robert B. Cialdini, and Steven J. Martin shared some interesting findings: When you reach out to people, if you send them a funny and harmless cartoon, they tend to trust you more. This trust can lead to a 15% increase in profits for companies that use humor in their outreach efforts.
Why Humor May Not Work in Cold Sales Outreach
While humor can be a powerful tool, it's essential to recognize situations where it may not be effective. For example, different cultures have varying perceptions of humor. What may be funny in one culture might not resonate well with another. It's crucial to be mindful of cultural sensitivities and tailor your humor accordingly. That is why we for example differentiate our sales outreach between the Netherlands and Spain.
It's important to make sure your humor fits the context of your sales outreach. Recently, I received a sales message with a joke that didn't make sense to me. Moreover, the joke was about a completely different industry than ours. Even though I appreciated the effort of using a joke I was not interested because there was no effort being made in researching our company.
How to Effectively Use Humor in Cold Sales Outreach
Choose humor that matches your personality. Being authentic helps establish a real connection and builds trust with your potential customers. I believe that using humor should only be done if it genuinely reflects your personality and if you incorporate humor into your everyday life. Otherwise, it may come across as insincere.
Personalize Your Approach: Incorporate personalized humor that shows you've created that messages especially for your prospect. In the end, I believe that personalization is the most crucial aspect in successful sales outreach.
Conclusion
Incorporating humor into cold sales outreach can significantly enhance your chances of success. When used appropriately, humor helps establish a connection with potential customers and leaves a lasting impression. However, it's crucial to be mindful of cultural differences and tailor your humor accordingly. Additionally, personalization is key for effective sales outreach. Using humor that reflects your personality and incorporating it genuinely in your everyday interactions is essential. By striking the right balance and personalizing your approach, humor can be a powerful tool to establish connections, build trust, and achieve successful sales outcomes.