The recent furor over remarks made by shock-jock Don Imus has made us think again about the risks and benefits of using humor. For sales professionals humor can be a powerful tool for connecting with our customers, and--with a little compassion and judgement--we can avoid the risks.
The Don Imus flap is just the latest in a string of incidents involving a celebrity who made public comments that were hurtful and demeaning. The pattern has become all too familiar. First came the inevitable awkward apology and then the equally inevitable defense of the comments as the product of not intolerance but comedy. Seized upon by pundits, the incident has set off an emotional debate over the line between political correctness and free speech. That debate might never be settled, but it does seem a good time to think about humor and the risks and benefits of using it with our customers.
We love to laugh and we love people who make us laugh. Some of the highest paid performers in the entertainment industry are people who produce laughter. Still, science still doesn’t seem to understand much about it, which is evident from scientific descriptions that characterize laughter as a type of “respiration pattern.” That hardly seems sufficient. Laughter is not a pattern of respiration. It is a force of nature! Are you ever in a situation where you need to laugh but you shouldn’t so you hold it in? You have to be careful because it can find another exit.
Danish funnyman Victor Borge once famously observed that the shortest distance between two people is laughter. As sales people, we are always seeking to bridge that distance between our customers and ourselves. We desire to build rapport, engender trust, and finally to persuade and negotiate a solution that is best for both parties. That’s what relationship selling is all about.
Properly used, humor can quickly open up channels of communication and build and bolster the kind of positive relationships that lead to success in selling. Shared laughter is perhaps the second most effective connector of people (the first is shared tragedy, something else we’ve been reminded of recently in the news). When we laugh with someone it is not only a pleasant emotional experience, it is a moment of bonding and even persuasion. Why do you think political cartoonists are such mainstays of editorial journalism? It is because laughter is a powerful persuader. If I can make you laugh at the humor of my drawing, then—for that moment at least—you have bought into my editorial position. That skill with humor can also be used to persuade customers. Not that a witty remark is the key to closing the sale, but deftly used humor has many advantages in sales situations. A list of the benefits of humor reads like a wish list for sales professionals. Humor:
• Creates instant rapport. We feel an immediate kinship with someone with whom we share laughter.
• Shows self-confidence. We naturally respect confidence and few things communicate that self-assurance like humor.
• Indicates intelligence. People who use humor well are regarded as bright and insightful.
• Is disarming. Appealing to a customer’s sense of humor can lower defenses and allow genuine communication to take place.
• Satisfies an emotional need. This is the big one. The people we value the most are those who satisfy our emotional needs. Laughter feeds our need for joy.
With so many benefits, why don’t we train all sales staff in how to tell jokes? Perhaps it is because humor is much more complicated than that. It is a useful and powerful communications tool, but, like any tool, it comes with certain risks. Here are a few:
• Offensiveness. Humor that is in poor taste, is vulgar, or targets a group or an individual is risky even with people we think we know well.
• Perceived insensitivity. Humor that is out of emotional sync with the customer might suggest that we aren’t properly empathetic.
• Perceived frivolousness. Laughter is good, but we need to be always appropriate and professional.
• An obstacle to listening. For the natural comedians among us, this is a real risk. We can get so focused on trying to be clever that forget to be engaged and active listeners.
So, is humor too risky to attempt? Certainly not, but it does require skill and sensitivity. You might never be a laugh riot, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make humor work for you and your sales efforts. You’ll need to keep some simple rules in mind. First, understand what humor is and isn’t. It isn’t telling jokes. That’s comedy. Humor is an attitude of lightness and enjoyment. Whether or not you can tell a joke or turn a clever phrase makes little difference as long as you have the right attitude. And how do you communicate that “humor attitude”? With your smile (the primary humor response), your body and your voice. Practice your typical greeting in front of a mirror. Does that person look like someone you might enjoy talking to?
Second, use humor compassionately and without cynicism. Put-downs and insults require victims. Even if you get the laugh, you’ve probably reduced your status (and maybe lost the sale). If your humor pokes fun at anyone, let it be you. Self-deprecating humor can build trust by demonstrating good-natured humility. Compassionate humor is inclusive and has no sharp edges.
Last but not least, be sensitive. Skillfully using humor requires great listening skills and sensitivity to our communication partners. Maybe you have tried to lighten a tough situation with an unhappy customer only to be admonished, “this is serious!” Humor can relieve tension, but we need to weigh that against the customer’s emotional state. If we’re not attuned to others, humor can make us appear insensitive. In a sales relationship, it is critical that we are tuned in and active listeners. No matter how clever the humorous remark may seem in our minds, it’s not worth the risk if it alienates our customer.
Humor is a great gift and a useful communications tool that can serve us well in our efforts to build and strengthen sales relationships. With the right attitude, some sensitivity and a smile we can make humor work for us as we strive to provide value and enjoyment to our customers.
About Author
Dave Caperton worked for several years as a stand-up comedian and comedy writer before becoming a national speaker, trainer, and seminar leader on humor, communication, stress management, sales, and customer service. His website is http://www.davecaperton.com . Phone: (614) 804-5725, email: [email protected]
Article Source: http://www.1888articles.com
The Don Imus flap is just the latest in a string of incidents involving a celebrity who made public comments that were hurtful and demeaning. The pattern has become all too familiar. First came the inevitable awkward apology and then the equally inevitable defense of the comments as the product of not intolerance but comedy. Seized upon by pundits, the incident has set off an emotional debate over the line between political correctness and free speech. That debate might never be settled, but it does seem a good time to think about humor and the risks and benefits of using it with our customers.
We love to laugh and we love people who make us laugh. Some of the highest paid performers in the entertainment industry are people who produce laughter. Still, science still doesn’t seem to understand much about it, which is evident from scientific descriptions that characterize laughter as a type of “respiration pattern.” That hardly seems sufficient. Laughter is not a pattern of respiration. It is a force of nature! Are you ever in a situation where you need to laugh but you shouldn’t so you hold it in? You have to be careful because it can find another exit.
Danish funnyman Victor Borge once famously observed that the shortest distance between two people is laughter. As sales people, we are always seeking to bridge that distance between our customers and ourselves. We desire to build rapport, engender trust, and finally to persuade and negotiate a solution that is best for both parties. That’s what relationship selling is all about.
Properly used, humor can quickly open up channels of communication and build and bolster the kind of positive relationships that lead to success in selling. Shared laughter is perhaps the second most effective connector of people (the first is shared tragedy, something else we’ve been reminded of recently in the news). When we laugh with someone it is not only a pleasant emotional experience, it is a moment of bonding and even persuasion. Why do you think political cartoonists are such mainstays of editorial journalism? It is because laughter is a powerful persuader. If I can make you laugh at the humor of my drawing, then—for that moment at least—you have bought into my editorial position. That skill with humor can also be used to persuade customers. Not that a witty remark is the key to closing the sale, but deftly used humor has many advantages in sales situations. A list of the benefits of humor reads like a wish list for sales professionals. Humor:
• Creates instant rapport. We feel an immediate kinship with someone with whom we share laughter.
• Shows self-confidence. We naturally respect confidence and few things communicate that self-assurance like humor.
• Indicates intelligence. People who use humor well are regarded as bright and insightful.
• Is disarming. Appealing to a customer’s sense of humor can lower defenses and allow genuine communication to take place.
• Satisfies an emotional need. This is the big one. The people we value the most are those who satisfy our emotional needs. Laughter feeds our need for joy.
With so many benefits, why don’t we train all sales staff in how to tell jokes? Perhaps it is because humor is much more complicated than that. It is a useful and powerful communications tool, but, like any tool, it comes with certain risks. Here are a few:
• Offensiveness. Humor that is in poor taste, is vulgar, or targets a group or an individual is risky even with people we think we know well.
• Perceived insensitivity. Humor that is out of emotional sync with the customer might suggest that we aren’t properly empathetic.
• Perceived frivolousness. Laughter is good, but we need to be always appropriate and professional.
• An obstacle to listening. For the natural comedians among us, this is a real risk. We can get so focused on trying to be clever that forget to be engaged and active listeners.
So, is humor too risky to attempt? Certainly not, but it does require skill and sensitivity. You might never be a laugh riot, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make humor work for you and your sales efforts. You’ll need to keep some simple rules in mind. First, understand what humor is and isn’t. It isn’t telling jokes. That’s comedy. Humor is an attitude of lightness and enjoyment. Whether or not you can tell a joke or turn a clever phrase makes little difference as long as you have the right attitude. And how do you communicate that “humor attitude”? With your smile (the primary humor response), your body and your voice. Practice your typical greeting in front of a mirror. Does that person look like someone you might enjoy talking to?
Second, use humor compassionately and without cynicism. Put-downs and insults require victims. Even if you get the laugh, you’ve probably reduced your status (and maybe lost the sale). If your humor pokes fun at anyone, let it be you. Self-deprecating humor can build trust by demonstrating good-natured humility. Compassionate humor is inclusive and has no sharp edges.
Last but not least, be sensitive. Skillfully using humor requires great listening skills and sensitivity to our communication partners. Maybe you have tried to lighten a tough situation with an unhappy customer only to be admonished, “this is serious!” Humor can relieve tension, but we need to weigh that against the customer’s emotional state. If we’re not attuned to others, humor can make us appear insensitive. In a sales relationship, it is critical that we are tuned in and active listeners. No matter how clever the humorous remark may seem in our minds, it’s not worth the risk if it alienates our customer.
Humor is a great gift and a useful communications tool that can serve us well in our efforts to build and strengthen sales relationships. With the right attitude, some sensitivity and a smile we can make humor work for us as we strive to provide value and enjoyment to our customers.
About Author
Dave Caperton worked for several years as a stand-up comedian and comedy writer before becoming a national speaker, trainer, and seminar leader on humor, communication, stress management, sales, and customer service. His website is http://www.davecaperton.com . Phone: (614) 804-5725, email: [email protected]
Article Source: http://www.1888articles.com