Have you ever done something dumb while you’re at work and cringe to yourself that hopefully know one saw it? Let’s face it. We add do things on occasion that make us look like we checked our common sense at the door. It doesn’t mean we have to immediately start stressing about who saw or us what they are going to think. In some cases, it’s good to make light of our mishaps. It shows you’re human and no matter how hard you try, you will still do things that sometimes make you wonder how you outgrew childhood. The same is true if you are trying to make your company more interesting or likable to the general market. A company grows just like a human, but with a different type of process. There are bound to be errors an mistakes. Capitalize on them by showing your customers that growing pains can have a funny side.
No One Is Perfect
In a work environment, it’s important to remember that no one is perfect, the business included. Sometimes, taking the funny things that happen and spinning them into a storyline or marketing gimmick is the best way to bring in new customers. While the customer wants a perfect product, they want to be able to trust and respect the company. That may be hard to do if the company comes off as being rigid and unbendable. They want something that is real and able to admit that mistakes do happen. When you find something that will show the company’s “human” side, embrace it and use it to your advantage.
Learn to Laugh At Yourself
If you are working on a big marketing project and make an error, don’t get upset or try to cover it up. Use it for fuel to drive the creation of a new idea or two. Every time you here, “Well, that didn’t go as planned!”, you have an opportunity to turn it into something that will cause your customers to smile, laugh, and maybe snort occasionally. When it comes to humor, if you want people to remember you or your product, you have to get them to laugh. It’s okay to not be perfect. When you do something really stupid, like looking for your phone while you’re talking on it, laugh it off and above all own it. Wear that puppy like it’s your Sunday best and keep that smile. Lighten up that serious environment and learn to include those funny moments in your advertising. If you’ve had a good laugh, share it with the customers and bring them on board. Laughter is the best medicine and it’s a great way to endear your company to the people who support it.
Don’t Take Things So Seriously
In a business environment, people tend to be overly serious so that others know how dedicated they are to their job. The fact is, being so serious all the time can turn work into a struggle. Instead of walking around like you nose got taken off by the grindstone, learn to smile more. Crack a joke or two and lighten up the work environment a little so your co-workers can do the same. More smiles means happy workers and happy workers means increased productivity. Increased productivity means Johnny just might get a raise! (Well, sometimes!) The more positive the work environment, the better the ads and marketing slogans. Better ads mean better business and happier customers.
If you want to love your job and truly enjoy the work you do, find the little ways to bring humor into it. Look for the “funny” in life and use it to your advantage. Make light of moments that are just too odd to be true. Take real life situations and show that there really is a bright side. You never know. Just maybe it will be your ad or commercial that brightens someone’s day or gives them a reason to smile. That is what your customers will remember. Of course, they will remember how your product performs, but to give them a memory that makes them smile or gives them a reason to laugh is something that creates a longer lasting bond.
Wendy M writes on a variety of topics with health and environmental topics being her most common subjects. She has most recently been published on both eHow.com and Livestrong.com. Wendy specializes in health, fitness, diet and alternative therapy pieces.
