Do you like to laugh?

[Axxe]

Hi once again,

Have a question here. What do you think: do jokes help in selling services on the internet?
I mean what‘s better, to write a description of your services with humour or is it better not to do that.

Can’t wait to read your opinion

Cheers,
Donatas

 

[alejandro]

it very much depends on the product or service and your market.

humour may be an effective selling tool with say gifts or other novelties, but not really approptiate with business services

 

[Jonathan Senior]

No - avoid humour at all costs.

Different people have different senses of humour.

I am massively into irony but somepeople would read what I found funny and think "so what" or " stupid fool"

 

[The Bookkeeper]

I agree that people have differing views about what constitutes humour. However, you can make your narrative interesting rather than boring without telling a joke.

 

[10Yetis]

Depends on the audience I reckon?

I would avoid humour at the outset and then judge the situation once you know the tastes and style of the person(s) you are talking to.

We have scattered some "funny" links to odd pictures around our site and some people bring them up in conversation in a positive way when we meet them and others ask, very seriously, why we have what appears to be a guinea pig with a wig on, as a picture hidden in our site!

 

[Jayne]

I'm as daft as the next person, but i'd not put any jokes on my website, it looks childish, unless you run Silly Jokes, then that's ok. Save the jokes for business forums...lol

Jayne

 

[directmarketingadvice]

No - avoid humour at all costs.

Different people have different senses of humour.

I am massively into irony but somepeople would read what I found funny and think "so what" or " stupid fool"

Good advice.

Or, looking at it another way, how often do you find "funny ads" on TV funny?

And how often do you find then stupid or just plain irritating?

Even looking at the comedy shows on TV, made by the cream of comedy talent, you probably find most of them aren't funny.

If you've got a humour based business that's aimed at a particular sense of humour, fair enough, you've got a reason to try to be funny.

If you haven't why do something that's either going to bore or turn off most of your audience?

Unless, of course, you reckon you've got more comedic ability than the pros.

Steve

 

[sam27]

Hi,

As mentioned already, it totally depends on your market. To optimise selling your product or service do you require a professional image? Will potential buyers be looking at how you conduct yourself within the content on your site as an indicator to the stability and quality of your business?

If you are marketing a travelling circus, by all means, humour is expected, however, if you are a local supplier of chair lifts for the elderly, this is a different matter. (this is a really bad example but you get the point!)

Sam

 

[Cornish Steve]

I find that humour does work if it's natural and part of just being yourself; otherwise, as others have written, it's risky. Some people like to start their presentation with a joke, but I find this to be rather forced. In the middle of a presentation, though, I use examples of product use that include gentle, self-effacing humour. This always seems to go down well.

 

[Axxe]

Thanks for your opinions fellows. It was really interesting to read it.

Cheers,
Donatas