Tips For Using Humor in Business, part 4

There used to be a tabloid called the Weekly World News that was totally bogus and had stories like Bat Boy – a boy who looks like a bat, and lots stories about Alien sightings. How do I know it was bogus? I was featured in some of the articles. One article I was in had me and my husband hacked up by a Chuckie Doll somewhere in France. It was ridiculous. The people who worked at this tabloid knew who their audience was and what their purpose was with the magazine. And that's what made the magazine successful!

This week I'm talking about guidelines for using humor in business, and today's tip . . . know what your goal is with the humor. With using humor in business for example, your goal isn't to be a hilarious comedian. Your humor doesn't have to be belly laugh funny. I think people shy away from using humor in business because they think it's got to be hilarious. No. Your goal with using humor in business is to get people to relax and take a breath, maybe change the energy a bit so you can talk about a tough topic. It's NOT to keep people in stitches. So don't put pressure on yourself to be the next Jay Leno. As I said before this week, most people in business are happy that you're trying to lighten the mood. Stay away from offensive topics… sex, drugs, rock n roll, oh and politics, and you'll be okay. Even the lightest of humor opens up communications between people and makes it easier for them to connect.

If you want a peak behind the scenes of my comedy career, check out my book on Amazon – "Convention Comedian: Stories and Wisdom From Two Decades of Chicken Dinners and Comedy Clubs"

That's it for today. Take care and enjoy your journey.