Turn Your B2B from Blah to Brilliant

Why should you include humor into your B2B marketing strategy?

Because corporate comedian, Tim Washer, said so. (Yes, a corporate comedian is a real thing.)

Mr. Washer’s humorous approach to B2B marketing has tickled the B2B community forcing business professionals everywhere to actually laugh. However, don’t worry! The cold calls, demos, white papers, and product information via every possible form are here to stay. I mean it wouldn’t be B2B marketing without them, but what if somewhere in between bombarding potential clients with product information, you gave them a laugh?

“A good laugh is a nice gift to your customers,” explains Washer in an interview with Forbes. Implementing humor into your marketing strategy is an effective way to grab, keep, and focus attention on your brand and product. If used correctly, humor can humanize your messaging and bring excitement to your brand’s culture.

So to ensure your clients are laughing with you (and not at you), I’ve put together a few tips for you to keep in mind!

Create Clever Content

Humor is subjective. What I find to be funny, you may not, and vice versa. Therefore, instead of attempting to be funny (and failing miserably), opt for clever content. There IS a difference between funny and clever. Leave the funny business to the B2C marketers. Here in the big leagues of B2B, your business professional audience demands much more thought than the average consumer-based audience of B2C.

Be Delightful, Not Distasteful

Humor is dangerous. Be respectful to all perspectives. If humor is in bad taste, it can muddle your intended message and completely burn your brand. Knowing your audience is where it begins, but it must extend to their audience as well. Content spreads rapidly, and all it takes is one vile message to go viral and disrupt your entire organization. Don’t be mistaken: this applies to your ENTIRE organization, which includes any person or employee that is representative of your brand. Don’t do what this woman did. Remember you are what you tweet!

Relate to Resonate

Humor is honest. People laugh at what they can relate to. Humor that relates to your audience’s experiences will resonate with them and provide a connection to your brand or product. According to Social Media Today, comedy starts with the truth.

• Pinpoint a problem, issue or trend within your audiences’ industry
• Poke fun at the selected topic in a clever, witty way
• Provide a solution to the problem via your services or products

Moderate and Manage

Humor is potent. Which is why it’s important to have a documented strategy. Don’t become so focused on producing comical content that you abandon the purpose of your brand’s message. In order to give them a chance to breathe make sure you determine an appropriate ratio of witty : serious content. How can you do this? The best way is to start simple and test a small audience. Measure your reach, engagement, and experiment to find which styles work best for you and your clients.

Please SHARE with us in the comments…

• How have you successfully implemented humor into your marketing strategy?
• How have you seen humor used effectively or ineffectively in the B2B marketing field?

~

“When a brand shows that it doesn’t always take itself too seriously, it’s a powerful way to demonstrate authenticity and confidence, as well as connect with your community” – Tim Washer.

Maren Hogan

Maren Hogan is CEO of Red Branch and general Bad@$$

Maren Hogan is a seasoned marketer and community builder in the HR and Recruiting industry. Maren started Red Branch Media and, before she hired all the smiling faces you see below, she ran it on her own. In marketing for over 15 years, she has deep experience in strategic campaigns and a long-term, results-based operational approach.