A Little Laughter to Build Instant Trust

If I can make you laugh, you will trust me-

I have been in sales my whole life and have been fairly successful at it. The simple reason for my success is that I build on trust and one of the quickest and most effective ways to build trust is through humor. Now some of you might be thinking, oh crap, I’m not funny at all. Well don’t despair there is hope for you because humor comes in all shapes and sizes. It may just a little due diligence to become better at. Now before I get any farther on this topic, realize there are other skills and talents that will help you “close the deal,” but if you have 30 seconds to build trust and either get you to the next level or send you packing, what are you going to do? Is it-

1. Tell them how great your product/service is?
2. Ask them if they are “open to an amazing opportunity?
3. Tell them how great they are and how they are perfect for “this” opportunity.
4. Say something funny (but topic related) and make them laugh.

Well if you chose A, B, of C than you really are struggling with any kind of humor and you are going to need to make an extra effort to be funny in your own way (think Ben Stein). To help you on your journey to the Improv, here are some quick tips on Humor-

1. Don’t tell jokes (especially the one that just came across you email). Joke telling is a real art and it’s best left to tell your friends while golfing or for the opening of a long speech. Instead, make fun of the everyday things that happen in life (like the time I walked into the women’s restroom in the airport, and as I was leaving a woman walked in and we just stared at each other trying to figure out who was in the wrong place- so uncomfortable).
2. Use clean language. Don’t swear or tell unclean or sexual things; it’s just plain “uncool” and it actually makes you lose credibility.
3. Do not make fun of others. This includes race, gender, religion, disabilities, etc. Make fun of yourself, but don’t cut yourself down to the point of making yourself “creepy” (that’s what my youngest step daughter says). It’s always a safe bet to laugh about circumstance and just the everyday “oxymorons” of life. 

For a great list of the oxymoron words we use, go to: http://www.atlantamortgagegroup.com/oxymoronlist.htm

1. Keep the joke/humor on topic. Let it be related to what you are planning to “move into.”
2. Look for the funny things in life. If anything, it will help you feel better. See if you can find 5 funny things a day and write them down.

In conclusion, it also helps to know the hierarchy of laughter to be able to judge how funny you are. They are:

1. The smile (usually just a simple acknowledgement, but not funny)
2. The 3 second forced laugh (same as above)
3. The smile with head nod (an agreeance that it was “kind of” funny)
4. The “lite” laugh with noise and slight body movement in mid section (hey you are on your way to something good).
5. The loud laugh with considerable body movement (you’re funny)
6. Laughter that invokes crying (oh boy, you are on top of your game)
7. Laughter, crying, and then a SNOT Bubble (You’re going pro) 

Good luck, have fun, make em’ laugh, and build trust.

Brendan Dalley