You Don’t Have to Be Funny to Use Humor in Sales — Here’s How
Mark Twain once observed that humor softens our edges and dissolves irritation. He was right. A moment of lightness can shift the emotional temperature of a room, a meeting, or a sales conversation faster than the most polished pitch deck.
But here’s the real question: how often are you actually laughing or smiling each day?
Most people can’t remember — and that, surprisingly, is the issue.
We Laugh More Than We Realize… But We Rarely Notice It
Research by Martin & Kuiper, published in the International Journal of Humor Research, found that people experience an average of 18 humor moments per day — small chuckles, smiles, or brief moments of amusement. The range ran from zero to eighty-nine. I’m not sure I’d want to trade places with either extreme!
In my workshops, that number always surprises people. Many immediately say:
“I can’t remember the last time I laughed.”
And yet they have — probably before lunchtime. Smiles and chuckles are fleeting. They pass so quickly that unless the moment is loud, obvious, or wildly inappropriate (which we try to avoid in business), it barely registers.
And that creates a strategic problem.
Salespeople Rarely Recall When They Made a Client Smile
Sales is serious work.
Targets. KPIs. Pipelines. Forecasts.
But a serious profession does not require a humorless approach.
When salespeople struggle to remember the last time a customer smiled during a call, it’s rarely because the interaction lacked warmth. It’s because those micro-moments of humor go unnoticed — and therefore unused.
And if we don’t notice humor, we can’t reuse it.
Humor only becomes a tool when it’s captured.
A Simple Technique: Listen → Capture → Record
The first element of my L.A.U.G.H. framework — Listen — is about becoming more aware of the small moments of levity that naturally appear in everyday conversations.
Think back to the Martin & Kuiper findings. If the average adult encounters dozens of humor moments every couple of days — and you, being above average of course, likely experience even more — why do so few come to mind?
Because smiles evaporate faster than they register.
That’s why I encourage people to build a simple habit:
Listen → Capture → Record
When something makes you smile…
When you say something that earns a grin…
When you overhear a remark that amuses you…
Capture it. Write it down. I use the Notes app on my iPhone. You might prefer a notebook, a voice memo, or even a napkin — whatever works.
You’re not collecting jokes. You’re collecting human moments that can later reinforce a message, reduce tension, or build rapport.
A Real Example: A Golf Course, a Suggestion Box, and Corporate Truths
Not long ago, at the 18th tee of Grange Golf Club in Dublin, I spotted a small wooden box with one unforgettable label:
“Suggestion Box.”
Golfers will immediately understand why this is funny. The 18th tee is often where informal “performance reviews” begin.
The important point is this: I didn’t create the humor. I simply listened, captured, and recorded it.
I now use that image regularly when speaking about employee engagement, communication breakdowns, and workplace culture. It always generates a knowing smile because it’s relatable — and it communicates far more than words alone.
You can build your own library of useful, appropriate humor the same way — one micro-moment at a time.
Why Humor Matters in Sales
Let’s bring this back to your day-to-day conversations with clients and prospects.
Appropriate humor delivers five powerful benefits:
- It activates feel-good brain chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins, enhancing trust and likeability
- It creates immediate rapport — people buy from people they enjoy
- It reduces tension in high-stakes or high-stress selling situations
- It improves memory retention — clients remember messages associated with a smile
- It differentiates you from competitors still delivering “robot-mode” pitches
These aren’t fluffy ideas. They’re neuroscience-supported performance tools.
You Don’t Need to Be “Funny”
This is where many people get stuck.
You don’t need to be hilarious to use humor effectively.
You simply need to notice it, collect it, and deploy it with intention.
If you can smile, you can use humor.
If you can recognize a humorous moment, you can share it.
If you can tap the Notes icon on your phone, you can build a Humor Bank.
And when you adopt the mindset behind L.A.U.G.H. — starting with Listen → Capture → Record — you’ll never run out of material that strengthens your message and deepens connection with clients.
Final Thought
You don’t need a comedy routine.
You just need awareness.
Pay attention to the humor around you. Capture it. Use it.
And watch your relationships — and your results — grow.
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