Funny Stuff Laughter is the best marketing, so find your sense of humor.
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Humor is central to the Babies Can't Read Clothing Co., founded in2001 by husband-and-wife team Trevor Dahlen, 37, and Mary Little,41. These Plano, Texas, entrepreneurs print bibs, baby clothes andeven maternity shirts with funny sayings on the world of babies,such as "The diaper is either half-full or half-empty"and "Move-in special: first nine months free."They've even used that kind of humor in their marketingmessages to help draw attention to their line.
Sending out a funny press release may seem a bit strange, butDebra Condren, a business psychologist and president of Manhattan Business Coaching, a coaching anddevelopment firm for entrepreneurs and professionals in New YorkCity and San Francisco, notes that using humor in your marketingcan be a good idea: "When used in a sophisticated waythat's also subtle [and] short . . . it sets you apart fromother people flooding the marketplace with theirmessages."
Be funny, but be real--if it's overdone, you risk losingyour credibility, Condren adds. Stay away from crass or tastelesshumor. Do it in a way that feels natural to you, and start smallwith a few sentences in a press release or a brochure. Be sure torun any humorous marketing pieces by your small group of trustedadvisors (friends, mentors, customers) before laying it on thegeneral public.
