Using Humor and Laughter to Drive Success in Sales and Professional Networking
Some professionals are actively incorporating humor into their professional lives to help them stand out and be more successful. Julia Carter is an Account Executive at Marpipe, formerly a senior SDR who hustled to hit 400% to quota. We asked Julia to share a bit about the role humor plays in her job, as well as her tips for others looking to get started with increasing their workday laughter.
Humor in Client Interactions
When it comes to interacting with potential clients, Julia shares: "In my calls with external people I usually keep things super light and make some jokes about how our product is quite literally the most straightforward thing ever." She believes that if you make jokes about some flaws in your product, they will trust you a bit more. Ultimately, clients find this approach easy to speak to and also trustworthy.
Managing Sales Rejection
As a sales professional, you are faced with a massive amount of rejection. Regarding how to keep things light, Julia's tip is: "don't take the job too seriously!" She suggests that you just keep persistent, but don't get too attached. Sometimes you just have to laugh it off when someone tells you to f*ck off over email/the phone. Laughter is essential when you have a job full of challenges.
Building Professional Connections
The job is very hard and you are getting rejected all day long, so you need to have a good attitude in order to make it tolerable. Humor helps build connections because sales people find a realistic approach relatable, which has led to lots of people coming for advice for things like email strategy. Julia notes: "I find myself laughing at sending weird memes/emojis with my coworkers and crazy posts on Linkedin where I comment on a good roast."
A Creative Approach to LinkedIn
Julia started posting on Linkedin as a bit of a meme at her first SDR job, highlighting how painful the SDR job can be. She explains her strategy: "I try to keep things really honest and light because personally, I think a lot of the sales influencers post a lot of unrealistic advice that is not relatable at all." By saying what we are all thinking, she has developed a following on a channel where anyone can have a voice.
Benefits of Incorporating Humor
The following table summarizes how humor has impacted Julia Carter's professional growth:
| Category | Impact and Results |
|---|---|
| Client Relations | Builds trust and makes the salesperson easier to speak to. |
| Handling Rejection | Allows one to laugh off negative interactions and stay persistent. |
| Professional Network | Opens doors to job interviews, side hustles, new connections, and podcasts. |
| Content Strategy | Creates relatable content that stands out from unrealistic "sales influencer" advice. |
Professional Growth and Networking
Posting funny material on LinkedIn has opened a lot of doors, including job interviews, side hustles, and new connections. Julia definitely recommends posting on Linkedin and finding your own voice. She reflects on her journey: "I didn't mean to develop a following...but here I am!"
