The power of humor in startups

Hey team 👋

Welcome to this edition of Tech Creator!

Today, we're diving into a secret weapon that can supercharge your startup’s virality and customer loyalty: humor. We’ve analyzed hundreds of viral companies over the years and found that humor is the common thread that weaves them all together.

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Why humor works

Ever wondered why brands like Old Spice or Wendy’s are always cracking jokes? Here's the lowdown on why humor works wonders for startups:

1. Understanding: Humor creates a sense of camaraderie. When customers laugh with you, they feel understood and part of an “in-the-know” group.

2. Word of mouth: Laughter is contagious. People love sharing funny content, which means your brand message spreads organically.

3. Motivation for readers: Humor releases endorphins, making people feel good and more engaged with your product or service.

4. Stand out from the crowd: Most brands play it safe. By daring to be funny, you’ll capture attention and be memorable in a sea of seriousness.

Where to leverage humor

So, where should you sprinkle this magic dust? Here are four prime spots:

1. Marketing

Humor in your marketing can make a massive impact. Think industry-specific jokes in your website copy, funny social media posts, and witty event marketing. The key is relatability, insight, and breaking the norms. Imagine your next product launch featuring a cheeky video that pokes fun at industry quirks or a witty tweet that gets people laughing and sharing.

2. Customer experience

Surprise your users with Easter eggs or humorous touches in your customer interactions. Remember how Android hid quirky animations in their software updates? Those little nuggets of joy kept users engaged and loyal. You can sprinkle humor in unexpected places like 404 error pages, user instructions, or even your app’s loading screens.

3. Sales

Use humor to break the ice and stand out in sales interactions. A well-placed joke can make your brand more memorable and reduce the stress of negotiations. Imagine starting a cold call with a light-hearted comment or sending a follow-up email with a funny meme. It’s a great way to make your pitch more human and relatable.

4. Internal culture

A fun workplace culture boosts employee satisfaction and productivity. Companies like Best Buy and Ben & Jerry’s thrive on their playful environments. Plus, happy employees are the best brand ambassadors. Encourage a culture of humor with playful team-building activities, funny Slack channels, or even humorous onboarding videos for new hires.

Top 10 areas to inject humor

Ready to get creative? Here are some specific areas where you can add a touch of humor:

1. 404 pages: Turn frustration into a smile with witty 404 error messages. Imagine your 404 page saying, “Looks like you’re as lost as DJ Khaled at sea. Don’t worry, we’ll help you find your way back!”

   

2. Empty states: Use humor to reduce anxiety when users encounter empty states. For example, after a user completes all tasks, Gusto displays, “There’s nothing left to do. You deserve some ice cream.”

3. Easter eggs: Hide fun surprises in your product. Think Google’s hidden games or Facebook Messenger’s basketball mini-game.

4. Documentation: Lighten the mood with funny, relatable instructions. Subtle jokes can make tedious documentation more enjoyable.

5. Onboarding flow: Make onboarding enjoyable with a humorous touch. Use funny illustrations, conversational copy, and playful challenges to engage new users.

   

6. User inputs: Add delightful reactions to specific user inputs. For instance, iMessage showers confetti when you type “Congratulations!”

7. Settings: Infuse humor in unexpected places like settings screens. Gmail’s playful reminders about unfinished drafts are a great example.

8. Loading screens: Entertain users while they wait with funny animations or messages. Show quirky facts or funny animations instead of a boring spinner.

9. Feedback or review pages: Encourage feedback with humorous incentives. Offer to tell a joke if users leave a review or provide feedback.

10. Completion pages: Celebrate task completion with fun animations or messages. Mailchimp’s high-five animation when sending a campaign is a perfect example.

Golden rules for using humor

Let’s break down the golden rules for using humor effectively:

1. Be funny where others aren’t

Catch your audience off-guard by being humorous in unexpected places. It shows you’re thinking about them and creates a memorable experience.

2. Be specific to your industry

Inside jokes that speak directly to your audience can create a strong connection. It makes people feel seen and appreciated. Think of the memes and jokes that only someone in your field would get and use them to your advantage.

3. Play off an unspoken insight

Take something everyone in your industry knows but rarely talks about, and make it public in a funny way. This creates a strong bond with your audience. For example, we all know LinkedIn posts can be a bit cringey—why not create a viral post generator that pokes fun at this?

What if you’re not funny?

Don’t worry if humor doesn’t come naturally to you. It’s a skill that can be developed. Here’s a quick cheat sheet to get you started:

• Keep it simple: Use everyday language to make your content relatable.

• Find common ground: Connect with your audience on shared insights.

• Be data-driven: Use data to find what resonates with your audience.

• Be relatable, not controversial: Keep humor light and non-offensive.

• Tell a made-up story: Inject humor into familiar stories to make them memorable.

• Play off others: Collaborate and build on others’ ideas.

• Crowdsource your material: Get ideas from your team or audience.

• Use comedy formulas: Stick to tried-and-true comedy formulas for easy laughs.

Wrap-up

Injecting humor into your startup’s strategy isn’t just about making people laugh—it’s about creating memorable, relatable, and shareable experiences that can drive growth and loyalty. So, take a risk, crack a joke, and watch your brand shine in a sea of seriousness.

Stay funny, stay innovative, and see you in the next edition!