A FUNNY THING HAPPENED TO ME…
Humour can be a very powerful way of making a point that will be remembered by your readers. However, everyone knows that humour is a subjective thing – so it’s also a dangerous tool if used wrongly. One person might find something very funny whereas someone else will find it boring, distracting or even offensive.
You need to be aware of:
· WHEN to use humour – for instance, it’s usually inappropriate in product brochures being sent to large corporates. They might take a dislike to anything flippant – and could therefore dismiss the rest of your brochure out of hand. However, puns can be used freely in most press release headings as they help to attract the reader’s attention and may encourage them to read further.
· HOW to use humour – use it carefully and sparingly (unless you are writing, say, an informal article, where more humour may be acceptable). Use it to bring home a point that underlines one of your main messages. Just be careful that the humour doesn’t become the main thrust of your marketing item – because then the key message can sometimes be lost. As William Hazlitt once said (whoever he was!): “Wit is the salt of conversation, not the food”. Hmm.
· WHERE to use humour – it doesn’t have to be restricted to paper-based or web-based material. For instance, one great way of using humour is during a speech or presentation. Use it at intervals to attract and keep people’s interest. If you’re writing a speech for someone else, however, you need to be more careful! I’ve written one or two speeches in the past for people I’ve never known. The use of humour here is very risky, as you know nothing about the person’s own sense of humour or their delivery or timing.
Have fun!
Phil
Freelance copywriter
Web: http://www.phila
Email: info@phila.co.uk
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