According to Burt Teplitzky, author of Sell It with Humor, humor, if used in moderation and used appropriately, can work wonders to break down barriers, build rapport, and foster long-term and mutually beneficial customer relationships. If used improperly, it can distance you from your customer. Teplitzky suggests one should never tell jokes off the cuff when speaking to customers. He suggests your use of humor should be preplanned and communicate that you don’t take yourself too seriously.

One part of the sales process in which he likes to use humor is the transition to the presentation. He might open his presentation with a line such as, “Before we get started, I promise not to bore you with a long presentation. . . . I’m sure I can do it with a short one.” As he says, this would never go over in a comedy club, but in an environment where people are glad for any release, they appreciate the humor. Humor should never be used to attack anybody, nor should it be used during your transition to the close.16