One of the success qualities that I always teach is being a tough negotiator.  Why? Because negotiation is a part of life. We can embrace it or we can run away from it.  I have been recommending that women begin improving their negotiation skills even when I worked in Corporate America.

A student who took my negotiating workshop and I were both registering for the same seminar with T. Harv Eker, author of "Secrets of the Millionaire Mind".  To my surprise and delight, my student paid approximately half of what I paid for the same course.  I asked her how she did that and she replied, "I took everything you taught me about negotiation and I followed it."  Wow!  The student teaches the teacher.  There is always room for
improvement. 

When I'm teaching, I like to tie my life into the subject matter whenever possible. 
 
So why use my life, friends, family, pets, bad hair days, cooking misadventures, laundry, travel and ordinary experiences as fodder for my presentations/ classes, emails and more?
 
Well...life is funny! 

As long as I'm having fun, I'm not quitting.” — Sue Johanson 

 
I've talked about...
 

• Racing my friend with a SKIP-IT on my leg and my big wipe-out! (I have the scar to prove it)
• Potatoes blowing up in my oven. (Still scraping that off. Darn.)
• Wiping out cross-country skiing and filling my bra with snow (Gained two temporary cup sizes)
• My nephews--heck I've made a living talking about my adorable nephews!
• Chickens (now you're curious, aren't you?)

And so many more!

So HOW does this apply to YOU?  Well, when people laugh, they
 

• CONNECT with YOU.
• REMEMBER YOU.
• Tend to LIKE YOU.
• May even LOVE YOU.
• SPREAD the WORD about YOU.
• SPEND MONEY with YOU.
• SEND REFERRALS to YOU. 

I don't know about you but I don't like buying from people who are arrogant, over-bearing, pushy, slick, boring, manipulative, cold, over-promising, dull, "corporate-y",  stiff, pencil pushers who really could care less about connecting with me - as they only want the fast buck.
 
 
But I LOVE buying from someone who makes me laugh, who understands me and has something wonderful to offer.

This picture for example. This is darn funny. I want to have coffee there, DON'T YOU?
 
You don't have to be a comedian, you don't have to be less professional. You certainly aren't off the hook by being funny with nothing of value.  But if you're not using humor as part of, say, the sales process - egad.

People are FORGETTING ABOUT YOU as quickly as you meet them. SWOOSH!  And it's really tough to make money that way.
 

Do your customers think you are fun? Or do they have trouble remembering you? The more that you make people laugh, the more they remember what you said.
 
I am not a comedian but I don't use jokes (so old boys club). I like to use funny photos on my marketing material. I love thank you cards that crack a smile. 

Be willing to laugh at yourself. And listen to your voice mail. Do you sound like someone with ENERGY? Or that you'd rather stick a fork in your eye?

 
I double dog dare you to lighten the heck up.