If you're easily offended - you should get out of business... and definitely stop reading...
Right NOW!
However, if you don't flip at the mere hint of an "offensive" expletive... read on, have fun, and fill your boots (you could learn a thing or two).
Remember...
Content can always match your personality, and doesn't have to be a bore-fest.
Here goes...
Today I want to show you a simple strategy you can use to make your content more amusing. You can either use this gently...
... or ramp things up for "shock" value.
Just match it to your personality and brand.
Here's the thing...
It's always been a thing for me to induce into a conversation something shocking (just to see what reaction I get). But you can equally use this to write funny little lines for your kiddy winks.
It'll take a bit of practise, but soon you'll develop your "funny muscle" so you can use it at ease any time you please. So, let's dive in...
Step 1: Look for The er's and ier's.
Firstly, write out your content in full. Be it an email, blog post, article, or whatever - write it ALL out. (Don't think "How Can I be Funny?" as you write).
Add the funny shit after, at least at first until your funny muscle is fully developed. So, write it out and read it back looking for words that end in "er" or "ier." Examples....
- Rare -> Rarer.
- Scary -> Scarier.
- Tight -> Tighter.
- Cheap -> Cheaper.
- Smelly -> Smellier.
- Fast -> Faster.
You get the picture.
Identify words like above and move on to...
Step 2: Think Of Examples Of That Word
Look at the word or words you discovered and think of examples of that word...
- What's rare?
- What's scary?
- What's tight?
- What's cheap?
- What's smelly?
Whatever word you choose, think of as many examples as you can.
Okay, let's take "Scary" and write down some examples.
What's Scary?
- Ghosts.
- Horror films.
- Death.
- Tax man.
- Rollercoasters.
- Approaching someone you fancy at a bar.
- Grizzly bears. etc.
Just keep on listing all the scary shit your brain throws out, and write it down. And when you can't think of anymore... KEEP thinking (you'll be surprised what comes up).
Often the later ones are the best because they're a little less obvious.
A later one for me was "Freddy Krueger" from the Nightmare on Elm Street films (don't filter, just right down whatever comes up).
Okay got the list?
Move onto...
Step 3: See if You Can Combine Two of The List Together.
You make folk laugh when something is unexpected.
So, by putting two things together, that normally wouldn't be together, you can get a giggle. Here's an example...
Rather than say "It was scary" I could say...
"It was scarier then Freddy Krueger handing your tax bill."
You likely won't have laughed at that because you already knew the two elements (therefor it wasn't "unexpected").
But if you were reading a blog post or email with that in context it would likely have raised a titter because it's unexpected and paints a fun image in the readers' mind.
Okay, this might make you giggle and it's a little bit more risqué...
"It was scarier than sharting during a job interview"
Sharting (farting and following through) is one scary thing. Job interviews is another.
See how it works?
Here's another...
What's soft?
- Bunny rabbits.
- Snow.
- Shampooed hair.
- Candy floss etc.
Here goes...
"It was softer than a bunny rabbits freshly shampooed pubic hair"
Another...
"Faster than a cheetahs' diarrhoea"
And smelly...
WARNING: This might offend (but you shouldn't be here if it does)
Imagine I'm describing an experience I had where I stayed in a hotel and the room they offered me STANK!
"I walked through the door... my nostrils flared and I gagged. The room was smellier than a freshly trodden dog turd.
Okay, what's risky?
I made a list and at the end I noticed two things that could be put together...
"Riskier than asking for a quickie after you've just told her you've met someone else"
I had a snigger at that one (it's a man thing).
And if I did, you can bet others found it funny. NOT everyone, which is fine. Because we haven't all got the same sense of humour. But those that did will bond more firmly with your brand. The others can take a hike!
Another more advanced technique is to use two words that start with the same letter when possible...
"Smellier than a lepars leotard"
"It was rarer than getting a glimpse of bigfoots bollox."
The reason this seems funnier is because it has a sense of rhythm to it. Go figure...
Don't overdo the funny thing, just sprinkle your content now and again to really show off your personality.
NOTE: This strategy was given to me by Jon Street, a genius of a man, and mentor to yours truly.
P.S. Go >> HERE<< To get a no fluff, value packed post that will give you a "tell it like it is" strategy for email marketing...
