Laughter
sells.
That’s
especially
true
in
our
industry.
Where
vulnerability
and
curiosity
walk
through
the
door
together,
humor
can
help
turn
hesitation
into
comfort.
Think
about
it:
Adult
retail
is
intimate.
Customers
arrive
with
a
wide
range
of
emotions,
from
excitement
to
nerves
or
even
shame.
They
don’t
know
if
they’ll
be
judged
for
what
they’re
buying,
or
if
they’ll
even
be
able
to
get
up
the
nerve
to
ask
for
what
they
want.
In
those
situations,
humor
is
the
great
equalizer.
It
takes
the
pressure
off
and
says,
“Hey,
this
is
normal,
we
can
have
fun
with
this.”
In
the
end,
humor
may
be
just
the
thing
to
break
the
ice
and
seal
the
sale.
The
Power
of
a
Good
Laugh
I
learned
that
lesson
the
very
first
day
of
my
adult
retail
career.
My
first
customer
walked
in
and
shyly
asked
for
something
for
her
“front.”
She
wouldn’t
say
“clitoris”
or
“vulva,”
or
mention
any
body
part.
Just
her
“front.”
I
had
gone
through
hours
of
sales
training
and
thought
I
was
ready
for
anything
—
but
somehow
I
randomly
and
completely
blanked
on
the
word
“motor.”
Instead,
I
blurted
out,
“I’m
thinking
big
today
—
the
engine
in
the
bullet.”
She
lost
it,
laughing
so
hard
that
the
tension
evaporated
on
the
spot.
Suddenly,
the
woman
who
couldn’t
bring
herself
to
name
a
body
part
was
cheerfully
talking
about
the
20
vibrators
she
already
owned.
Back
then,
Doc
Johnson’s
Lucid
Dreams
line
was
the
hot
ticket
item
—
and
of
course,
she
had
them
all.
It
was
a
turning
point.
One
silly
slip,
one
burst
of
laughter,
and
the
walls
came
down.
She
wasn’t
nervous
anymore.
She
wasn’t
embarrassed.
She
was
a
proud
collector
showing
off
her
love
for
pleasure.
And
it
started
because
of
a
joke
I
never
even
meant
to
make.
Years
later,
I
saw
it
again
in
a
very
different
way.
Pipedream
had
just
released
its
Fuck
Me
Silly
doll.
A
man
walked
by,
stopped
in
his
tracks,
and
said,
“Wow.”
Without
thinking,
I
quipped,
“Yeah,
she’s
not
a
cheap
date.”
He
glanced
at
the
price
tag
—
$900
—
and
said,
“I’ve
paid
more
than
that.”
Perfect
setup.
I
volleyed
back:
“Great!
She’s
sold.
The
quietest,
most
loyal
date
you’ll
ever
have.”
He
laughed,
nodded
and
said
the
words
every
salesperson
loves:
“I’ll
take
it.”
Sarcasm
closed
a
$900
sale.
Humor
made
the
uncomfortable
comfortable.
Those
moments
have
stuck
with
me,
because
they
prove
that
sales
in
this
industry
aren’t
just
about
discounts,
training
scripts
or
memorized
product
features.
They’re
about
comfort
and
connection
—
and
nothing
sparks
connection
like
a
smile.
Comedy
Made
Easy
The
best
part
is,
you
don’t
have
to
be
a
stand-up
comedian
or
take
improv
classes
to
use
humor
effectively.
It
can
be
as
simple
as
embracing
playful
language
or
leaning
into
puns.
I’ve
heard
salespeople
toss
off
lines
like:
“Hope
it
hits
the
spot
—
literally,”
“This
one
will
give
your
batteries
a
run
for
their
money”
and
“She’s
high
maintenance,
but
totally
worth
it.”
It
doesn’t
have
to
be
polished,
just
human.
Even
self-deprecating
humor
works.
Forgetting
the
word
“motor”
turned
into
one
of
the
best
sales
of
my
life.
Why?
Because
laughter
broke
the
ice.
The
same
goes
for
generational
references.
When
Gen
Xers
or
boomers
frown
at
an
aux
jack,
telling
them
“It’s
like
plugging
headphones
into
a
Walkman!”
gets
them
laughing
—
and
yes,
maybe
groaning
at
the
reminder
of
their
age.
But
that
groan
is
a
smile
in
disguise.
Instead
of
the
generic
“Have
a
nice
day,”
you
can
send
them
off
with
a
playful
“Enjoy!”
It’s
small,
but
it
lands
differently.
It
acknowledges
what
they
bought
without
making
it
awkward.
Even
silly
send-offs
like
“Have
a
fan-testicle
day!”
can
make
the
difference
between
a
forgettable
transaction
and
a
memorable
one.
The
product
goes
home
with
them,
sure
—
but
so
does
the
feeling
you
left
them
with.
Why
It
Works
Humor
works
because
it
shifts
the
power
dynamic.
Without
it,
customers
may
feel
like
they’re
on
the
spot,
revealing
private
parts
of
their
lives
to
a
stranger.
With
it,
they
feel
like
they’re
in
on
the
joke.
You’re
not
just
a
salesperson
anymore
—
you’re
someone
who
gets
it.
When
you
crack
a
line
that
lands,
it’s
not
about
being
clever;
it’s
about
building
trust.
The
nervous
giggle
gives
way
to
a
full
laugh,
and
suddenly
the
customer
feels
free
to
ask
genuine
questions.
They’ll
tell
you
what
they’re
actually
looking
for
instead
of
skirting
around
it.
They’ll
buy
what
excites
them
instead
of
settling
for
what
feels
“safe”
or
get
them
out
the
door
quicker.
And
they’ll
come
back,
because
your
store
doesn’t
just
sell
products
—
it
sells
comfort.
Lighten
Up,
Sell
More
We
put
too
much
pressure
on
ourselves
to
say
the
right
thing,
to
look
professional,
to
avoid
stepping
on
toes.
But
in
this
industry,
humor
isn’t
unprofessional
—
it’s
essential.
It
reminds
people
that
pleasure
is
supposed
to
be
fun,
not
clinical.
It
makes
us
approachable.
It
makes
our
products
approachable.
Most
importantly,
it
makes
our
customers
feel
at
ease.
Sometimes
we
forget
that
most
of
them
just
need
a
reason
to
breathe,
relax
and
smile.
When
the
air
gets
lighter,
the
sales
get
easier.
So
laugh
a
little.
Crack
that
joke.
Worry
less
about
what
they’ll
think
and
more
about
how
they’ll
feel
walking
out
your
door.
Because
in
the
end,
humor
may
be
just
the
thing
to
break
the
ice
and
seal
the
sale.
Alexandra
Bouchard
is
an
account
manager
for
BodispaB2B
and
Nobü
Toys,
blending
sales
know-how
with
a
passion
for
people
and
the
pleasure
industry.