od folks at the convention center understood how powerful laughter can be. In fact, it has always been, and will always be, the best way to start off any sales conversation. It relaxes and engages your customer instantaneously, setting the foundation for a great relationship and a smooth sale.

Laughter is the key to starting a sale off on the right foot. Instead of trying to make idle chit-chat

While riding up the escalator in the Denver Convention Center, I found myself absent-mindedly staring at a statue outside the window. My mind was stale from the plane ride and my coffee hadn’t kicked in yet.

Suddenly, my ears perked up with peculiar confusion. I thought I heard a burst of giggles in the not too distant background. I shook my head and rapidly blinked my eyes, trying to shake the schizophrenic moment and regain my sanity.

But there it was again. This time, the laughter was getting louder and closer. Was I going to the psychedelic clown convention or just losing my mind? Both options seemed equally disturbing. I looked around to see if anybody else heard this craziness.

Catching the eyes of the man on the stair below me, he noticed my panic and said with a smile, “Yes, I hear it, too.” The nice man explained to me that the Denver Convention Center had a laugh track installed on all of the escalators going into and out of the main convention hall.

Relieved that I hadn’t gone mad, I started to laugh as I commented what a good idea that was. It reminded me of how sitcoms use laugh tracks to quickly warm up their viewers by having laughter choreographed with the punch lines during the show.

The Denver Convention Center took this concept one step further and was using the same type of laugh track to lift people’s spirits before entering trade shows and spending money. I have to admit, it worked on me. By the time I reached the top of the escalator, I was in a better mood, and was busy having pleasant conversations with everyone around me.

The good folks at the convention center understood how powerful laughter can be. In fact, it has always been, and will always be, the best way to start off any sales conversation. It relaxes and engages your customer instantaneously, setting the foundation for a great relationship and a smooth sale.

Laughter is the key to starting a sale off on the right foot. Instead of trying to make idle chit-chat

schizophrenic moment and regain my sanity.

But there it was again. This time, the laughter was getting louder and closer. Was I going to the psychedelic clown convention or just losing my mind? Both options seemed equally disturbing. I looked around to see if anybody else heard this craziness.

Catching the eyes of the man on the stair below me, he noticed my panic and said with a smile, “Yes, I hear it, too.” The nice man explained to me that the Denver Convention Center had a laugh track installed on all of the escalators going into and out of the main convention hall.

Relieved that I hadn’t gone mad, I started to laugh as I commented what a good idea that was. It reminded me of how sitcoms use laugh tracks to quickly warm up their viewers by having laughter choreographed with the punch lines during the show.

The Denver Convention Center took this concept one step further and was using the same type of laugh track to lift people’s spirits before entering trade shows and spending money. I have to admit, it worked on me. By the time I reached the top of the escalator, I was in a better mood, and was busy having pleasant conversations with everyone around me.

The good folks at the convention center understood how powerful laughter can be. In fact, it has always been, and will always be, the best way to start off any sales conversation. It relaxes and engages your customer instantaneously, setting the foundation for a great relationship and a smooth sale.

Laughter is the key to starting a sale off on the right foot. Instead of trying to make idle chit-chat

“Yes, I hear it, too.” The nice man explained to me that the Denver Convention Center had a laugh track installed on all of the escalators going into and out of the main convention hall.

Relieved that I hadn’t gone mad, I started to laugh as I commented what a good idea that was. It reminded me of how sitcoms use laugh tracks to quickly warm up their viewers by having laughter choreographed with the punch lines during the show.

The Denver Convention Center took this concept one step further and was using the same type of laugh track to lift people’s spirits before entering trade shows and spending money. I have to admit, it worked on me. By the time I reached the top of the escalator, I was in a better mood, and was busy having pleasant conversations with everyone around me.

The good folks at the convention center understood how powerful laughter can be. In fact, it has always been, and will always be, the best way to start off any sales conversation. It relaxes and engages your customer instantaneously, setting the foundation for a great relationship and a smooth sale.

Laughter is the key to starting a sale off on the right foot. Instead of trying to make idle chit-chat

the punch lines during the show.

The Denver Convention Center took this concept one step further and was using the same type of laugh track to lift people’s spirits before entering trade shows and spending money. I have to admit, it worked on me. By the time I reached the top of the escalator, I was in a better mood, and was busy having pleasant conversations with everyone around me.

The good folks at the convention center understood how powerful laughter can be. In fact, it has always been, and will always be, the best way to start off any sales conversation. It relaxes and engages your customer instantaneously, setting the foundation for a great relationship and a smooth sale.

Laughter is the key to starting a sale off on the right foot. Instead of trying to make idle chit-chat

od folks at the convention center understood how powerful laughter can be. In fact, it has always been, and will always be, the best way to start off any sales conversation. It relaxes and engages your customer instantaneously, setting the foundation for a great relationship and a smooth sale.

Laughter is the key to starting a sale off on the right foot. Instead of trying to make idle chit-chat about the weather, get your customer rolling with laughter before you ever talk about business. Sharing a laugh with your customer shows you are authentic. You’re not some fake salesperson with a canned sales pitch; you’re a real person, with a real message and a real solution for their problem.

Making this genuine connection with your customer right off the bat immediately puts your customer at ease, letting them feel comfortable with you. By using humor, you are finding a way to treat them as a friend, rather than just another sale. As a result, your customers will feel more comfortable speaking with you, asking you questions and trusting what you say.

The best part about humor is that it lets you be yourself so that your customers are free to be themselves around you. If you don’t know how to be funny, then study humor; but study humor to be inspired, not to imitate. Canned jokes and fake humor will only distance yourself from your customer and the sale.

Like any business skill, developing your ability to make others laugh requires practice, practice, and more practice. There is no faster way to be shown the door than by using a bad joke about politics or your customer’s toupee. With practice, you’ll discover what is truly funny, and find genuine ways to make others smile.

Incorporating humor will improve how well you perform at every level of your job. It is a trait that will strengthen the skills needed for a great sales presentation, networking event, or elevator pitch. It is a fun and easy method for being liked and remembered in any situation. With humor, you