If so, sorry…
I must apologise.
If I was any kind of storyteller, I’d spend some time setting the scene to this (hopefully) curious opening gambit, to pique your interest.
I’d write “I crouched down behind a rock and waited for you…”, and “I saw you in the scope of my sniper’s rifle and lined your head up in the crosshairs”…
…you know, stuff like that.
Anything to make you think I may have genuinely killed someone, instead of the truth…
…that I had spent far too long playing on my daughter’s Xbox while she was away.
Bloody Fortnite.
I’m 43 years old for Christ’s sake!
I’ve not played video games for 20 years and one game was all it took to catapult me back to the 1980s, loading up “Match Day” on my ZX Spectrum.
Anyway, here’s why I’m admitting this shameful secret – I won a game!
(For you non-believers, I provide proof, via a very badly lit photo here)
“Hang on, is there any point to this email, or are you just bragging about winning a game on the internet against a random bunch of 8-year-olds?”
Don’t worry, there is a point.
Honest.
I should know…it took me long enough to come up with it this morning on the dog walk, so you’d forgive me this boast.
(You’re right though, I am bragging)
Here’s the point:
I may have won a game, but make no mistake – I am the world’s shittest Fortnite player.
I’m very terrible at it.
I have no idea how to build any of the fences, ramps or shelters. I don’t know which weapons are good and which are bad. I’m awful at vital skills, such as aiming and collecting items…
I don’t even know how to dance.
There are only two things I CAN do – I can shoot wildly, in many different directions…
…and I can thank to bus driver.
(I actually caught myself saying “sorry” when I forgot this moment of politeness one time. Am I the most British person ever?)
Here’s the point though – I don’t need to know everything to win the game.
I just need to know enough.
And here’s the tenuous link…
It’s the same with using comedy in your marketing.
You don’t need to master every aspect of comedy before you start putting it to work.
You don’t need to know the intricacies of the “rule of three” to be able to slap a funny caption on an image.
You don’t need to be able to craft a perfect setup to post a witty rejoinder to a Facebook post.
You don’t need to know everything.
You just need to pick one thing and start using it.
- Grab some famous images, memes and GIFs and relate them to your work
- Spend time on social media, adding funny replies to posts
- Brainstorm humorous ways of talking about your customer’s problems and needs
Pick one thing you’d like to be funnier at, and start working on that.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, my daughter has nipped out. If I’m quick, I can get a swift game in…
John