This story appears in the
February 2005 issue of
Entrepreneur.
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Humor is central to the Babies Can't Read Clothing Co., founded in
2001 by husband-and-wife team Trevor Dahlen, 37, and Mary Little,
41. These Plano, Texas, entrepreneurs print bibs, baby clothes and
even maternity shirts with funny sayings on the world of babies,
such as "The diaper is either half-full or half-empty"
and "Move-in special: first nine months free."
They've even used that kind of humor in their marketing
messages to help draw attention to their line.
Sending out a funny press release may seem a bit strange, but
Debra Condren, a business psychologist and president of Manhattan Business Coaching, a coaching and
development firm for entrepreneurs and professionals in New York
City and San Francisco, notes that using humor in your marketing
can be a good idea: "When used in a sophisticated way
that's also subtle [and] short . . . it sets you apart from
other people flooding the marketplace with their
messages."
Be funny, but be real--if it's overdone, you risk losing
your credibility, Condren adds. Stay away from crass or tasteless
humor. Do it in a way that feels natural to you, and start small
with a few sentences in a press release or a brochure. Be sure to
run any humorous marketing pieces by your small group of trusted
advisors (friends, mentors, customers) before laying it on the
general public.