Big brands use jokes to market their products all the time. But, sadly, many small and medium-sized (SMB) marketers have lost their sense of humor.

Why is that? Maybe SMB marketers sense they have too much to lose to throw it all away with a joke. "We're running a business here" may be the kind of thinking that squashes their sense of humor. Not to mention... smaller marketing departments are juggling an awful lot of balls. What happens when you complicate things by adding a rubber chicken?

But running your marketing department—and your business—with a smile can increase your conversions, give your public relations (PR) a lift, and humanize your business. So, let's bring back the funny!

The Seven Species of Marketing Humor

1. Wit

Is wit only for word nerds? Maybe, but a laconic turn of phrase with a sense of humor is universally appreciated.

Witty copy makes your brand appear smart, but it also indicates that you're not wearing a suit—at least most of the time.

Practical application: Use wit in email headlines, pay-per-click (PPC) ads, and banner and display ad copy.

Having a witty writer on your staff has benefits beyond always being in on the joke. Effective marketing writing gets to the point. And an essential tenet of witty writing is that an idea should be condensed into as few words as possible. What an excellent skill for a marketer to have!

2. Absurdity

The category winner here is the inimitable Crowdrise, famous for dedicating valuable homepage real estate to a puzzling meme called "picture of a napkin."

Skeptical? Think absurdity is a waste of time? Yes, the homepage is optimized to death, and every inch counts. But though we A/B test until our eyeballs bleed, how often do we test absurdity?

Here is Crowdrise founder Robert Wolfe's answer to that question: "We definitely don't want to be a normal site. We believe in nonsensical marketing, and we want to be at least a little bit notable. Visitors who click on the napkin pic may not learn the typical company info, but I do think they'll get a glimpse into the idea that we want to make giving back fun."

"We've received thousands of napkin pics," Wolfe says. "It's crazy and awesome."

Practical application: Use "absurdity" in branding, efforts to get social attention, and PPC ad copy.

3. Unbridled enthusiasm

A perky attitude and friendly voice can go a long way toward humanizing your company. The masters of that style are the writers at Threadless, who pepper their copy with exclamation points, slang, and familiarity.

"We like you!" They proclaim on the homepage. "Check out a jillion more designs!"

Standing out when your products themselves are so kicky and fun isn't easy, but the writing on Threadless's website—and in its emails—project an image that says "We are one of you. We're best friends. Aren't we fun?"

Practical application: Use enthusiasm in your product descriptions and email copy.

4. Self-deprecation

Self-deprecation is PR gold. The key is to be genuine, which means that the message must truly come from the heart.