The Most Unprofessional Thing You Can Do in Business

Picture this. Two competing marketing agencies post on LinkedIn within minutes of each other.

The first one goes with perfectly professional copy: "We leverage data-driven strategies to optimise your digital marketing ROI through innovative solutions that drive measurable results."

The second one tries something different: "That awkward moment when your client asks if you can 'make it go viral' and you have to explain that is not actually how the internet works. (But we can definitely help you create content people actually want to share.)"

Which one do you think gets more engagement?

It is not even close

The "professional" post gets the standard LinkedIn treatment: a few polite likes and zero real engagement.

The "unprofessional" post? That is the one that sparks actual conversations. People tag their colleagues. Share their own horror stories. And most importantly, potential clients start asking questions about services.

But here is the really interesting question. On reflection, which agency looks more professional? The one that generated zero engagement and disappeared into the void? Or the one that had dozens of potential clients actively engaging with their content?

The professional reputation paradox

This is the paradox that keeps so many businesses stuck in marketing purgatory. They are so worried about looking unprofessional that they end up looking completely forgettable. And in business, being forgettable is the most unprofessional thing you can be.

Think about it. What is more professional? Content that demonstrates you understand your clients' real frustrations and can talk about them in a relatable way? Or content so generic it could have been written by any business in any industry at any time?

A brand that people remember, talk about, and actively seek out? Or a brand that blends into the background noise of identical "professional" messaging?

The truth is, taking small creative risks is not unprofessional. It is strategic. When everyone in your industry sounds exactly the same, being slightly different is not just memorable, it is a smart business decision professionals take daily.

What professionalism actually means

Here is what I hear from business owners all the time. "What if my content does not land? What if people think I am not serious about my work? What if I lose credibility?"

These are valid concerns. But they are based on a fundamental misunderstanding of what professionalism actually means.

Professionalism is not about being boring. It is about being competent, reliable, and trustworthy. And you know what builds trust faster than corporate speak? Showing that you understand your customers' world well enough to acknowledge the ridiculous parts of it.

When a business consultant makes light of clients who expect overnight success, they are not being flippant. They are showing they have enough experience to know what actually works.

The risk is not in being memorable. The risk is in being invisible.

Meet Brian

That is exactly what Brian, our AI Comedy Marketing Assistant, helps you navigate.

He does not push you toward risky humour that could damage your reputation. He helps you find the sweet spot where you are memorable without being reckless. Professional enough to build trust. Entertaining enough to be remembered.

Try Brian and discover how to be memorably professional.

P.S. Because the most unprofessional thing you can do is make people forget you exist.