In general, humor in business communication is inherently risky. If it isn’t funny, it falls flat. If it’s in bad taste it leaves a negative impression. If it’s offensive to some group it’s divisive and can leave a bad impression. So, unless the situation warrants it and you’re absolutely sure you can land it, don’t try it. And all that is even before you’re thinking about brand/company culture/precedent. If you use humor, it must be consistent with the brand making the proposal and the company receiving it. Humor can be a great way to make personal connection. But it’s fraught.

When balancing humor in a formal business proposal, I first assess the client's culture and audience expectations. Humor can be effective—research shows it boosts engagement by up to 25%—but only if it’s subtle and respectful. A light touch, like a clever metaphor or relatable analogy, keeps things professional. As author David Nihill suggests, “Humor works best when it’s situational and understated.” I’ll test responses to humor in a draft review to gauge reactions, ensuring it enhances readability without risking credibility.

To navigate conflicting views on incorporating humor, you need to first evaluate what type of company it is. If it's a very formal or serious type, you should only incorporate the most minimum amount of humor. You need to then make sure that the humor used wouldn't hurt the feelings of anyone. This is because certain jokes might hurt certain people. You should also use language that is simple and easy to understand. This is so that no one would misunderstand your humor.

The primary objective of adding humor to a business proposal should be to enhance the value of the proposal, not to detract from it. Here is how you can approach the situation- Communicate clearly with your client if humor in tone aligns with their brand's voice and vision. While using humor consider your target audience which means who will be reading your proposal. If it is a casual culture, humor may make proposal engaging. Instead of using it directly, leverage it subtly and strategically. Before sending the proposal ask for feedback from various stakeholders. Harnessing the power of humor can elevate your message, enriching its impact instead of diminishing it.

Usually if it's a formal document, there's no humor -- rather focus on getting to the point and getting the point across. If it's a more "casual" business document, you can try tasteful humor that's appropriate to the audience you're writing for.