When it comes to building a brand, there are many traits a small business should try to incorporate into their public image. Professionalism and dependability are certainly characteristics you want to display, but did you know that a sense of fun is just as important to potential customers?

It’s true. And what’s more than that, a sense of fun can also do wonders for the cohesion of your employees.

But how do you incorporate fun and a carefree attitude into a professional work environment without sacrificing quality and professionalism?  It is a tricky question but more and more businesses are learning how to do it.

Companies like Google and Southwest Airlines are known in most circles as having learned to successfully merge the professionalism of a first-class business with the right amount of fun. To get a glimpse of how Southwest Airlines manages to do this, do a quick YouTube search for “rapping flight attendants” and “passenger toilet paper races.”

Southwest actually makes a point to look for a sense of humor in the majority of people they hire.

One thing that companies like Google and Southwest will tell you is that it’s not enough to integrate a sense of fun into the workplace; it needs to also be communicated through your marketing efforts and how you present yourself. Again, this can be tricky to pull off when you are a small business that is trying to establish a professional and respected persona.

Some may even balk at the ides of weaving playfulness into their workplace. But the fact of the matter is that fun and laughter are natural remedies for stress. It also stimulates our right brain…the portion of the brain that fuels creativity and lets us see the bigger picture in things.

That includes work.

So what can your business do to incorporate a sense of fun into your branding? You can start small by introducing fun activities among your employees—perhaps some unique way to celebrate Fridays. Once you are comfortable with this, it can then be translated into your marketing and branding efforts.