This time of year, there is likely no other person as popular as old St. Nick. The jolly gentlemen with a heart of gold and gigantic-sized gift bag is the focus of nearly every child in the world. While you as a business owner likely can’t match Santa in terms of popularity, sorry... you can glean a few marketing tips from him that he uses to perfection, such as...
1.) Brand Clarity and Consistency
Admittedly, Santa’s appearance has changed somewhat over the ages. However, it hasn’t changed much. In general, his brand has remained consistent. Think of the Ho, Ho, Ho trademarks, the red and white hat and coat and his jolly nature. The trademark of Santa, what makes him him, has remained the same for decades upon decades.
How to Implement it:
Same process, same date, same schedule every year. It works. Take lessons from Santa and figure out what works for your brand and then don’t change too much. Be consistent and clear about who you are and what you offer.
2.) Evokes Emotion
Santa taps into the heartstrings, triggering childhood memories of baking cookies to leave on his plate or those of writing a heartfelt note, hoping to have a Christmas wish fulfilled. The spirit of Christmas comes with many traditions and memories, which evoke emotion. Heck, even Scrooge is eventually won over by the giving spirit of the season.
How to Implement It:
Be charitable, give hope and cheer just like Santa. Be the good in the world you want to see.
3.) Attracts, Converts and Delights His Customers
Santa is the ultimate example of listening to your customers. He asks them what they want, and then he delivers it. Simple. His company is solely focused on one thing....giving people what they want. His entire team, from research and development to marketing and production focuses on the end consumer. His “customers” can even send him an email via an interactive website he has set up, ensuring he always knows what his customers want.
How to Implement It:
Be customer-focused with your marketing strategy. Spend time speaking with customers, maybe conduct research polls or ask for reviews. Then, when you find out what your customers want either product wise or in marketing, if at all possible, deliver.
4.) Segmented Database Marketing
Although Santa is one of the kindest individuals in the world, he isn’t without some boundaries. He has his naughty and nice list. He keeps track, checks and then revises this list, always updating it throughout the year. Now, thanks to technological advancements, he even sends digital employees out to sit in homes around the world so he can better track his “customer’s” behavior and know to which list they belong.
How to Implement It:
Just like Santa, it’s important to learn who your customers are, their addresses, what part of the country they live in, how many people are in their household and their ages, etc. Use this information to segment your customer list and narrow in on your target audience with your marketing efforts.
5.) Storytelling
Have you ever noticed that Santa doesn’t tell many stories about himself? He instead focuses always on others. In most cases, he focuses on those he serves or in the case of a business, the customers. He cares about their experiences, what they like, what makes them feel connected to the season of giving. He stands for light and hope, even in a year full of challenges and despair. This in turn, makes people love him and want to tell everyone about him. For example, if you went around and asked random people what they thought of Santa, you would get many answers and the vast majority if not all of them would include descriptions like kind, wise, giving, caring, visionary, timeless, etc. These people, the “customers” Santa served, have now become his biggest brand ambassadors.
How to Implement It:
Just like Santa, seek to treat your customers with kindness and goodwill. Encourage them to share their experiences with others, allowing them to become an ambassador for your brand.
Santa is an inspiration to us all in many ways and has been for generations. Even in terms of marketing, we can learn a lesson from jolly ol Saint Nick like the five suggestions listed above.