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Santa Claus Inc. is well and profitable, right through recessions,
depressions and just about any economic scenario. The reason why his marketing strategies work better than yours, is because he uses solid, dyed-in-the-wool psychology. He knows he doesn't have to use new fangled techniques, when his simple marketing has stood the test of time.
If you don't believe in Santa, you'd better change your mind,
because the fat man from the north pole rocks on and you too can do
the same if you stick to the basics. Find out if your product or
service matches up by reading the article below.
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Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle All the Way...
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If you go to the heart of Santa's marketing, the one word you come
away with is 'consistency'. Generation after generation have been
exposed to one brand, one message, and the same powerful imagery.
Just like Mercedes own the term 'luxury' and Volvo owns the term
'safety', Santa owns the word 'hope'. Every kid worth his Nintendo,
hopes he's got enough points on the goodness scale to justify a
mountain of gifts.
Yet, most companies get tired of their own brand. They chop, change
and pour thousands (if not millions) of dollars into a bottomless
pit of mindless change. Take a look at McDonald's advertising, for
instance. McDonald's own the word family outing yet their ads have
been straying down the teenager path.
Does it make sense to consistently occupy one niche? You bet it
does! Families go out with their kids to McDonalds. These kids
sprout into budget-conscious teenagers that hang out at McDonalds.
They have kids and grand kids and guess where they all end up. At
the big yellow 'M', that's where!
Santa doesn't waver. His customers are kids. Like several
marketers, he might have been sorely tempted to enter the gift
market. With bad advice, he would have tried to get to teenagers,
adults and everyone. Can you see the magic still working? Even the
tiniest of niches is huge and niches have a way of expanding by
themselves.
At the end of the day, it's the consistency that takes the jingle
all the way to the bank. Too many companies lose focus and give you
seven reasons why you should buy from them. Santa sticks to one: Be
a 'good' kid or you can keep hoping!
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You Can Spot Him in the Middle of a Crowded Sky
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Do you know anyone who comes to visit on a sleigh in the middle of
the night? With reindeer and gifts? The reason why Santa stands out
so vividly in our memories is because he's different. The postman
does the same thing, but leaves without the flourish.
It's really important to work out how your marketing message
differs. Santa's core marketing term is not built solely on
consistent branding but also on a very hard-nosed differentiation.
Too much communication out there fits in with what's safe.
Customers have just one slot in their mind. You have to enter that
slot at such an obtuse angle that they remember you for life.
Rose Richards runs Office Doctor. What sets her apart from all the
rest of the administration crowd is the term, Small business pain
relief. Can you imagine your reaction when you hear something like
that? The human mind is intensely curious and a marketing statement
like that is pure bait. You want to know what pain relief she
brings and how she goes about it-specially if you're the one in
pain. That's only half the story. The construction of the message
elevates her from simple number crunching to brain surgery and
makes her unique.
If you want differentiation you need look no further than the
guiding light of Santa's sleigh-- Rudolph, with his shiny nose. Can
you even remember the names of the rest of the eight reindeer?
One very important point, however, is that the marketing message
isn't just different, but also customer-oriented. Rose takes the
clutter out of administration and Rudolph provides a beacon for
clearer navigation.
If you don't have a benefit for the customer, just being different
is going to get you nowhere.
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Give and You Shall Receive
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How many of you are out there networking like crazy? Trying
desperately to fill in your steadily depleting bank reserves? You
want, want, want! Take a look at Santa's style.
He's into giving first. If you probe deep into your mind, you'll
find the people you like best are those who have given you their
time, their money or their knowledge. You trust them, and it's very
hard to say no when they ask you for a favour in return.
The deepest core of human emotions is fear. Every single product or
service, without exception, is sold on the basis of a problem. The
only known antidote to fear is TRUST. When trusts struts upwards,
fear banishes itself to penguin land. The more you pile up the
trust, the more you can do business.
Wouldn't Santa be able to sell you just about anything? Would he be
able to cross-sell and up-sell product? Santa could knock on your
door next summer and you'd be more than happy to have him join your
barbeque.
It's up to you to build up the trust one Lego block at a time.
Identify your clients and see what you can give them. It could be
information, time or even a chocolate covered scrumptious cookie.
It's the old 'What's in it for me?' theory. If you can't find
something calorie-ridden for their minds or bodies, they won't want
to see you.
Play Santa. It works.
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He Knows if You've Been Bad or Good...
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Heck Santa knows his customers. He even knows when you are
sleeping, or awake.
Then, there's you. Look at your biggest customer. What's her name?
When is her birthday? Does she like Indian curries or sushi? In
curries can she handle hot or medium? What does she think about
you? What doesn't she like?
You're guessing for sure. You can't be dead certain because you've
been so busy looking at dollar signs that you've missed the plot
completely.
The reason why Santa's marketing works is because he intimately
knows your individual needs. If you want a drum kit, you get one.
If you want a Barbie, you don't up sulking with a xylophone.
Santa knows because he's interested in giving. To give, you have to
know exactly what the receiver wants or your gift is not worth the
packaging it's wrapped in.
Some people worry about invading personal privacy. Hogwash! When
was the last time you got upset because a supplier turned up with a
big chocolate cake (your favourite) for your birthday? or with rare
stamps for your son (because he loves collecting stamps)?
Santa's invades our privacy gently and uses it to give, not to
take. That's why we don't mind it. The tax department on the other
hand, uses our information to take and therein lies the principal
difference.
Once a Customer, Always a Customer.
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Santa Doesn't Lose Customers. Period.
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One of the primary reasons why he's able to achieve this amazing
feat is because he thinks of his customer's customer. His customer
is the kid, who in a few years gets a little wiser about Santa and
his customer's customer is the parent who has the amazing power to
get their children to be nice not naughty, if only for a short while.
Since the concept works in their favour, they do all the
advertising. Without TV, radio or the internet, Santa's message
gets a grip on millions of kids around the planet. These kids grow
up and the marvel of Santa is handed down through the generations.
While It's OK For Santa, How Would This Work In The Real World?
Say, If You Sold Jeans.
Jeans West, a jean retailer, has several of the answers. I needed
one pair, but Stephanie (the sales girl) sold me two--not by
hassling me, but by gently reminding me I would get $20 off the
second pair. Then, with my purchase, she gave me a gift voucher of
$10, for my use or to pass on. They, also signed me up for a
loyalty program that offered to give me a 10% discount if I
purchased over $250 worth of product in the next 6 months.
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This Is Effectively What Jeans West Did to Make Me a Permanent
Customer.
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Step 1: The sales person asked the right questions to find out
my need.
Step 2: She up-sold the product giving me good value for money.
Step 3: A gift voucher with a validity date, ensured an
additional purchase. Or even better, the chance for me to pass it
on to another person thus 'creating a customer' for Jeans West.
Step 4: Tying my fickle consumer head into a loyalty scheme.
They wanted me to stay with them forever.
Santa's steps may vary, but in essence he ties you into a solid
loyalty program that is near impossible to get off. It's 'customer
get customer', rather than 'advertising get customer.' It's cheaper
and it works!
In conclusion here are the main points why Santa's customers keeps
coming back. These concepts may sound old, even trite, but have
been proven time after time to work well. Test them against your
company and brand to see where you can learn from the man from the
North Pole.
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1) Solid branding:
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We're not talking lease here. Consistency is the key. This applies
everywhere from networking meetings, advertising to any sort of
communication that goes out. Keep hammering home the same unique
message and put it up front. The weather changes all the time which
is why we can't trust it.
If you must change, it's because your old message isn't doing a
complete job. I changed our first baseline from 'Recession proof
business principles' to 'Reactivating dormant business clients.'
The proposition was the same but the second line got 10 times the
response.
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2) Differentiation:
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Santa knows he can be a courier with a difference. You, too, can
create your own legend. Nike used Just Do It. Coke threw in the
concept, Rum and Coke, indelibly burning the word classic into our
consciousness. Sameness is in your mind. No matter how many brands
exist on the market, your product has a fingerprint of its own. You
just have to dig deep to find out.
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3) Build trust by giving first.
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Life is all about sowing, then reaping-but sowing comes first. If
you don't give first, you will only get limited results. The more
you stop thinking of yourself and focus on what the customer needs
instead, the more you are trusted. Business is all about trust. If
you don't have it, you're yesterday's soup.
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4) Know your customer...
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Like you know the hair on your head. Data collection and its
optimum usage will get you right into their minds and keep you
permanently rooted in. Every time they see you, they should think
you are Santa coming to town.
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5) Reactivate dormant clients.
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They are all volcanoes. Sitting there with the power to erupt
mightily. Figure out who they are and how you can work in tandem
with them. Forget your product or service. That's a given-- It has
to be good. Find out the 'everything else' factor and you will keep
them for life.
Like Santa does...
Psychotactics Ltd. All rights reserved.
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business ideas? Find simple, yet electrifying ideas, on
copywriting, public speaking, marketing strategies, sa'les
conversion, psychological tactics and branding.
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for yourself.
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