What Santa can teach us about successful marketing

By now, you’ve probably pulled down the tinsel and packed away the Christmas tree, but take a moment to think back to your Christmas break before it becomes a distant memory. On my break this year I, like you, saw thousands of images of Santa Claus, one of the most well-known and pervasive icons of our time. And while I was writing a Christmas card, I couldn’t help but ask myself, ‘what could the big man teach us about successful marketing?’

1. Knowing what you do well

Santa heads up the production of toys and then delivers them to all the children in the world, at one time of the year. That’s it. If anyone knows their niche it is Santa. Knowing what you do well and why you do it is the key to all marketing and communication success, because with strong positioning and key messages, people get to know you for what you do well, and you develop a reputation as the ‘go-to’ person for your particular skill set or offering.

2. Research your audience’s needs

Letters to Santa are the cornerstone of his success. If he didn’t know what little Johnny or Sally wanted, he couldn’t delight them on Christmas morning. Regularly asking your customers and stakeholders what they want and need from you, via client surveys and interviews, is the best way to ensure you tailor your offering and marketing to your customers’ needs. And, asking them about once a year is spot on; as we know, one year’s Star Wars Lego, is next year’s Cabbage Patch Kid!

3. Think Global, Act Local

One of the wonders of Santa is that he and his reindeer give presents to children all over the world, but if he couldn’t deliver to your house, would you care? With the advent of digital, we often think we are talking to the entire world through websites and social media, however the customer journey we provide needs to make sense for the customer in their world, regardless of where they are. Understanding our target market and communicating to them in a relevant way (even Santa has different names in different parts of the world!) ensures we spend our marketing and communications budget effectively.

4. Be generous with your content

No one can really lay claim to the evolving icon that is Santa (those behind the Coca Cola conspiracy need only read about St. Nicholas, the Germanic God Odin, or the 1821 poem Old Santeclaus); so when you get a photo on Santa’s knee you don’t have to pay royalties. His Christmas message is available to anyone who wants to listen. With content marketing being one of the key trends for 2016, sharing what you know, believe in and create, via blogs, social media, your website and newsletters, is the key to creating strong brands, loyal customers and a long and successful legacy.

Zadro is an award winning integrated communications agency. For more information visit: www.zadroagency.com.au