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Why Santa's marketing works better than yours

Do you struggle to make an impact with your marketing, while Jolly Ol' Saint Nic rolls on and on? Sean D'Souza shows how you can tear a leaf out of Santa's book
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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.

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle All the Way...
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 grandkids 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!

You Can Spot Him in the Middle of a Crowded Sky

 

 

 

 

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 ending 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.

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About the author

Sean D'Souza's picture

Sean D'Souza is the driving force behind "PsychoTactics", and an expert on using an understanding of psychology to dramatically increase sales. 12 years ago, he joined an advertising agency called Leo Burnett. The skills he learnt while working with one of the best advertising agencies of the world took Sean on the heady road of copywriting, writing TV commercials (and how to do them in 5 seconds), graphic design, cartoons and web design. The underlying synchronicity was the constant search to find ways to communicate in the simplest, most effective manner. Sean - who is based in Auckland - now offers these skills to others through e-books such as his insightful "The Brain Audit", seminars, in his free newsletter and via his web site.