It’s so easy to get stuck, isn’t it? We go about our lives, doing our work, pretty much on auto-pilot, and before we know it we’re stuck. Nothing is growing or changing or progressing; we’ve just been doing the same things day in and day out for weeks, months, and even years hoping that miraculously things will change and all our dreams will come true.

Well, the sad truth is nothing is going to change unless we do something to make it change. So take a look at these top 7 signs that your business is in a rut and decide if it’s time to do some things differently. 

1. Nothing is working. Newspaper ads, yellow pages, direct mail, social media,  and networking. You’re doing it all, yet you still don’t have all the business you want or need and your pipeline is empty.
2. You have no accountability. You’ve read all the marketing books, attended seminars, and maybe even hired someone to help. You know the basics of marketing, you just haven’t committed the time and energy to creating a cohesive system to make it work, and you don’t have anyone to hold you accountable or to make sure you to do the things you know need to be done to take your business to the next level.
3. You’re not getting objective feedback. Your friends and colleagues have been great for stroking your ego. But you know all your ideas aren’t as great as they say. If they were, you’d be a millionaire. You need objective opinions from somebody who can constructively lead you in the right direction and offer a fresh perspective to your ideas.
4. You don’t have time to do all the marketing research on your own. You are an expert in your industry. You can’t possibly be a marketing expert too; you don’t have time to master the things you need to take your business to the next level. You value your time and know it’s better spent on other aspects of your business where you can reap a higher return. So your marketing efforts are suffering.
5. You don’t have a marketing plan. You’ve been doing your marketing kind of haphazardly –  a little here and there with no cohesive plan or strategy in place. It’s not working. You know that in order to make it work there has to be some consistency and process behind it. But you just don’t have the time.
6. You aren’t ready to hire a full time marketing staff.  Yes, it would be nice to have an entire department devoted to growing your business, but that’s an expense and a responsibility you aren’t quite ready for…yet!
7. Waiting is costing your money. How much time, money, and resources do you waste on all the wrong marketing tactics? Really – this isn’t a rhetorical question, sit down and figure it out.  How many more months are you going to pay for those ads that may or may not be bringing you business????

If any of these sound familiar, you might be in a rut, and it could be time to get some help.  For more info on how to hire a marketing consultant, check out this article.

If you’re writing a business plan, you should at least be considering your marketing plan at the same time. A good business plan includes a marketing component, and most successful businesses have entirely separate marketing plans to guide them.

So what makes a good marketing plan? Recently on Tim Berry’s AmEx OPEN Forum blog, the Bplans.com founder explained how you can tell the quality of a marketing plan:

You can measure it by the decisions that follow, the business it generates and how well it’s implemented. A brilliant marketing plan that is not executed is worth much less than a mediocre marketing plan that’s carried out.

The plan’s value is in the success of the business.

Tim’s piece is a great introduction to marketing plans. Click here to read the whole post:  5 Components of a Successful Marketing Plan.

Hi there! My name is Natalie MacNeil, the newest guest blogger here at Bplans. I’m an Emmy Award-winning Media Producer and the author of “She Takes on the World: A Guide to Being Your Own Boss, Working Happy, and Living on Purpose” (read to the end for a special offer!). When I was in high school I decided I would start my own business. That led me to the local business start-up center where they offered access to Business Plan Pro. That was the first business plan I ever wrote. Fast forward years later and here I am helping fellow small business owners at Bplans.com. I look forward to helping you grow your business!

It’s the Biggest Mistake I See Entrepreneurs Make

I’ve connected with and helped thousands of entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses. Hands down, the thing entrepreneurs get wrong most often is their niche. You can develop an amazing product and sabotage your success by not knowing your niche. Today I have five tips for you to rock your niche.

Five Secrets for Rocking Your Niche

1. Talk and walk like your niche – Niches are like cliques in schools and, for this reason, they often come with their own sayings, catchphrases and pop culture references. Are you one of your niche or are you masquerading? I believe the most successful business owners are ones who are part of the niche they serve and therefore super passionate about building relationships with others like themselves.
2. Create the archetype – Creating an archetype or model of your customer goes a bit further than applying a stereotype. Bird watchers will value a good pair of binoculars while bird owners want good quality seeds. Whether you draw on paper, make a collage or list it on your iPhone, make sure you know everything about your customer’s and their desires and habits.
3. Don’t be so “sure” – Think you know your customer? Survey at least 100 people that match your archetype above and ask questions. Maybe you have a product launch coming or maybe you just want to get to know your niche better. You gain everything by putting in that effort and stand to lose everything if you don’t. Remember that experience is subjective and perceived “facts” may be just that, only a perception. Entrepreneurs have to know, hobbyists can guess.
4. Be relatable and build relationships – People in your niche must be able to relate to you and that’s why I think the best niche for you is one that you are part of. Being a part of your own niche will help you tell your own stories about problems you faced or adventures you’ve had. Sharing your experiences — both good and bad — builds trust and trust builds relationships. Those relationships will help you convert more people from your niche into paying customers.
5. Write a niche statement – A mission or vision statement is more aligned with what I call your “bigger picture plan” for your business. A niche statement focuses solely on who your business serves and how you serve them. Look at this statement often so that you never lose sight of who you serve. You don’t have a business without them! We’d love for you to share your niche statement in a comment below.

As I mentioned at the top of this post, I have a special offer for you. Today (March 27th!), when you buy a copy of She Takes on the World: A Guide to Being Your Own Boss, Working Happy, and Living on Purpose you’ll get $500 in bonus gifts to power-up your business and make your entrepreneurial soul sing.

If you have any questions you’d like me to answer in future posts, pop them in a comment below. That’s what I’m here for!

photo by flickr user JD Hancock | Creative Commons

Building a memorable brand is more important than ever.  In this climate of unlimited choices,  your brand has to be cohesive, memorable and differentiated to captivate consumers and eventually capture mind share.

Branding isn’t simply a visual identity, and a lot of start-ups go wrong by undervaluing the importance of branding initiatives. Think of branding as a vehicle for communicating your value to the world, engaging consumers on an emotional level, and creating a sense of ownership for your customers and fans.  A strong brand paints a picture of your core values, your personality, points of difference and clearly communicates to the consumer why they should choose you over competitors. Here are 5 branding assets you absolutely should not launch without.

1.    A Memorable Name:  Good brand names are rarely arbitrary.  They are carefully curated ambassadors of your brand personality that convey your brand’s position, tone, and values.  Names can be proper names (based on the founders if you like), descriptive names, imagistic, alphanumeric, playful, invented etc. Whatever you deem appropriate to get the tone and personality of your brand across is fair game.

Once you’ve identified a few names, evaluate them based on ease of spelling, sound, appearance, appropriateness and relevancy to the target market, and level of distinction.  Once you’ve settled on a name you love, do a trademark search before you spend time and energy on a logo design.  It might also be a good idea to test the name with your target market to make sure it resonates in a positive way!

2.    A Strong Logo: When it comes to identity design, brands need to “go big, or go home.”  Logos need to be instantly recognizable, memorable, and cue the product/service you are offering. Color is increasingly important in logo design. In fact, color has been found to increase brand awareness by as much as 80%. Because of the nature of human brain, we recognize color long before we can decipher words, and we often associate certain colors with particular brands. Opt for highly recognizable shapes, unique and customized typefaces, and an ownable color palette, as they all help to increase brand recall.

After you’ve designed your logo, remember to test it.  Look at your logo in the company of other brands it will be surrounded by.  Ask yourself the following questions:

• Is it appropriate for the category so consumers can relate it to a product or service?  Yet does it stand out enough to be memorable?
• Does it read well in print, on package and online?
• Does it work in both black and white and color?
• Is it appropriate for the consumers, cultures, and subcultures that will be receiving it?
• Does it convey the brand personality?
• It is cueing the emotional response you are hoping for?

3.   Meaningful Marketing Collateral:  Alexander Hamilton said, “Those who stand for nothing fall for anything.” Brands need to own their positions and exhibit personality and emotion in order for consumers to make real and meaningful connections with them.  Arguably the greatest brands of the last century such as Coca-Cola, Apple, and Nike all have human qualities to them.  The emotions of their brands are palpable at every level.  We love them, we bring them into our homes and we make them a part of our everyday lives because they stand for the same things we do.

4.    An Optimized Website: Anybody can create a website — the Internet is full of sites where you can do it for free.  It is somewhat harder though, to create a website optimized for good user experience.  Your website should be a showcase for your brand personality, with rich and valuable content that will make consumers want to stay on your site and share it with their friends.  It’s a mistake to create a website just for the sake of having one.  It can be a truly invaluable tool for telling your brand story, proving your credibility and engaging with consumers in real time.  It is also the best place to gauge perceptions of your brands and products. Good sites balance design and functionality.

5.    A Well-Rounded Promotional Strategy:  Social media is becoming a sort of “gold rush” with businesses attempting to lay claim to as much mind share as possible.  Interestingly, in a recent IBM study, 70% of executives thought their businesses would be perceived as “out of touch” if they did not engage in social media.  However, the same study also concluded that most people use social networks to interact with friends and families, not necessarily brands.

The point is, social media might not be a gold mine for your particular business.  A well-rounded promotional strategy will prove more fruitful in the long term, as you are engaging consumers through various mediums, and through a multidimensional approach.  Before you get caught up in promotional buzzwords, identify who your consumers are and where they dwell.  It’s not just a “presence” that will capture attention and be a driver to purchase. Brands need to convey real and tangible benefits across the board for consumers even to think about engaging with them.

-photo by flickr user bigcityal/Creative Commons

I don’t know what it is about Marketing, but everyone on earth seems to think they can do it. And yet I see so many people NOT doing it or wasting thousands of dollars and not getting results.  I see business owners try the same things over and over,  wasting more money, more time, and more energy. If I had 1/10^th of what business owners waste on stuff that doesn’t work, I’d be the most successful marketing consultant on the planet.  And yet, so many business owners would rather go it alone and try and fail and try again and fail again rather than reach out and get professional help. I don’t get it.

I know there are those out there who will always try to do it themselves so, so in the spirit of not getting it, here are the top 21 reasons why most small business owners fail at marketing:

1. Guessing – Great marketing isn’t an accident. It takes research, educated decisions, testing, tracking and measuring. Guesswork will leave you customer-less and broke.
2. Doing what everyone else is doing- Every business is different and your marketing mix should be too.  Following the crowd isn’t going to help you stand out from the competition!
3. Listening to sales people Marketing is a long term strategy, not a special advertisement, publication, or website; but every sales rep you come in contact with will try to convince you otherwise. Marketing is a process – a long term strategy, there is no magic pill and don’t let a slick sales person try to tell you otherwise.
4. Not asking questions –Question EVERYTHING about your business and ask everyone you come into contact with as many questions as possible to learn, grow, and constantly improve.
5. Doing nothing – It’s simple, if you don’t Market your business, you will fail.
6. Putting all your eggs in one basket – Marketing is like investing, the more diversified your strategy, the better off you will be. Don’t invest all your time and resources in one medium or on one marketing tool – mix it up.
7. Not tracking results – How the heck are you going to know what works and what doesn’t if you don’t track the results? If you’re not tracking you’re guessing, and we covered that in #1!
8. Assuming you have all the answers – Yes, I know: you know your business better than anyone. But do you know marketing?  I mean do you REALLY know how and where to reach potential customers and convince them to buy from you?
9. Not talking to your customers – No one knows your value – or faults – better than the people who actually buy from you. Talk to your customers – often. It’ll provide valuable insight and ideas.
10. Ignoring your competition- If you don’t know how you’re different from your competition how are potential customers supposed to? Knowing your competition’s strengths and weaknesses will help you differentiate.
11. Not setting goals –Goals keep us on track; they give us direction. Without them you’re wandering aimlessly and most likely wasting a lot of time and money.
12. Not building an email list – I don’t understand how anyone can market a business in today’s world without an email list! Email is the easiest and most inexpensive way to stay in touch with customers and prospects.  If you aren’t building a list you’re missing out on huge opportunities.
13. Not having  an opt in form – Emailing current and past customers is a great start, but what about the people who visit your website, Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn pages and then go away never to be heard from again? Wouldn’t’ it be nice to engage the serious window shoppers in some way? An opt-in form is the way to do it!
14. Selling all the time.  We’ve all met the slick schmoozy salesy types, right? And how long does it take you to high-tail it in the opposite direction? Don’t be one of those. An effective marketing strategy eliminates the need to sell all the time… really!
15. Assuming because you have a great product or service you don’t need a marketing strategy – Sure, some products and services might market themselves, but that’s rare. Real marketing success takes strategy, planning, and work.
16. Assuming that just because you have a good product or service you don’t need a referral system- Again, there are some products and services that people just love to talk about, but building a successful business solely on organic referrals and “buzz” is rare.  Getting solid referrals, consistently takes planning and solid execution. .
17. Assuming anyone with a pulse is your client- Repeat after me:  “NOT everyone is a potential client for me”. Now look in the mirror and repeat that every day! Find your niche – that segment of the population you are born to serve and you will uncover a gold mine!
18. Not building relationships – I can’t stress enough how important this is. Hiding behind your computer screen, desk, or counter isn’t going to get you the level of success you want. You have to get out there – mingle, be helpful, connect people, and build relationships with the right people!
19. Spending all your time networking in the wrong places –Not every networking group is right for you. Find the ones that will help you get where you want to go and avoid the ones that won’t.
20. Ignoring the internet – Facebook and Twitter may not be right for your business, but chances are your target market is going somewhere on line for information about your product or service.  Your job is to find out where they’re going and be there!
21. Not hiring a professional- If you want to build an addition onto your home would you do it yourself or hire a professional?  I mean, you know your home better than anyone, right? So why not do it yourself? Ridiculous, right? So then why would you try to “add on” – or grow – your business yourself?  Hire a professional who has the right tools and knows the ins and outs of growing a business.

So what do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
 Want to share?? Please do! Leave your comments here.

By the way, if you liked this post, I’d really appreciate your Retweet!!! Thank you.

Call me a rebel… or  a Scrooge… or a Grinch if you must, but I am so happy all this holiday nonsense is finally over.  And as I sit here trying to come up with a blog for the new year, the word “resolution” keeps popping into my head and I absolutely REFUSE to give you marketing or business resolutions for the new year.  You’re under enough pressure, I’m not going to give you a long list of more things you already know you should do.  

So… no resolution talk here, I promise. Instead, for the new year, let’s vow to not make a single resolution; no diets, exercise programs (ok, I’ll admit this one is self-serving – hoping to ward off the “New Year Resolutioners” who invade my gym for a few weeks this time every year), no vows to spend more time with the kids, or call our mother more often, no promising to read, write, or volunteer more or spend less… Forget all that!

Resolutions are all about telling ourselves we need to do things we didn’t do last year to better ourselves and then we end up feeling like losers once again when we don’t keep them.  I say “No more pressure, we have enough!”  So instead of giving you  a bunch of Marketing Resolutions and telling you what you should do, I’m going give you a list of things you don’t have to do! There! How’s that for rebellion? Bet you’re thinking I’m not such a Scrooge after all are you?

So here is my list of 7 things you don’t have to do in 2012

1. You don’t have to do everything yourself anymore. That’s right. 2012 is the year you bite the bullet and hire help. Hire an accountant, a bookkeeper, a salesperson, an assistant, or whatever it is you need that will allow you more time to focus on the things you really want to focus on!
2. You don’t have to work with anybody and everybody with a checkbook. You have a successful business; you’ve made it this far because you provide a valuable product or service. You are too good to work with people who don’t value you and who try to nickel and dime you at every turn.  So the next time you are tempted by someone you know is going to be a big ole pain in the butt, politely refer them to your competition, explaining that you feel they’d be a better fit.
3. You don’t have to be everything to everybody. Your business is special. You provide something unique to a select group of people that no one else can deliver in quite the same way.  Your job is to find that niche. And when you find it you will become confident enough    to say “no” when asked to do something outside of your scope, capabilities or comfort zone.  You do what you do better than anyone else and you don’t need to pretend to be more than what you are. Stay true to your mission.
4. You don’t have to work every single night and weekend. I realized this sometime in the past couple of months, taking time off is key to my mental well being and sanity – and it makes me more productive. Really, you don’t have to work so many hours. All the work will get done (see #1 again), I promise!
5. You don’t have to follow the crowd. Just because all your friends are on Facebook, doesn’t mean it’s right for your business. Just because your competitors do things a certain way, doesn’t mean you have to. It’s your business – your baby, your dream. Do it however the hell you want!   Dare to be bold. Dare to stand out. Dare to be unique!
6. You don’t have to make excuses for where you are in your life or your business.  As human beings we all grew at different rates, the same is true of your business. Don’t compare yourself to others. If you know you are doing everything in your power and using every tool and resource available to you, there is no need to feel bad about where you are. We grow at different rates and as long as you are on track toward achieving your goals you are just fine.
7. You don’t have to take advice from anyone you don’t want to! Everybody has advice, have you noticed that? I was in the gym recently and a guy who I’ve never seen lift a single weight was telling me how I should be lifting weights. When advice is given consider the source:  is it someone you respect?   Is their business the type of business you’d like to emulate?   If not, ignore them!

So, how does that feel? A whole list of things you DON’T have to do in 2012! What a relief, right? Running a business is hard work, don’t be too hard on yourself, have fun with it and have the best year ever!!!
 Have something to add? I’d love to hear from you! Please click here to leave your comments.

By the way, if you liked this post, I’d really appreciate your Retweet!!! Thank you.

We’re all familiar with the “who-actually-falls-for-this-stuff” SPAM and we all know its complete bogus.

I think you get the point. Hilarious, right?!?

But what about the SPAM that isn’t so obvious? The emails from people we handed a business card to at a Chamber  mixer (and did not give permission to be added to their list) or who friended us on Facebook or emailed us through the Contact page on our website? What about those SPAMMERS? They’re a little more insidious – but are you competing with them? I would hope not.

Here’s the thing. I get hundreds of SPAM emails a week some are of the hilarious type and some are from people who actually want my business and think that SPAMMING me is the way to get it. And what strikes me hilarious is that for each SPAM email I get, I probably know at least 5 businesses personally – or even virtually for that matter, that I would turn to if I were looking to hire that particular product or service.  Why would I hire a complete stranger – and a SPAMMER at that?

So here’s my point:  When I am working with small business owners to develop marketing systems for their businesses one of the key elements of that process is figuring how they are different so they can stand out in a crowd. One way you can be different is to NOT spam, another is to actually get out there – either off- or on- line and meet people.  The more people who know you, the better your chances of being thought of when they are ready to buy what you have to offer.  The whole goal here is to you’re your business known in your niche so that your target market never has to turn to a stranger!

 Here are 4 things you can do so you don’t have to compete with SPAMMERS (or anyone else!):

1. Network – This is a great way to meet potential clients and expand our sphere of influence. Join a networking group or two – and whatever you do, make sure the networking group, association or organization is full of people who fit your target market profile – or at least can introduce you to them. If your target market is women between the ages of 25 and 35, Rotary is probably not the best networking group for you.
2. Engage in Social Media – I know thousands of people online. Some I’ve met face-to-face, some I haven’t yet, some I probably never will. But in today’s world, none of that matters. I have formed real professional relationships with people I may never meet face to face – and I’ve received and referred business to them!   Social media is not about merely blasting ‘salesy’ stuff; it’s about educating, informing, and engaging an audience. This is a great way to stand out from the crowd and build some top of mind awareness for your brand.
3. Blog– Blogging is a great way to promote your brand and build a reputation and credibility.   Writing relevant, informative posts/articles will help you stand out from your competition (and certainly SPAMMERS). And blogging isn’t just about writing a few words and posting it to your blog site; you must become diligent about repurposing your blog posts and submitting them to sites that our target market reads to expand your reach.
4. Be a giver - I was in sales and marketing for 17 years when I worked for other people and it wasn’t until I became a business owner that I realized the power of being a giver.  I had always approached networking and relationship building with a “what’s in it for me” attitude. I now approach it with a “how can I help you attitude”. And the more people I meet the more I am able to refer and make introductions that can help other people.  I enjoy this aspect of it much better than the old way! Being a giver instead of a taker, makes it that much more fun!  When is the last time a SPAMMER gave you anything?

It boils down to this: our goal as business owners is to help our target market Know, Like, and Trust us so that when they are ready to buy, they buy from us (a John Jantsch, founder of Duct Tape Marketing saying). What are you doing each and every day to work toward that goal? If you don’t have an answer, your target market could be encouraging those SPAMMERS! 

Finally, small business owners everywhere realize they need an online presence if they are going to compete in today’s world.  Small business owners who just a year ago adamantly argued that their customers aren’t using the web are now jumping on board and admitting – yes, indeed they are.

But slapping up a website just for the sake of having a website can defeat the purpose – and can even harm your image if it isn’t done right.

If you’re thinking about creating a website – or even if you already have one – follow these 6 rules to make it the effective and powerful marketing tool it should be: 

1. The website is not about you. A prospect is not looking for information about you; they are searching for a solution to their unique problem or need. THAT should be the focus of your home page. Use words and phrases they would use to describe their pain and then outline the solution you have to solve it.
2. Have an offer.  Get the most out of your website by using it as a lead generation tool.  If someone spends time on your site, don’t just let them click away without engaging them further. Offer a newsletter, a free report, or even a free consultation. Do something to get them to act so you can find out who they are and market to them further.
3. Be unique. Beware of canned website services; you know  - the ones that offer websites for CPAs or Chiropractors or Attorneys. They all the look the same, they all have the same content, and they make it really hard to differentiate you from your competition. Invest a little bit more in a site that allows you to stand apart from the crowd.
4. Your website is your online storefront. Your website is very often going to be the first impression people get of your small business. Make it visually appealing. Make it interesting, informative and engaging. Make it different – add some fun elements, or news stories or free tips that your target market would be interested in.  Make sure it’s professional- and PLEASE check your grammar and spelling!
5. Use testimonials and case studies. Yes, your home page should be about the prospect and their problem – but once you’ve engaged them and gotten their attention, they will want proof that you can deliver as promised. Having a page of testimonials and case studies is a great way to demonstrate that you can deliver as promised.
6. Make it easy for a prospect to contact you. Have a contact page that is easy to find, with your email address, and/or phone number. Put your phone number on the home page (some experts recommend having it on every page of your website). Finding a way to contact you should not be a game of “Where’s Elmo?” If it takes more than a second or two – you risk losing them – and they could mean a lost sale.

The common tone going into 2012 is cautious optimism. Economies remain very fragile and so lavish spending on your marketing would be a high risk activity. Instead, focus in 2012 on your high payoff activities and leverage the abundance of low cost, no cost marketing tools available to you. From a budget standpoint, try to secure a monthly amount that won’t increase debt (i.e. avoid ramping up credit lines or credit cards) and instead look at what you can realistically spend to acquire a new client. If this is less than what you have spent in the past, then you should really be reaching out to a strategist, like me, to help you figure out how to get a bigger bang for your buck.

Video – video marketing is becoming more and more mainstream. Use them for testimonials, to explain a concept on your site, for product tutorials, or even to share great content on your area of expertise. The good news is you don’t need to necessarily invest in high cost camera work or production. Instead you can use a good webcam or video on your phone and edit with low cost software yourself.  You can house your videos for free on your own You Tube channel (also the second largest search engine after Google) and embed from there onto your site or blog.

Engagement - with the economy still being vicarious, solidifying relationships with your network, prospects and clients is key. It’s not enough to just have a Twitter account without posting, following and engaging others. Plan ways to get people to truly connect with you – ask questions, respond to comments, hold contests, and automate some of your communications to ensure you don’t drop the ball.

Leverage Mobile Technology – it’s interesting to look at your Google Analytics for your site and see how much traffic is coming these days from mobile devices. Converting your site to operate correctly on smartphones should be your next major web development. Consider creating useful apps and make sure you take advantage of QR codes to share information, not to mention for better tracking of your marketing initiatives.

Moving the Free Line – if giving something for free has become the norm in your industry, consider upping your game. Look at your products and services. Are there some low cost opportunities that you can now give away, something your competitor’s would actually charge for? Consider giving this away for free and offering an even better quality paid product or service. Crazy, I know, but effective!

Whatever you do, make sure, as usual, you focus on your sweet spot and you differentiate yourself from the competition. Strategy before tactics is like an ounce of prevention for a pound of cure!

Whether he meant to or not jolly old St. Nick created one of the most recognizable and beloved brands in the western world; one that children have adored and parents embraced for centuries.  Santa Claus has endured wars, depressions, scrutiny (is he real or not??), imposters who tried to tarnish his image (ala The Grinch), and even opposition from certain religious groups.

So how the heck did he do it? How did Santa Claus build such a phenomenon, despite the obstacles and challenges the world threw at him? And what lessons can businesses owners learn from him for building our own brands?

I’ve identified some key things that Santa does to solidify his brand, create raving fans, build trust and grow his Christmas Empire! Here they are, along with the lessons we can learn from his success:

Marketing Lessons from Santa

1.  Santa is painstakingly reliable. Most of us awoke every Christmas morning, year after year, to find a plate sprinkled with cookie crumbs, an empty milk glass, and a bounty of presents; all bearing witness to Santa’s  late night visit. Despite snow storms and freezing temperatures, or dad losing his job, moving to a new house, or fighting with our brothers too much, Santa never let us down. Santa is the epitome of reliability.

Business Lesson:  How reliable is your business? Are you letting customers down?  Like expectant children on Christmas mornings, our customers have high expectations and it’s our job to deliver – or risk losing them.  Make it a habit to ask customers if they’ve ever felt let down by your company, what areas you can improve upon, and what products or services they’d like you to offer.  Being painstakingly reliable builds trust and people buy from companies they trust!

2.  Santa surprises and delights us!  Who doesn’t think of Santa and smile? Why is that? It’s because he always surprises and delights us! Whether it’s flashing a jovial smile and belting out a jolly “Ho Ho Ho”, delivering that Barbie doll we’d been obsessing over for months, or making a surprise appearance with a bag full of goodies at a holiday party, happiness and smiles follow Santa wherever he goes.  

Business Lesson:  Can you say the same about your brand? Does your business leave a lasting smile and happy thoughts? Do you surprise and delight? If not, study your competition and your industry, talk to people, and find out where others let customers down. Then do something that no one else in your industry does.  Find that  “something extra”  to add to your product or service mix.  Customers love the unexpected, so what can you do to leave a lasting impression?

3.  Santa encourages us to write.  Everyone knows Santa loves getting our letters – and even reads every single one of them! And what does he ask of us?  Nothing but a list all the presents we want him to deliver on Christmas morning!

Business Lesson:  Imagine if our customers felt comfortable enough to send us a list of their wants, needs,  and desires. Don’t you think that would help us understand  and serve them better? What can you do to encourage your customers to stay in touch with you?  Since we don’t have our own North Pole address, I’d recommend things like suggestion boxes (on, or offline!), surveys, and, service follow up calls.

4.  Santa rewards good behavior.  ”Have you been naughty or nice?”  Your answer could mean the difference between that diamond necklace you’ve been eyeing or a big ole lump of coal!  

Business Lesson: Businesses can build their brands by rewarding “good” behavior too! Did a customer buy more than usual? Reward them with a discount or an extra freebie. Did a customer refer you or leave a raving Yelp review? Send a special present or gift certificate to say “thank you.” Rewarding good behavior not only shows the customer your appreciation, it encourages them to do it again!

5.  Santa has elves and  8 reindeer- Santa wouldn’t be Santa without his team. Do you think he’d be able to read all of our letters, be painstakingly reliable, or jolly and delightful if he didn’t have a team to help him with all his Christmas responsibilities?  Of course not, so then why do you expect to be able to take care of all of your business responsibilities by yourself?

Business Lesson:  If you don’t have the time to provide the level of service you want, surprise and delight customers – or market and build your business then it’s time to get your own team of elves and reindeer! No one ever built an empire alone…not even Santa.  Want to be insanely popular like Santa?  Then it may be time  to hire some help!

6.  Santa is one-of-a-kind!  Santa has an image like no one else:  long gray beard, velvety red suit, and shiny black boots. Santa has a catch phrase, “Ho, Ho, Ho”.  Santa knows his target market are children. Santa also knows these three things set him apart from the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, and moms and dad -  and he used that to build the Santa brand to be the unmistakable symbol it is today!

Business Lesson: Take a look at your business, what can you do to make your business stand out from the crowd? Do you have a unique image? A symbolic uniform? A bright red sleigh pulled by 8 tiny reindeer (Ok, a fleet of bright red trucks will do!)?  A quirky catch phrase? Find your uniqueness and do something big to stand apart from the competition!

Summary:

The bottom line is this: Santa “gets” marketing – he built one of the most recognizable brands that ever existed by doing these 6 things.  Sure, we may never be as popular as Santa but by following his example, we can certainly create our own little world of magic!  Happy holidays! Ho, Ho, Ho!!!

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