What’s so clever about a big-bellied old man with white flowing beard and wearing red all over? It’s certainly not just the suspicious “ho ho ho” laugh or his secret affair with Mommy that makes him one of the most beloved characters in pop culture.

It’s his appeal with both children and adults alike that makes him a timeless figure that represents a season everyone loves.

Here are some of Santa-characteristics that we can apply to the world of marketing.

1.  Santa is the personification of reliability. Santa never let us down. As kids we would always find our most-awaited Christmas gifts under the tree or inside the sock we hung on the wall. It’s a tradition that no one expects to miss. Is your business letting your customers down? For your business to be as well-loved by everyone, it has to deliver what is expected of it – all the time.

2.  Santa aims to delight and surprise. The mere thought of an old man sneaking into our homes to leave gifts is already a pleasant thing to cherish. But it gets even better as soon as we open the neatly-wrapped presents and discover that Santa gave us exactly what we wished for – sometimes even more. Marketers are sometimes too focused on ‘getting’ attention and are missing out on ‘giving’ its target market what they want in ways that can leave a lasting smile.

3.  Santa encourages us to write.  When kids get a little picky about what they want as gifts (most of them are), they write letters addressed to Santa. Imagine if our customers had the same comfort to let you know what they really want. Normally, they wouldn’t do such a thing – ah, grownups – but as a business the least you can do is encourage them through comments sections, social media and feedback forms.

4.  Santa rewards good behavior.  Of course, we would always tell Santa that we’ve been ‘nice’ so we would get good presents. What does your business give to those who have been loyal fans? Fostering a relationship often involves getting small perks out of it, and when people have been there for your business all this time, you have to give back: offer freebies, discounts, and privileges.

5.  Santa promotes teamwork. Santa has elves and 8 reindeers.  He knows he couldn’t manufacture and deliver all his goods without the help of his team. And it’s not always just about him – pop culture has always given recognition to everyone in Santa’s household (Rudolph became the most famous one, of course).  For your business to excel and be appreciated by people, marketers alone should not carry the load. It’s all about teamwork, and when the big moment comes, everybody gets to get some credit.

If you think about it, the very concept of beauty pageants is rather odd; first of all, beauty is relative, and there should be no universal standard in judging whether one person is more beautiful than another. But then, that’s the tricky part: pageants don’t necessarily decide on beauty itself, but on the way beauty is presented.

In other words, it’s about “marketing” the beauty of a person.

That’s the reason why pageants usually include talent showcases, interviews and seemingly endless exhibitions of various clothing: swimwear, evening gowns and national costumes. People need to see different ways that beauty is featured. If it’s really just about beauty itself, then judges could just look at their faces and the show would be done in a matter of minutes.

It’s not entirely about physical beauty

Most marketers think that the appearance of a product is the basis of consumer appreciation. While it does help in drawing buyers into the hype, it can never be more important than the actual function of the product. Steve Jobs wanted Apple products to look nice, but he didn’t want to compromise quality. For him, functionality is part of the design.

Charm and appeal can move mountains

Not all beauty queens are beautiful in a strict sense. Some of them just had enough charm and appeal to wow the judges and carry themselves through the end. People call it the “x” factor, and there’s no science behind it; in fact, you can’t even describe it in plain words. Products don’t need to strive for perfection, as long as it can capture the hearts of the masses. Does your brand have the “x” factor?

You’ve got to have brains, too

Why do question-and-answer rounds come last in pageants? Simple. The ultimate test for a woman’s beauty is her brains. If you’re beautiful and you say something stupid, people will mock you. But those who speak intelligently are respected, no matter how ugly they could be. The same goes for brands; people will never learn to appreciate a product or service that looks good on the outside but fails to deliver.

Reputation is wealth

You’ve probably heard of beauty queens who have been stripped of their titles because of their scandalous behavior behind the public eye. Society is as critical and unforgiving as ever. One wrong mistake has the potential to destroy everything your company had worked for. As a marketer, you should make sure that everything you do – publicly or otherwise – will not blemish the name and image of your brand.

What’s so clever about a big-bellied old man with white flowing beard and wearing red all over? It’s certainly not just the suspicious “ho ho ho” laugh or his secret affair with Mommy that makes him one of the most beloved characters in pop culture.

It’s his appeal with both children and adults alike that makes him a timeless figure that represents a season everyone loves.

Here are some of Santa-characteristics that we can apply to the world of marketing.

1.  Santa is the personification of reliability. Santa never let us down. As kids we would always find our most-awaited Christmas gifts under the tree or inside the sock we hung on the wall. It’s a tradition that no one expects to miss. Is your business letting your customers down? For your business to be as well-loved by everyone, it has to deliver what is expected of it – all the time.

2.  Santa aims to delight and surprise. The mere thought of an old man sneaking into our homes to leave gifts is already a pleasant thing to cherish. But it gets even better as soon as we open the neatly-wrapped presents and discover that Santa gave us exactly what we wished for – sometimes even more. Marketers are sometimes too focused on ‘getting’ attention and are missing out on ‘giving’ its target market what they want in ways that can leave a lasting smile.

3.  Santa encourages us to write.  When kids get a little picky about what they want as gifts (most of them are), they write letters addressed to Santa. Imagine if our customers had the same comfort to let you know what they really want. Normally, they wouldn’t do such a thing – ah, grownups – but as a business the least you can do is encourage them through comments sections, social media and feedback forms.

4.  Santa rewards good behavior.  Of course, we would always tell Santa that we’ve been ‘nice’ so we would get good presents. What does your business give to those who have been loyal fans? Fostering a relationship often involves getting small perks out of it, and when people have been there for your business all this time, you have to give back: offer freebies, discounts, and privileges.

5.  Santa promotes teamwork. Santa has elves and 8 reindeers.  He knows he couldn’t manufacture and deliver all his goods without the help of his team. And it’s not always just about him – pop culture has always given recognition to everyone in Santa’s household (Rudolph became the most famous one, of course).  For your business to excel and be appreciated by people, marketers alone should not carry the load. It’s all about teamwork, and when the big moment comes, everybody gets to get some credit.

If you think about it, the very concept of beauty pageants is rather odd; first of all, beauty is relative, and there should be no universal standard in judging whether one person is more beautiful than another. But then, that’s the tricky part: pageants don’t necessarily decide on beauty itself, but on the way beauty is presented.

In other words, it’s about “marketing” the beauty of a person.

That’s the reason why pageants usually include talent showcases, interviews and seemingly endless exhibitions of various clothing: swimwear, evening gowns and national costumes. People need to see different ways that beauty is featured. If it’s really just about beauty itself, then judges could just look at their faces and the show would be done in a matter of minutes.

It’s not entirely about physical beauty

Most marketers think that the appearance of a product is the basis of consumer appreciation. While it does help in drawing buyers into the hype, it can never be more important than the actual function of the product. Steve Jobs wanted Apple products to look nice, but he didn’t want to compromise quality. For him, functionality is part of the design.

Charm and appeal can move mountains

Not all beauty queens are beautiful in a strict sense. Some of them just had enough charm and appeal to wow the judges and carry themselves through the end. People call it the “x” factor, and there’s no science behind it; in fact, you can’t even describe it in plain words. Products don’t need to strive for perfection, as long as it can capture the hearts of the masses. Does your brand have the “x” factor?

You’ve got to have brains, too

Why do question-and-answer rounds come last in pageants? Simple. The ultimate test for a woman’s beauty is her brains. If you’re beautiful and you say something stupid, people will mock you. But those who speak intelligently are respected, no matter how ugly they could be. The same goes for brands; people will never learn to appreciate a product or service that looks good on the outside but fails to deliver.

Reputation is wealth

You’ve probably heard of beauty queens who have been stripped of their titles because of their scandalous behavior behind the public eye. Society is as critical and unforgiving as ever. One wrong mistake has the potential to destroy everything your company had worked for. As a marketer, you should make sure that everything you do – publicly or otherwise – will not blemish the name and image of your brand.