The EVOLUTION OF SANTA CLAUS-ing
STROLLING SANTA TECHNIQUES
April
18, 2017 by Susen Mesco Denver, CO
PART 1- The Good
Old Days of BEing Santa Claus
The
Santa Claus industry is CHANGING!! From the way we communicate with clients
& each other, to the outfits & accessories we don, to annual national
conventions, local meetings, insurances, the digital age of pictures…
Almost
every aspect of our external presentation as “Santa Claus,” has been effected.
Malls
used to be the hub of social life… shopping, dining and family entertainment.
They
still are, but the format and design is now evolving to pad sites for anchor
stores and mostly EXTERNAL ENTRANCES… The days of the “center court” are
numbered by many developers as they restructure their centers.
25
years ago my company (American Events) was running the Santa Photolands at 14
Colorado Malls. Giant Polaroid cameras, $100,000 worth of film, ceiling high
boxes of photo folders & frames piled in a vacant store, cash registers,
credit card machines, a staff of 185 Santas, Elves, Photographers, stressed out
Marketing Directors, boxes of wet wipes, huge nightly deposits, staying up
until 6 AM doing 14 mall reports to turn in by 10 AM, paying the malls huge
commissions for the privilege of providing this grueling season to their
shoppers… Not fun at all!
Over
the years, we found our corporate & private Santa business exploding because, even
back in the 80’s & 90’s, people preferred the more “intimate” setting with
their own “private” Santa Claus. My Santas were able to charm shoppers with our
Activity Times with Santa and inspire outside bookings. My Santas were so busy
out doing corporate & private gigs, that they only worked 2-3, 4 hour shifts
per week at the mall and did events the rest of the time. Sweet!!
It
was an awkward and embarrassing task, asking people NOT to use their own
cameras (bowing to the mall’s insistence for higher closing ratio numbers for greater
commissions). It seemed rude, uncaring and unfair to those who couldn’t pay the
$5 (1980's) per photo or the $ 15 for the package with 3 photos, cards, envelopes &
frame.
12
years ago, I decided to work with my favorite 7 malls. We now provide a FREE
Santa Experience, where families take their own photos! As many as they want!
Santas are free to do 2-5 daily entertainment sessions with all the children in
line. Santas can hand out business cards & promote private events they do! Parents LOVE IT! Children get to participate FREE in the “My Santa
Reports” program. Malls get a database of their visitors from American Events
at the end of each season. Santas are making three times the average mall rate
hourly, PLUS TIPS! In the first few years, we tripled the visitor count (word
got out and families are coming from other malls who are "selling" photos!). The
merchants are thrilled because families are spending the funds they saved in
their stores.
It's been a long 35 years with many wonderful twists & turns, evolving and creating new products and concepts for our Santas and our clients! The family of Santas IS my family!!
It's been a long 35 years with many wonderful twists & turns, evolving and creating new products and concepts for our Santas and our clients! The family of Santas IS my family!!
PART 2
Santa Claus in “modern times” FREEFORM
SANTAS…
So
the roll of Santa Claus is changing fast to meet the desires of younger parents
& technology.
More
HOME VISITS, more HOA & CORPORATE PARTIES, Photo Studio MINI SESSIONS
(Oct-Nov.) STROLLING SANTAS, TALK TO SANTA (video chats & messages) and now
the national Wal-Mart program; “SELFIES WITH SANTA”!
In this era of Santa Claus, Santas
are being called OUT of their chairs!
Top Santas understand the business aspects, created effective marketing tools
& have had to BEcome REAL
PERFORMERS!
The
days of “easy” cattle herding, one child after the next for a photo and 30
second visit for 40 days in a row, are numbered. (I’m NOT saying this genre of
Santa will ever be extinct, but just not as common as it has been over the past
50 years.)
Santas
who study to expand their performance skills and services to clients, are thriving in this
decade!
Santas
who EXCEL at doing high quality VIDEO CHATS/MESSAGES are adding funds to their
bottom line each year, IN THEIR SPARE TIME, by offering this service to their
own clients as well as participating in programs such as “Talk To Santa”, etc.
(P.O.L.E.S.
Professional OnLine Education for Santas) offers this home course, on exactly
HOW TO DO SANTA VIDEO CHATS & MESSAGES, available to all Santas. 3 months
access to 28 videos, 7-20 minutes each.) Do YOU need an extra $800 added to each season?? http://www.santavisitsusa.com/pro-santa-school/
Santas
who have worked hard to develop their 3-D SANTA CHARACTER and have achieved poise, confidence and a unique charm in this
presentation, can draw upon this skill to be the very best when the interaction
calls for more beyond just the traditional 60 second seated visit. STROLLING / FREEFORM Santa is born!
SELFIES WITH SANTA (Wal-Mart Stores
2016/ 2017) Santas are having a blast in their new “FREEFORM/STROLLING” role as
Santa…
Here is HOW they do it…
Here is HOW they do it…
Mini
Training Seminar compiled from just a drop of what we teach at Professional Santa Claus School...
· * Has the mobility
and enthusiasm to present a truly interactive, unique & vibrant experience
to visitors he ACTIVELY seeks out within his strolling area.
· * Wears the
appropriate costuming (light, lined or warm) for the environment, quality
footwear, correct soles, cushioning support, etc.
· * Carries several
pairs of extra gloves so hands are covered & white.
· * Santa is very
conscious of bad breath, body odors, gas causing foods…
· * Reads his audience
from afar and is able to instantly develop an encounter plan
· * Has more than 10
techniques for working with the “hesitant” child,
· * ALWAYS MAINTAINING
CONTROL of every situation using; movement, volume, distance, gestures, re-directing the situation, etc.
* Knows how to instantly POSE with individual or groups, whether seated or standing, on the floor, on a chair or bench.
* * Constantly is aware of HAND PLACEMENT in every photo taken, even when Santa is NOT anticipating a photo to be taken.... there is ALWAYS a camera pointed in Santa's direction, even if Santa isn't posing for that photo from beyond!
· * Understands the
developmental changes occurring every 18 months in children.
* * Santa never uses
the same script over and over with all his audiences. And the audience of the STROLLING / FREEFORM Santa constantly changes: Child, Adult, Senior, Teen, Special Needs, Handicapped, Scrooge, Non-believer, Skeptic... all in 15 minutes!
· * Can adapt hundreds
of individual greetings to welcome that child/adult into Santa’s space
· * Instantly finds something
to compliment the visitor about, to create an instant bond
· * Converses naturally,
in 3-dimensional Santa character, (GET
OUT OF YOUR BOX!) with his visitors, going far beyond the boring boundaries
of the same OLD things Santas seem to have gotten stuck in over the past 50
years:
* Santa likes cookies
* Santa’s reindeer
* Santa’s reindeer
* Santa makes toys
* Santa’s elves
* Santa’s elves
* Santa lives at the North Pole
* Mrs. Claus, etc!
* Mrs. Claus, etc!
What
happened to the FUN & REAL STUFF LIKE:
* Santa’s new
recycling center?
* Mrs. Claus’s new
hydroponics vegetable garden?
* The health &
exercise complex just completed for the elves?
* Rudolph’s son
Randolp now flies at the front of your sleigh! Etc!
You’d be very wise
to have a LONG LIST of INTERESTING
things to say & do when you break free from that “chair!”
GET WITH IT! GET
REAL!
GET INTERESTING!!
MAKE YOURSELF MORE
FUN!
· * Is prepared for
the unexpected and can turn any moment into a magic experience.
· * Knows the toys,
movies, cartoons happening NOW! What age level is this toy/show geared for? How
expensive is it? What colors or sets does it come in? What character or movie
does it relate to? What does this movie/tv character do? Go? Are they good guy
or bad guy? If YOU make the toys, you’d better KNOW your own toys?
· * Uses compassion,
humor, touch, volume, etc. appropriately & professionally
· * Knows when and how
to move along your route of “Strolling” visits.
· * Is conscious of
children running towards you – Brace yourself! Children running up behind you…
Always be planted firmly, even when walking.
· * Is conscious that
in moving around, to move slowly & deliberately because little ones may (silently)
be behind, beside or underneath you… in the path of “danger”.
· * Has a plan to “deal
with” boisterous, delinquent, harassing teens who heckle & badger. Sometimes even "attack". Security!!
· * Is ALWAYS
conscious of what’s behind you in (the backdrop of) your photos. (Beer truck?
Ladies’ Lingerie? A rest room or exit sign? NOT GOOD!)
· * Has an effective
prop for carrying give-aways/candy canes. Basket, Candy Cane Bag
· * Can find a good
place to do some seated visits for 10-15 minutes but then can end the line
without Elf/Site Director assistance to go back to strolling duty.
· * Knows Santa can
often pre-arrange with the client to go to a cooler spot (outside?) to keep
working, greet arriving guests and cool off all at the same time!
· * Understands that
staying hydrated is critical to a good performance. (And arranging for rest room location and
breaks at regular intervals.) Using broken candy canes or “Altoids” tucked
between teeth & gums is a quick fix for dry mouth.
· * Having a good
selection of props that can be “attached” without having to carry or dig in a
bag to find them. Magic key, giant ring of bells that can be slipped over your
wrist, belt pouch with “good coins,” teddy bear in the top of his toy bag, etc.
·
Where do you
position yourself for best lighting?
o
With the light
source IN FRONT of you! Of course!
o
Behind
you, and the camera is shooting into the light! Not good!
o
Overhead
-faces are shadowed & the photo is dark. Not good!
·
* Knows how to end
each visit with dignity & grace. (Make sure everyone is beyond thrilled,
but they want more!)
· *IF possible, Santa has an Elf Helper, designated client
provided assistant or, best of all, your Mrs. Claus strolling with you to keep
your outfit, hat, accessories and make-up in check. Otherwise do frequent checks: belt (buckle
to the front/center) & holly leaf
position (on the side), etc in place!!
· * Santa finds ways
to invigorate himself so the last visit of the day is as magical and
enthusiastic as the first visit!
* Santa uses the energy from your audience to
supercharge himself into BEing the best Santa he can be.
There’s
plenty more but this should give you a good start!
For
more… See other blog posts and resources listed below!!
ProfessionalSanta Claus School (Denver) 1983-present
Santa Visits USA (Programs, Resources & bookings for
Santas)
My
Santa Reports (Marketing Program for Santas)
Certified
Professional Santas (Find & Verify
your ELITE Santas Online)
P.O.L.E.S. & B.A.B.S. (Online trainings for Santas)
