5 quotes from Buddy the Elf and what the social media manager can learn from each

When I watched Elf with Will Ferrell for the first time, it was instantly placed in my top five Christmas movies–alongside National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, A Christmas Story, Home Alone and Scrooged. I usually pop in the DVD several times throughout the year and laugh all the way through. Like most good films, Elf has many lessons to be learned. The following list has some of my favorite quotes from Buddy the Elf (Will Ferrell) throughout the film and what the social media professional can learn from each.

The best way to spread Christmas is cheer singing loud for all to hear.

Buddy the Elf is easily the best brand advocate for Christmas you could possibly come across. He truly believes in every aspect of the holiday and shares his enthusiasm with everyone he meets in a positive manner. If you are managing a brand in the social media space, make sure you really believe in the brand’s culture and values. Dig deep and learn everything you can about the brand. Maintain a human voice and cultivate a following of brand ambassadors who feel as passionate about the brand as you do. If you find it hard to believe in the brand, it might be best to let someone else serve as social media manager.

I just like to smile, smiling’s my favorite!

As mentioned above, Buddy the Elf remained positive throughout the entire film and always served as an advocate for Christmas. When the inevitable social media faux pas creeps up on an account you’re managing; remain calm. Never take down a post. Instead, sincerely apologize and keep a ‘smile’ on your brand’s face. Always remain positive even when things aren’t going so well. Just how people can tell when you’re smiling while talking on the phone; it’s easy to tell if the person behind the brand is happy when interacting with an audience.

Buddy the Elf, what’s your favorite color?

I believe this quote directly relates to social media monitoring. Monitoring social sites can serve as an integral first step of any social media marketing campaign. Monitoring helps in reaching and relating to your target audience. But simply monitoring is not enough–ask questions to learn more about your audience. Ask your followers anything: What is everyone doing tonight? Elvis or The Beatles? Where is everyone from? Heck, ask them what their favorite color is–you never know, it might help you in product displays or developing new branding materials.

We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup.

If there was one word you could use for Buddy the Elf, it might be focused. He was always focused on spreading Christmas cheer, gaining his father’s love and pursuing the companion (er, Zooey Deschanel). Just as monitoring is important to a social media campaign; setting clear goals is also important. Both short-term and long-term goals are important to the success of a social media marketing campaign. A daily content calendar can help you stay on track as you work toward your overall goals. Set clear goals and stick with it.

Deb, you have such a pretty face, you should be on a Christmas card!

I love this quote. You could really see the flattery in Deb’s face when Buddy told her how pretty she was. It truly brightened her day and set the tone for her relationship with Buddy throughout the rest of the film. You should always be an advocate for your brand and truly believe in its values, but be careful not to be too self-serving. Compliment/reward your audience and they will become true brand ambassadors through positivity.

Merry Christmas and remember: Sharing is fun!