The School4Santas Home Study Thumb Drive includes all of the following as part of the video presentations.
Day One – Session One
- It Starts with Character – Set an Image to Admire. You represent all Santas!
- S.M.I.L.E. – Smile, Movement, Image, Language, Energy
- The Origins of Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus – A Brief History from St. Nicholas to Present Day.
Day One – Session Two
- Starting with the Basics
- Three Goals to Success
- Know who your work for – The Children, Parents, Photographer and Host/Sponsor
- You are there for the Children
- Parents have their needs/goals from a visit
- What your Photographers needs.
- What your host Sponsor wants from you.
- Santa’s Greeting – Your Ho, Ho, Ho’s
- Santa’s Arrival & Departure
- Seating & Photo Set-Ups – Seating Babies / Children – One or many
Day One – Session Three
- Talking with the Children – The Basic four Questions
- What to do when . . . ? When it is not the basic four questions
- How to Handle problems.
- Handling difficult question – Pets, There is no Santa, Children who don’t believe, etc
- Answering Very Difficult Questions – Divorce, Death, Economy, Absent Parents, Child Abuse.
- Do’s and Don’ts when sitting in the Chair.
- Training your Helpers
- Know what the Audience is Expecting.
- Posing Suggestions.
Day One – Session Four
- Posing – continued – Special Techniques
- Guests with special needs
- Your Image as Santa and Mrs. Claus – Everything is Seen
- While Santa, you should not . . . . .
- Your Physical Condition, Look and Image
- Designer Beards & Wigs
- Styling your Hair and Beard
- Bleaching your Hair and Beard
- Grooming and Make-Up
Day Two – Session Five
- Santa & Mrs. C’s Wardrobe –
- Padding, cooling Vests, Gloves, Toy Bag, Glasses, Jewelry
- Finding the right Dry Cleaner
- Your Dressing Area.
- Wardrobe examples.
- What should you buy first? – Wardrobe suggestions
- What to add to your Suit – Real Boots, Belt, Trim, etc.
- Wardrobe Options – Other Characters
Day Two – Session Six
- How does Santa Find Work –
- Volunteer and Charitable work
- Malls and Photo Companies – Mall History
- What does a Mall Pay – How to negotiate with a Photo Company
- Rate Computation Chart – How to use it. Special Excel Spreadsheet.
- Different Mall events – “Paws with Claus” etc.
- How to find a Mall position
- New Mall Promotions – Marketing to get more customers
- From HGTV – To Warner Brothers – to DreamWorks
- Seasonal Festivals and Major Promotions –
- Christmas Dreams Project
Day Two – Session Seven
- Working for Yourself – What do you need to consider and think about?
- The Pluses and Minuses
- How do you find other Work
- Enhancing and Adding to what you have and offer
- Where do you find other Work?
- What to do at the Event/s
- Big Event vs Small Events
- What do do – When no-one shows up! When too many show up!
- Charitable and Non-Profit Events- When is it Charity and When should they be paying you.
- The Entertaining Santa – Why –
- Remember the focus of your appearance/visit
- Storytelling Santa – Techniques to Story Telling/Reading a Book
- Suggested Books for Storytelling
- Storyteller Secrets
- The Magician or Magic Santa
- Other Entertainment – Mrs. Claus or other performers
- Face Painting, Cookie Decorating, Balloons, Crafts
- Other Characters. – Can you be someone else the rest of the year
- Other Services – Santa’s Chair, Santa’s Sleigh, Gift Deliveries, Elves and other entertainers
- Adding Snow to your visit.
Day Two – Session Eight
- Setting your Rates – What is reasonable for your region, neck-of-the-woods!
- Doing Rate Surveys – Home Visits – Company Parties
- Compute your own Rates – Special Excel Spreadsheet.
- Marketing – How do you make Santa’s Phone Ring? Marketing, Marketing, Marketing!
- Where do you find more work – Where you need to distribute your business cards.
- Event Locations – Event Coordinators and Caterers
- Entertainment Companies
- Gig Salad and Gig Master
- Becoming an Actor or Model
- Santa’s Business Cards
- Having the right photos for Marketing
- How to get FREE Professional Photos!
- Working with the Media – How to get publicity
- Business Start-Up – Calendar/Appoint Book
- Booking Agreement
- Budget and Record Keeping
- Liability Insurance
- Background Checks
- Being Prepared – Being Organized
- Physical Preparedness – Health and Fitness
- Material Preparedness – Wardrobe – Supplies – Dressing Area
- A Santa of Character – Set an Image to Admire – You Represent every Santa and Mrs. Claus.
- Santa Emeritus – What to do when you can’t perform any more. You can still be a Santa or Mrs. Claus.
- The Santa Claus Oath – Mrs. Claus Pledge – Knights of St. Nicholas Creed.
Support Materials
During the video presentation and throughout the book there are references to certain documents and support files that are valuable tools for a Santa and Mrs. Claus. These are all on-line her on this web site.
And for those who order the school on Thumb Drive, a few of the documents and work sheets are included on the drive.
- Mall Rate Computation Chart
- Computing your own Rates
- Handy Hints for clients
Also available on Thumb Drive our Advanced Training Session:
Making the Moments
Click here for details