30 Marketing Lessons We Can Learn from Mulan
Mulan is one of the most iconic and an all-time favorite of all Disney animations, particularly since it features a strong female character who is not only relatable but is also unique from the other Disney princesses, as is discussed in detail over at runrex.com. As can be expected, there are several lessons we can take from this icon, including marketing lessons, and this article will look to list 30 marketing lessons we can learn from Mulan.
Take risks
Mulan teaches us the importance of risk-taking, as she disguises herself as a man to go to war in her father’s place, as is covered over at runrex.com. When it comes to marketing, the mundane is not enough and you will need to push the envelope and take risks if you are to reap massive rewards.
You will not always succeed; bounce back
When Mulan is unable to keep up physically, she is sent home as her unit feels like she is unsuited for the rage of the war. This teaches us an important marketing lesson; and that is, you will not always succeed in your marketing endeavors. When you fail or encounter challenges, bounce back like Mulan and don’t give up.
Find out what is required
There is a song in Mulan that outlines to her what she needs to succeed, and she takes this to heart and uses it as a resource to discover what it is that she needs to achieve her goals. This is true when it comes to marketing where it is important to find out what is required and what you need so that you can be successful, as per the gurus over at runrex.com. Do your research on your industry as well as customer research to come up with successful campaigns.
Obtain the requisite skills and knowledge
Mulan also works hard to obtain and embody the qualities that are required to be a man and go to war. Marketing is the same, as if you are to be successful, you will need to obtain the necessary skills and knowledge, otherwise, it will be like taking a shot in the dark; you will most likely miss.
You can’t be successful if you pretend to be something you are not
Mulan isn’t the typical domestic Chinese lady, and to be successful, she can’t pretend that she is. By posing as a man, she finally finds herself and her calling and helps prevent the invasion of her country. When it comes to marketing, you can’t be successful if you are pretending to be something you’re not. Your audience will sus you out and will abandon you for a more authentic brand, a point the gurus over at runrex.com agree with.
The right path is not always the easiest to walk
When Mulan decides to pose as a man and go to war, she knows that it is not going to be easy, but she also knows that the rewards will be sweeter and greater. This is true also when it comes to marketing, where the best decisions for your marketing campaigns are not always the easiest to see through; but at the same time, they reward for choosing the tough path is usually bigger and sweeter.
Patience is key
When Fa Zhou says that the most beautiful blossoms are the last to bloom, he means that success sometimes takes time, but it is worth it in the end. As the experts over at runrex.com will tell you, marketing doesn’t always yield immediate results, but if you are patient and keep going, eventually you will achieve the success you crave.
Put your customers first
Just like Mulan puts her aging father first by taking his place in the army, so should you always put your customers and your audience front and center of every decision you make. This will build loyalty and will increase the chances of your marketing efforts bearing fruit.
Have set goals
Mulan’s goals are to protect her father and her country, and it is these two things that drive her ambition and determination to succeed. As far as marketing is concerned, setting goals is crucial as they are what will give you something to work towards and to define success with.
The power of marketing through more than one platform
If you are to be successful, you will need to market through more than one platform; using various channels such as PPC, SEO, social media, content marketing, and so forth. We learn this from the fact that, when going to war as her male alter ego Ping, Mulan is accompanied by not one, but three of her pet animals; her trusty horse, a little dragon, and a lucky cricket.
Persevere through times
As revealed in discussions over at runrex.com, many businesses abandon their marketing strategies when things don’t seem to be working when they would be better placed to persevere just a little longer for results to come. Perseverance is something Mulan embodies and is another marketing lesson we can learn here.
Think out of the box and be creative
The creativity and out-of-the-box thinking that Mulan shows when she takes their one remaining rocket and fires it at a nearby mountain to create an avalanche that buries the Hun army is something we should emulate as far as marketing is concerned. While you will not need rockets, you will need to be creative and innovative in your thinking to get the best out of your marketing efforts.
Don’t let your limitations dictate what you can, or can’t do
Yet another marketing lesson we can learn from Mulan is not to let our limitations dictate what we can or can’t do. As discussed over at runrex.com, you may be limited in terms of resources, budget, or time, but you should not let that stop you. Try and find ways to get the best out of your limited resources, just like Mulan.
Compelling content
Mulan will forever remain an icon, and one of Disney’s crown jewels due to the storyline, music, humor, and inspiring characters, none more so than Mulan. The content, as far as it is concerned, is compelling, which is yet another marketing lesson to learn here. Having compelling content will drive traffic and help make your marketing campaigns successful.
Uniqueness
Mulan is unique and different from your normal Disney princess; she is no princess at all. This meant that the movie was unlike any movie Disney had produced before, contributing to its popularity. As is discussed over at runrex.com, if you can position yourself as unique and offering your customers something different from what is already out there, then you will be on your way to succeeding in your marketing efforts.
The image you portray is important
Even though Mulan is scared, she doesn’t let it show, and she projects an image of bravery and courage throughout. The marketing lesson here is the importance of the image we portray. How your customers and audience view you is important so make sure you are projecting the right image.
Help can come in any form
As already mentioned earlier on, and discussed in detail over at runrex.com, Mulan gets help from strange places, including from a little dragon. When it comes to marketing, never dismiss anyone who offers to help. The best advice or ideas may come from the most unexpected sources.
Every decision you make should align with your marketing goals and brand
Another marketing lesson we can learn from Mulan is that every decision made should be in line with your brand values and market goals. We can see her even turning down a prestigious job when offered by the emperor as it isn’t in line with what she is aiming to achieve. This is an important lesson worth applying to our marketing campaigns.
Bring in expert help when needed
Mulan had Mushu by her side to help her and give her advice when she needed it, and her mini-dragon was a great resource for her. As far as marketing is concerned, bringing in experts like the gurus over at runrex.com is something you should consider if you feel like you need help.
Find out want your audience is looking for
Initially, Mulan tries to project a “tough guy” façade, but this doesn’t impress Captain Shang. When she displays empathy and gentleness, she finally wins the approval of the captain. Initially, she didn’t know what her audience was looking for, but when she did, she thrived. The same can be said of marketing where it is important to find out what your audience is looking for and then give it to them.
Discover where the gaps are
The reason why she was able to impress Captain Shang with her empathy and gentleness is that these were qualities lacking in her fellow soldiers. As far as marketing is concerned, try and find out where the gaps are and then try to fill them, and your marketing efforts will bear fruit.
Reuse and repurpose content
With Mulan getting a live-action remake, we once again get to learn from Disney about the benefits that are there to be heard when you repurpose and reuse content. If you have popular old content and that still works, don’t be afraid to repurpose and reuse it.
Improve the content first
A key tip to getting the best out of your repurposed content, as per the gurus over at runrex.com, is to make sure you make improvements on it first. Don’t just reuse old content as-is, and this is a lesson we learn from the remake of Mulan.
Embrace technology
By remaking Mulan, Disney is showing the importance of embracing new technology to improve old content, which is an important marketing lesson worth learning from Mulan, and particularly from its live-action remake.
Try and target new audiences
With the legend of Mulan eliminating from China, Disney was able to target a new audience as not only was the movie popular in the west, it was extremely popular in China as well, as is covered over at runrex.com. The marketing lesson we can take here is that we should look to expand and target new audiences; something that will benefit our marketing campaigns.
The power of relatability
Mulan is also pretty relatable as a character as she is the portrait of a young woman who doesn’t abide by traditional gender roles. This made the movie, and her extremely popular, as a lot of women and girls saw themselves in her. As far as marketing is concerned, you must be relatable to your audience if you are to be successful.
Have a plan and strategy in place
Mulan is also successful because she comes up with strategies when faced with a task or challenge, and she doesn’t just take things off the cuff. This is seen in her strategy to use the weights to climb the pole, as is discussed over at runrex.com. The marketing lesson here is that, if you are to be successful, make sure you have a strategy and a plan in place, which will help approach your task at hand.
Problem-solving skills are crucial
By using the weights to climb up the pole, or when she blasts the one remaining rocket on the mountain to create the avalanche, Mulan is showing off her impressive problem-solving skills. As far as marketing goes, problem-solving is crucial. You will need to be great at problem-solving and have the ability and clarity to come up with creative solutions on the fly.
Image is crucial
Mulan has the ability and the character to be a soldier, but she doesn’t have the image society requires of a soldier; that of a man. She, therefore, has to pose as a man to be a soldier. The marketing lesson here, as per the gurus over at runrex.com, is that image is crucial. The right image is required if you are to win the hearts and minds of your target audience.
Be a voice for good
The bottom line is that Mulan is such an inspirational movie, showing girls, and boys, around the world that there are no restrictions and that you can achieve anything you set your mind to. The positive message it sends is what has made it such an icon in the film industry. The marketing lesson we can learn here is how beneficial being known as a voice for good in the community can be to your brand and your marketing efforts.
Remember, if you are looking for more information on this and other related topics, look no further than the amazing runrex.com.