The Baby-Sitters Club is back, and it’s here to teach us about marketing
Photo: Netflix
Long before Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte, there was Kristy, Claudia, Mary Anne and Stacey of The Baby-Sitters Club.
As anyone who loved the books as a kid will tell you, finding out the series was being remade for Netflix was a cause for much anticipation. How would the group’s entrepreneurial endeavours translate in 2020? What would happen to the iconic Baby-Sitters Club landline phone in the mobile era?
Some things stay true to the original: Claudia still has candy hidden all over her room (living the dream!) and the girls use an “olden times phone” to take bookings – albeit one that’s part of an ultra-high-speed internet package.
Stacey is still a maths wiz, but now she’s using her skills to offer help with ROI and targeted social media ads. Claudia’s genius older sister Janine is fittingly a software developer.
As it turns out, this is a story that’s been cleverly transposed to the modern day – and it comes with some surprisingly apt marketing lessons.
1. There are always problems to be solved – it’s about finding your niche
In episode one, Kristy’s mum Elizabeth (played by none other than the OG ‘90s Betty, Alicia Silverstone) scrambles to find a last-minute babysitter for Kristy’s younger brother.
In true 2020 remake fashion, Elizabeth’s ‘all-access thesitternnernetwork.com’ subscription has expired and no one is answering their phone. When she finally gets a hold of someone, the price is clearly not right.
“How much an hour? What are you gonna do, breastfeed him?”, she asks. Head in hands, Elizabeth is frustrated – but enterprising Kristy gets the best idea of her life to start a babysitting club (in the midst of choking on a slice of pizza with her life flashing before her eyes).
So, what’s the lesson? There are real-life problems to be solved everywhere you look. Spot your gap in the market. Keep a pen and paper handy for when inspiration hits. And chew your food properly.
Photo: Netflix
2. Sometimes the best approach is to go grassroots
With her lofty suggestions to curate a community of Instagram influencers and cross-reference followers, Stacey looks set to become the group’s resident social media marketing expert.
That is until level-headed Janine appears in the hallway with some sage advice: “I would ascertain that the most effective solution to your dilemma may be an analogue one.”
With that, the girls go back to basics. Claudia designs a flyer, word spreads, and in the meantime, Stacey is much happier in her role as club treasurer.
The lesson? Digital isn’t always the blanket answer. The babysitters don’t need reach to start with – they need targeted awareness. When your business is local, go where the locals go (whether that be their mailbox or elsewhere).
3. Word-of-mouth referrals are gold
The Baby-Sitters Club is raring to go but business is off to a slow start.
At their first club meeting, the girls’ only lead comes from Watson Brewer, Kristy’s mum’s ‘rich boyfriend’. Kristy isn’t a fan but Claudia convinces them to accept the job, and Mary Anne takes on the club’s very first babysitting assignment.
Lo and behold, at their second meeting, a new client rings. And another, recommended by Watson Brewer. Kristy is forced to swallow her pride and not long after, business is booming.
It just goes to show that from little things, big things grow. A word-of-mouth referral from one happy customer can be all it takes to spark a flourishing business.
Photo: Netflix
4. Differentiating yourself is key to success
In episode three, the group is confronted with competition for the first time in the form of The Baby-Sitters Agency. Unfortunately for the younger BSC incumbents, The BSA has the advantage of being run by high-schoolers with driver’s licences and no curfews.
Ever-enterprising, Kristy presents an idea to the club – a ‘Kids Kit’ of toys and games to entertain their babysitting charges.
But it’s still not looking good. The BSA have plastered their merchandise everywhere and troll the club by sending them on fake jobs. Kristy starts reading The Art of War. Things get serious.
It seems like the war is all but lost until the girls happen to spot one of their ex-charges playing on the road by himself… neglected by the competition. The BSA’s reputation takes a hit.
The takeaway? There’ll always be competition, so concentrate on what makes your business stand out from the rest. How can you provide a benefit to your customers that is uniquely valuable? Focus on what you do, do it with integrity and pull out all the stops to do it better than anyone else.
Photo: Netflix
5. Honesty wins trust
The Baby-Sitters Agency won’t back down and try to discredit the club by distributing a video of Stacey going into diabetic shock. It’s another huge setback for the quartet, and they call an emergency meeting with the club’s clients.
Stacey tries to convince the worried parents that she has her condition under control and she’s a safe bet as a sitter. After an honest discussion (and the offer of a limited-time discount for good measure), the parents are back on board with The BSC.
That brings us to our final lesson: no one’s perfect. We’re all human, and you can’t be everyone’s cup of tea. But being transparent and making every effort to fix issues is what will ultimately cement trust in your business.
If you’re looking for guidance with your marketing efforts (or want to compare notes about The Baby-Sitters Club), drop us a line!