Marketing Wisdom from Baby Yoda and ‘Star Wars: The Mandalorian’

The latest “Star Wars” installment has die-hard fans and general viewers buzzing: “The Mandalorian” is a hit, thanks to its stellar cast and excellent take on the lone-wolf trope. A solitary bounty hunter has second thoughts about his latest assignment — delivering the equivalent of a toddler to remnants of the Empire for unknown experiments — and his decision to save “the Child” (aka Baby Yoda!) changes his life.

But “Star Wars: The Mandalorian” is more than just a galactic retelling of your standard spaghetti Western storyline. It’s also full of wisdom you can apply in everyday life, including hints for improving your business. Even if your profession doesn’t involve anything as cute as Baby Yoda with his squeaks, coos, trills, and chicken nuggets, you can find ways to apply lessons from the show to improve your customer relations and overall reputation.

Promote a Highly Recognizable Brand

A Mandalorian’s distinctive helmet and armor combine to make one of the most recognizable figures in the “Star Wars” universe — just as the elongated green ears and immense black eyes of the Child link him to one of the most recognizable species in fandom (even if that species is rare).

Similarly, your company’s logo and other identifying features should be highly recognizable and memorable. Don’t hide it! Get your graphics and colors clarified into a great logo, and make sure your unique selling propositions in your marketing are all in line. You can even have custom promotional items created just for your business so potential customers will remember you when they need the services you offer.

Remember: Substance is (Almost) Everything

The Mandalorians in the series refuse to show their faces to other living beings after swearing to the Creed. As a result, when someone contracts a Mandalorian to work, they’re judged by skill and reputation, not by looks. They did not become feared warriors and bounty hunters because of how they looked, but because of how they fought — which made their armor one of the most feared sights in the galaxy.

What does this mean for your business? Sure, you want your workplace to be clean and your logos to be eye-catching, but it’s the substance behind your style that counts most. You may have a modern office and pretty business cards, but it’s all just window dressing if it doesn’t lead to solid work, reliable ethics, and consistent results.

That being said, a layer of visual professionalism can always indicate and complement your business’ integrity, just as Mando upgraded his armor after earning all that beskar. For example, keep your offices in good repair — or, if they need some updating, hire work crews and rent a dumpster for cleanup work and renovations. Do whatever’s necessary to make your business appear as efficient, effective, and reassuring to clients as possible.

Never Assume Someone Can’t Help You

Some of the biggest rescues in “The Mandalorian” occurred when Baby Yoda suddenly used the Force to stop mudhorns, flames, and venom from taking out human characters. You wouldn’t expect the little guy to be that powerful, but he was, indeed. Even the knowledgeable Armorer saw the Child as “helpless” until Mando described these events.

Chances are, you’re not going to encounter any 50-year-old green children who can levitate giant animals or Force-heal your wounds, but you might encounter colleagues who can spot the problem that prevents your marketing from working effectively, or who can fix your email newsletter list so recipients won’t be annoyed by getting three copies at once. Instead of assuming no one can help, be open to asking for and accepting help, and grateful for the pleasant surprises it can bring.

Seek Skills That Don’t Depend on Technology

Mando carries an enviable arsenal with him, from wrist-bound flamethrowers to explosives. No matter the fight he’s in, he’s got a weapon for the occasion. Sometimes, however, he doesn’t need those weapons: A lower-tech solution (like killing someone with a door) might work better.

Likewise, you need to ensure that your business doesn’t rely solely on technology for success and daily operations. Yes, having a website is necessary, as are other tech innovations like cloud storage and mobile apps, depending on what you do.

But sometimes real-life situations can only be addressed by real-life solutions: Nanotechnology can’t help when someone is hurt and you need to perform first aid, for example. In many fields of business, you still need to meet clients and customers in person. And sometimes, snail-mail correspondence works much better than email.

Take time to evaluate how you run things and how you could respond to various scenarios. You may even want to sign up for first-aid and CPR training, so you’ll be able to respond in an emergency. Because emergencies happen. So get yourself as well-prepared in real life as you are online.

You might not be careening around the galaxy with a big-eared womp rat that eats frogs whole, but you do have a business to take care of. Run it as if it were a quest to protect and reunite Baby with its species. Keep it safe and stay alert. Like the Mandalorian, you’ll be ready for anything.