“It’s not a hairdo, it’s a wind advisory” David Letterman
I’m sure I am not alone in howling with laughter and disbelief at the things dear Donald is doing and saying lately. However, as a marketer and a small business owner, I have to pay attention to what he’s doing well in his marketing, which is surprisingly (or maybe not so surprisingly, the man is successful..) a lot.
Here are a few things your marketing can learn from Donald Trump:
Be Yourself
Donald is 100% unapologetic, uncensored, and fully out there. Yes, he’s divisive and offensive but that’s who he is and he’s not afraid to show it. How many of my clients are afraid to look bad, stupid or aggressive? This guy just doesn’t seem to care who thinks what about him. How would your business change if you could borrow a little bit of Donald for your next meeting or keynote?
Be Passionate
One thing that comes across when The Donald opens his mouth is that he is emphatic about what he’s talking about. He’s convinced of his position and is determined to convince us of the same. What about you, the business owner? How would your marketing change if you were more passionate about what you did for a living? How would your speeches and tweets change?
Have a Clear Position
Have you ever seen such an unpolitical politician? Someone who offends different interest groups on a daily basis and still keeps his popularity? He is not wishy-washy, trying to please as many people as he can. He has taken very clear and unpopular positions about what he stands for. What about the hundreds of small business owners I speak to every year who can’t commit to a niche? Those who are afraid to pick a specialty or a target market? How about those that do pick one but are too scared to market it on their website, their business name or when they introduce themselves to the world? Do you think Donald would do that?
Tell Stories
Donald has a story for everything. Stories of how he met Hillary Clinton, how he outsmarted someone, stories of his not-so-humble beginnings. Whether they’re true or not, his stories have captured the attention of the world. I also teach my clients to drop the lecturing and start the story-telling. The more gifted a story-teller you are, the more money and business you’ll attract. People don’t remember facts, they remember emotions. Stories bring out emotions.
I have no idea what’s going to happen in the elections and what Donald’s future will bring but I do know that we all can apply a little Donald Trump to our marketing to succeed faster.
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