Marketing and Donald Trump?
What can Trump teach us about marketing?
First. I will do my best to keep this from being overly political or one-sided. To be fair, I think this election and both candidates are a total joke. I am a fan of Trump, The Apprentice was a cool show, that’s about as far as it goes for me. Clinton? I got nothing. If I could sit this election out completely I would. With that being said, please leave your political stuff at the door. I would love to spur a conversation about business and marketing, politics here is just the way I’m doing it. Please if you comment keep it clean, keep it civil.
OK, back to Trump and marketing.
As a business owner I have read lots of things on how to market my business, I do it in an effort to be better at what I do, and to market my self better so I can continue getting work as a videographer. Marketing is a changing landscape these days and trying to stay on top is tough, I am after all just a video guy. Many things I have learned about marketing myself and others I wonder if they work anymore. Then comes along The Donald running for President and seemingly turns everything I thought to be true on its head.
Breaking the Rules
They say rules are meant to be broken, and I agree, but you can’t break them until you understand them inside and out. That’s not to say there aren’t exceptions to that rule too. Hmm. Trump understands business, he understands how to run a business and admittedly he does it well. Of course he’s had some failures but haven’t we all fallen a few times before we walked and then ran. Trump knows about marketing, or at least the people he hires does. He knows the rules, and he knows how and when to break them.
What the!?
I’ve learned to not talk about my business in terms of how great I am, or how kick ass my work is, or that I think it’s better than a lot of other video that’s out there. I believe those things 100% by the way, and there’s only one way to find out if its true and that’s to hire me. (good God I think I’m starting to sound like Trump) But I’ve learned to focus on what potential clients will get from me and how it will benefit them. An idea that sounds great and seems like it will work. Trump? please, he has flipped that completely.
Other marketing advice states not to talk about your competition, to not trash them as you will sound like a jerk and turn away potential customers. I understand that, it makes sense. My competition? they’re not very good at what they do, they’re good people. they work hard, I mean they’re OK, but they can’t do what I can. (oh man, more sounding like Trump, I’m afraid it may be contagious. It may help if you read that in your best Trump voice)
As a business owner it is my goal to under promise and over deliver. I don’t want expectations so high that I set my self up for failure. My clients should know I am confident and they will get a decent product. I then want to deliver something that is far better than they expected. Make sense, don’t over sell your self. But I really want to sell my video services like Trump does. I am going to make you the best video, no other video will come close to it. It will blow all other videos away. You will get the best video, in fact its gonna be so yuuuge, you’ll love it. (crap, I may have to start the comb over now)
Ok, so Trump, love him or hate him he is going against the grain, he is challenging the status quo. In terms of marketing, people wouldn’t expect it to work. But, for Trump it is. I don’t know where he is in the polls, but he won the nomination for his party, that should say something. Everyone seems to have something to say one way or the other about him. So he tossed current marketing ideals out the window and it worked. WTF!?
Be like Trump
Maybe, it’s time for those of us who do marketing to adopt some of these Trump marketing tactics. Or maybe selectively break the rules. When filmmakers break our standard rules of composition or lighting we do it, or should do it, with a purpose that fits the project not just willy nillly. That’s what should be done with marketing. Don’t break all the rules at once. Selectively break them, do it artistically. Don’t be afraid to tell people how awesome you are. Or how much better you are than your competition. But and this is a big one. When you talk that talk. You have to walk that walk. Put up or shut up, money where your mouth is. If you can’t back up what you’re saying, you can’t say it.
Go break some marketing rules, be awesome and tell everyone that you are. If done right. It could be yuuuge.
When you’re ready to show people how awesome you are. Let me help. I make quality video for quality brands.
Have any marketing rules you like to break? Let me know in the comments.