Donald Trump Reminds Businesses That the Message Matters

By Neil Hare

In her September 1 column in the Washington Post (GOP candidates must take off the gloves and go after Trump), Kathleen Parker, in an attempt to urge the other GOP candidates to get tough on Donald Trump, defined marketing as a “series of deceptions,” and then accused Trump of doing just that with Republican voters.

Let’s leave aside for the minute that as a professional marketer, I’m sure I speak for the entire industry when I say that Parker’s definition is not only wrong, but also offensive. And, by the way, deceiving your potential customers about a product will put you out of business and generate legal problems from lawsuits to criminal charges. I also might add that as a columnist, Parker is trying to sell ideas to her readers, much like marketers sell products (is she deceiving us?).

What I think is really relevant about the piece is what Parker, along with apparently the entire media and pollsters on both sides of the aisle, seem to be missing about the success of Trump’s campaign—his messages. Successful marketing describes a product or service in an exciting and enticing manner, defines a value proposition that is easy to understand, and makes a promise on what the product or service will deliver to the customer.

Parker’s piece hits home; she along with most of her colleagues don’t understand the first thing about marketing—perhaps a reason for the sagging bottom lines of most media companies.

The media and traditional political operatives are still struggling to believe Trump’s success, perhaps primarily because he is viewed as a reality TV star, a larger-than-life character that somehow is not fit to be president of the United States.

Why that is, I don’t understand, when one of our most revered presidents and idol to the GOP, Ronald Reagan, was considered by many a “B-rate Hollywood actor.”

Reagan was no policy wonk, but rather the “Great Communicator” who gave us lines like the “shining city on a hill” to describe the United States, and “tear down that wall, Mr. Gorbachev!” Did he get into the weeds on how we were going to become that city or how we were going to topple the Soviet Union?

Or how about the Star Wars missile defense program? Named after a movie, of course! Who doesn’t love satellites and lasers? The point is, Reagan gave us a vision, a promise, and described the America we all wanted—and arguably he delivered on that promise.

Now, Trump is giving the American people on the right—and the left, by the way—exactly the messages they want to hear right now, and doing so far, far better than any candidate on the campaign trail. Here are a few examples:

• Make America Great Again. It is a simple message that resonates with almost all Americans who do not feel we are the greatest power on earth anymore and, in fact, believe we’re on the decline. We get it and we want it.
• The immigration plan. While many might disagree with Trump’s three-part plan to build a wall, deport illegals, and stop birthright citizenship (including myself), this plan is simple, aggressive, and easy to understand. But, mainly, it is in effect a plan. I’m still waiting for any other Republican to have a plan that people can understand on an issue that every American cares about.
• Taking on China. Trump stated, “When was the last time anybody saw us beating, let’s say, China in a trade deal? They kill us. I beat China all the time.” The narrative on China is the country is stealing our jobs, our intellectual policy; selling us cheap, defective goods; and owning all our national debt. Trump is selling the notion of turning that narrative around and making our relationship with China a winning proposition.
• Touting his money. Trump’s line that he is not beholden to wealthy donors is a huge selling point, especially when he reminds his competitors that they have asked him for money. Many American voters feel disenfranchised because they know they don’t have the money to influence elected officials, whereas the wealthy and corporate interests can. Trump is using his wealth to position himself as a man of the people, something Mitt Romney never could do. Marketing brilliance.

Finally, Trump has succeeded in doing something that every marketer dreams about: earning tons and tons of free media! Press coverage is the best and most cost-effective way to reach and talk about your company to a wide audience, and provide validation about your products and services.

The irony of Parker’s column is that she, like all journalists out there, are buying every line Trump’s using and giving him what he and every politician and business craves—free press coverage!

The lesson for business owners is your marketing messages around your company and your products and services really matter. We sometimes forget that. If you haven’t invested in perfecting those messages, Donald Trump is reminding us all, we should.