Growing up, I was a…
VERY On top of current events…
Took social studies classes as electives…
Model UN participant…
…kind of a kid.
Suffice it say, I was politically astute.
But then… College … A job … A wife … And a kid … Happened.
Headline Based Political Awareness = Bad Government
And now like most Americans, my “political awareness” is culled from the headlines. Which is bad.
It’s bad because politics and our government are important. Government largely determines the direction our country is headed toward, and ultimately our future. And having a grasp on more than just the headlines is critical to understanding politics.
Politics Have NEVER Been More Important Than They Are Now
This is because we’re faced with the prospect of a racist, xenophobic, slum-lord turned reality show host becoming the President of the United States.
In other words, there’s strong possibility Donald “Professional Carnival Barker” Trump may become the Leader of the Free World.
The Challenge of Two Unpopular Choices (In a Two-Way Race)…
On the other side of that equation, we have the most obvious choice by shear default, in the form of Hillary Clinton. Unfortunately, however, a LOT of people have BIG problems with Hillary.
So as chilling a notion as “The Donald as President” might be, we’re facing a tossup…
How did this happen? How did we wind up in this particular dilemma?
Hillary’s biggest obstacle? Many question both her identity and her authenticity. A BIG problem if you’re trying to sell anything – and claiming the Presidency is the BIGGEST sales job of all.
So you know where this is going, right? Yep, you guessed it, another TEACHABLE MOMENT is headed your way!
And here it is! Three marketing lessons culled from Madame Hillary’s biggest messaging missteps – lessons guaranteed to help your small business…
Lesson #1: Overcoming Convention is a Nearly Impossible Hurdle to Clear
In 1980, dynamic politician Bill Clinton stormed Little Rock and became Arkansas’ youngest ever governor. Four short years later, however, Bill was voted out of the Governor’s mansion.
One of the chief contributing factors? Clinton’s “upstart” young wife, Hillary Rodam (I mean, she didn’t even have the decency to take her husband’s name!?).
Far from the picture of a Southern Governor’s wife, Arkansas’ citizenry just couldn’t accept Hillary’s progressive, decidedly “Northern” persona.
Cowed by convention, Hillary added Clinton to her name, shifted from political activism to social activism, and birthed a daughter. And in turn, Bill was voted back into the Governors’ office.
Sadly, this disconnect continues to plague Hillary. She constantly battles conflicting images of how a “women” and a “politician” in her position should act.
Grappling with Convention In a Business Setting
Former client of mine struggled with a similar issue in positioning her business.
She provided, for lack of a better expression, professional organizing services. Unfortunately, the conventional connotation connected to phrase “professional organizer” conjures up images of cleaning up and rearranging your house.
Meanwhile her strictly business-based services had nothing to do with cleaning or rearranging.
She helped companies redefine and streamline workflows and data-management, boosting efficiency and quadrupling (for most of her clients) productivity.
At its root, her services are organization-based – she literally redefines how an organization processes, manages and archives data. Yet the title “professional organizer” GROSSLY undersells the services she provides.
But how to you effectively characterize such a service? “Data systems management?” Who the heck knows what that really means?!
Sadly, the convention of “professional organizer” and the inability to effectively position her services suppressed her business’s growth for YEARS.
The Small Business Marketing Lessons
Describe and position your services as clearly, succinctly and “conventionally” as possible.
Otherwise you’ll be battling misunderstandings and misconception about your services that will have you fighting on two fronts: (a) defining what exactly it is that you do, and (b) reinforcing the value of your services.
And as Hitler discovered in World War II, fighting a war on two fronts in a LOSING proposition.
Lessons #2: You Can’t be A and B – Only A or B
Since Hillary’s days at Wellesley College days in the mid ‘60s – where she flouted the school’s “skirts only” dress code with her trademark pants suites (gotta luv those pants suites, right?) – she’s been a self-proclaimed “feminist.”
Over the years, in both her public and private sector positions, she’s taken on great challenges and grand causes as an advocate for women’s rights.
But in the ladder days of Bill Clinton’s second Presidential term, Hillary publicly and callously criticized Monica Lewinsky for her role in the “oval office affair” (a scandal that nearly got naughty ole Billy impeached).
Hillary even went so far as to cast some of the blame for Bill’s philandering sexual-misconduct on young Ms. Lewinsky.
“Standing by your man” to the extent of shaming another woman for your husband’s sexual-misconduct is about as feminist as stridently enforcing Sharia Law.
Small Business Marketing Lesson
You can’t claim to command the resources and manpower of a multinational, and also possess the speed and agility of three-person startup.
You can’t be a boutique outfit offering individualized service, and also claim to have served tens of thousands of satisfied clients.
You can’t be an expert in “service X” … And also in “service Y” … Oh, and in “service Z,” too.
This approach confuses prospects and makes them doubt the veracity of your claims. Two definite roadblocks to successful sales.
Lesson #3: Authenticity is CRUCIAL
For nearly 30 years, Hillary’s been on the defensive. It reads like a laundry list…
== > Testifying in the “White Water” financial scandal
== > Ham-handedly defending bill in the “White House Infidelity” scandal
== > Testifying before the senate for her role in the attack on the US embassy in Benghazi
== > Being under investigation by the FBI for a possible national security breach by using apersonal email server to conduct US Government business.
And to further exacerbate matters, over the years, not all of her statements match up with her “stated positions.”
As a result, and perhaps somewhat understandably, Hillary’s public comments and overall persona have become heavily “modulated.” These days when she opens her mouth, it often sounds a like witness answering a lawyer under cross-examination.
The net effect? Lots of constituents are wondering: “Who’s the REAL Hillary Clinton?”
And as a Presidential candidate, that very bad place to be…
The Small Business Marketing Lesson
Your marketing messaging must be trustworthy and consistent. Anything less calls your authenticity into question.
For example… You can’t be the “big dog” in command of vast resources to larger clients AND the nimble operator offering individualized attention to smaller clients.
If you try to play it both ways, it appears you’re talking out of both sides of your mouth. And that turns off prospects both large and small.
Where Does Your Business Land on The Clinton Communication Scale?
Is your marketing messaging easy to grasp, specific and authentic? If not, it’s easy to understand why your marketing efforts are struggling to gain traction.
Swing by my Google+ page and we’ll cover some strategy to help improve your marketing messaging – see you there!