actionable marketing guide

Dear ,

It's been a strange week here in New York City.

Stick with me—this isn’t a political piece. There’s real marketing here.

Multiple times I got caught up in spontaneous peaceful marches and consequent traffic (It’s New York—there’s always traffic!) People upset about the president-elect.

At the same time, I learned via Facebook that a former colleague died. The shock and confusion was similar to the election sentiment. 

Prematurely gray, my colleague never seemed to age.

Everyone loved him. Always ready to retire to the local bar for RBs (our shorthand for a refreshing beverages), he could keep everyone captivated with his storytelling.

The memorial service at a Madison Avenue funeral home was standing room only. The love and sense of loss was palpable.

I was struck by the diversity of the people he touched. His life consisted of real world relationships and community, not social media connections. It was a testament to him and how he lived his life.

In New York City, many share this same sense of loss.

Regardless of your feelings about the candidates and the results, there are significant marketing lessons from the 2016 Presidential Election.

1. Take the high ground. Build something bigger than a collection of people. You need a vision of where you’re going. People want to belong to something important, especially millennials. Listen to Michael J. Fox’s speech in The American President.
   
   
2. Underestimate underlying feelings at your peril. Despite major improvements in the economy and other services, there’s real discontent with established systems. During the election, Bernie Sanders tapped into this need especially with millennials. Think about it—Sanders could be their grandfather!
   
   
3. Worry about negative sentiment. It can sway your audience. Hillary Clinton gave her life to public service. BUT people were seriously upset about the special treatment she received.
   
   
4. Use market research but seek other voices. Research isn’t always a true reflection of how your audience really feels. What people say and how they act can be different. Also, your target sample may not be representative, especially if you depend on landlines. 
   
   
5. Talk at your audience’s level. Hillary Clinton is a bright woman. But she speaks in paragraphs. The average person can’t grasp her meaning.  By contrast, Donald Trump speaks in tweets. He’s finds the adjective that crystallizes his audience’s feelings. His words stick; people get a visual image and remember it.
   
   
6. Learn how to present. Don’t underestimate how much Donald Trump learned on The Apprentice. “You’re fired!” By contrast, Hillary always seem to be shouting. As a woman, it’s her way of trying to be heard. If you’re going to present, get a coach!
   
   
7. Tap into newsjacking. Donald Trump is a newsjacking master. Every television news outlet clamored for his input. Love him or hate him, Trump drove audience and revenues for the media entities.  As a result, he got free airtime. Newsjacking was his true power tool!
   
   
8. Fan the flames of your message on social media. Expand your reach. Use social media to connect with a broader audience. Be positive and transparent.
   
   
9. Build a real community. It’s not about star power. You must make people feel they’re part of something bigger. Think about your MVA (aka your minimal viable audience.)
   
   
10. Ensure your processes and systems work within existing constraints. While Hillary Clinton had a strong ground team and processes, they weren’t sufficient to master the intricacies of the Electoral College. Similarly, your marketing and sales teams as well as your mar-tech must be aligned to maximize results.

Regardless of your political views, the marketing bottom line is:

• Understand your target audience and build real world relationships with them.

Personally, I’m spending my time thinking through how to improve my community as I plan for 2017. If you have ideas about the Actionable Marketing community you’d like to share with me, please respond to this email.

I’ll be presenting at Social Media Marketing World this coming spring. I’d love for you to join me there. I find it a great way to connect and build relationships with other social media professionals.

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• Heidi Cohen was selected by OmniConvert as one of the top 50 bloggers who practice what they preach!
  
  
• Pressly tapped Heidi Cohen to contribute to their ebook, The Ultimate Guide To Content Marketing.
  
  
• Need help with your holiday promotions? Here’s what 17 experts including Heidi Cohen recommend.

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