Politicians Are Like Car Sales People

Well, another election has come and gone in the US and no matter which way you voted there are some important marketing lessons to learn.

First, you need to put aside the campaign rhetoric and focus on the strategy and tactics and there are a number of clear winners for both sides.

The Dems and the GOP

On the Republican side. The tactic to put the question of Gay Marriage as a referendum in 11 battleground states was a master stroke. Get people to vote on the small issue and they will follow suit on the larger issues.

It's like selling real estate. Top real estate sales people don't sell houses. They sell a room and the rest of the house goes with it. They look for potential client reactions to a room they see and zoom in on that. If they sell that room to the prospect, then question of getting them to sign a contract on the house becomes as simple as, "Your pen or mine?"

How can we apply this to selling a product or service on the internet?

Look for the most important benefit you offer and build your heading and sales letter around that. Sure there maybe other benefits and you need to highlight those further down the page, via bullets, but focus your sales message on the primary unique selling point.

As a famous direct Marketer, Seth Godin, once said, "One monkey, One banana." Most people have the attention span of an African gnat. Try to get them to focus on more than one thing at a time and you will lose them and the sale.

On the Democrat side, the decision to make the war on a Iraq a central issue was an equally powerful strategy which may explain why 55 million people voted for the Democrats.

It was thought by the pundits that this was playing to the Republican's strength, but this was true only as long as they could make it central to the war on terror.

The moment the Democrats were able to separate the two and make it a referendum on Iraq alone, it became a winner for them, especially in light of the 911 Commission report, which showed clearly, no wmd and no direct ties to Al Queda.

What can we learn from this?

Know your competition, know their strengths and weakness and clearly explain how their weakness are your strengths.

The way you do this is to create a powerful USP (unique selling point). Something about your product or service, or what you do that makes you stand out in the crowd. Something that sets you apart from your competition. Something you do much better than them.

Focus on this single issue and drive it home repeatedly to your website visitors, ezine readers and existing customers.

The other lesson to be learned here. Don't believe everything you read, hear and see. Both elections and the internet are full of people's opinions. Do your homework, look at both sides and above all use your mind and think.

Try to analyze your ideal customer. Picture in your mind who they are, what they are like, what their financial status is, have they bought similar products before. If you don't know who your target market is, how can you target them?

In the late 1990's the principle of the Harvard Business College outlined his belief as to the reason business exists.

The purpose of business is to: KEEP & GROW customers.

We looked at this and thought this definition was too narrow. We felt that in order to keep and grow customers, you first had to find them so we added the word find to the above formula....

The purpose of business is to: FIND, KEEP & GROW customers.

But this still wasn't enough because what if the customer was wrong for your business, that is, they couldn't afford your services or product?

So we added, the right kind of customers, and we ended up with a new formula to work with.

The purpose of business is to: FIND, KEEP & GROW the RIGHT KIND of customers, everything else is rubbish.

If you market or sell anything on the internet, either as a business owner or a reseller, you are in business for yourself and you MUST think of it as a business. Do your homework and your research. It pays off in ways you only dream of right now.

About The Author

For further information mailto: jpethanks@jpeads.com

Subscribe to the WebPro Times jpethanks@jpeads.com

Where Professional marketers meet weekly.

Phil Basten and Jane Mark run a well known online ad agency jpethanks@jpeads.com - They have been helping people succeed on the net for more than 8 years.

jpethanks@jpeads.com

scheduled cleaning services Winnetka ..
In The News:

The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
GPT-5.2 is now live for all ChatGPT users with improved coding, writing and image interpretation, with Kurt Knutsson offering his review.
New iPhone replacement scam uses pressure tactics and fake carrier calls to steal devices from buyers. Criminals claim shipping errors and demand urgent returns.
Amazon Ring's new facial recognition feature sparks privacy controversy as Electronic Frontier Foundation critics argue the AI upgrade expands surveillance risks.
New Android banking trojan Sturnus steals credentials, reads encrypted messages and controls devices.
Denmark's 3D-printed student village proves automation builds 36 apartments faster than traditional methods. Skovsporet project shows housing future.
Discover Android's new Sound Notifications feature that alerts you to smoke alarms, doorbells, and baby cries even when wearing headphones.
New SantaStealer malware reportedly threatens holiday shoppers with password theft. This Christmas-themed info-stealer targets browsers and crypto wallets.
The Christmas season brings a surge in Netflix phishing scams targeting shoppers with fake emails. Stacey P received convincing scam but verified account first.
San Francisco Giants invite Jamie Grohsong to throw ceremonial first pitch at Oracle Park after he learned to play baseball with a bionic hand following an injury.
FBI warns cybercriminals are stealing family photos from social media to create fake proof of life images in virtual kidnapping scams targeting victims.
Instagram's new 'Your Algorithm' tool lets you control your Reels feed in real time. The app now gives you power to customize what videos you see.
Major Marquis fintech breach exposes 400,000-plus Americans' data through unpatched SonicWall vulnerability, with Texas hardest hit at 354,000 affected.
Free up iPhone storage fast by clearing large photos and videos from Messages app. Simple steps for iOS users to delete attachments without losing chats.
Scammers are flooding inboxes with fake tracking alerts that mimic real carriers, exploiting the holiday rush to steal logins and personal data.
The Fox News AI Newsletter brings you the latest news on AI technology advancements and the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Texas family reunites with missing 11-year-old cat Grayson after 103 days using Petco Love Lost's AI photo matching technology and community help.
Tired of AI customer service loops? These insider tricks help you escape "frustration AI" and get real human help when you need it most for urgent issues.
Unlock richer audio from your streaming apps with simple tweaks to volume normalization, equalizer settings, and quality preferences for cleaner sound.
Scammers are sending fake Facebook settlement payout emails that mimic legitimate notices from the privacy settlement administrator to deceive users.
Holiday shopping scams surge as fake refund emails target distracted consumers during Black Friday and holiday seasons, costing Americans billions annually.
The AI-powered IRMO M1 exoskeleton features four modes, including turbo, eco, training and rest for hiking, running, cycling and sports with eight-hour battery life.
OpenAI announced upgrades for its ChatGPT Images platform on Tuesday, saying the program can now make more precise edits and produce images more quickly.
Chrome for Android now turns web articles into AI-powered podcast conversations. Get hands-free browsing with Google Gemini's natural audio summaries.
LastPass faces $1.6 million fine from U.K. regulators after 2022 data breach exposed 1.6 million users. Password manager failed proper security controls.

America Needs an Education Reinvention Bill NOW!

In order to build a stronger, more self-sufficient America, America... Read More

Steel Import Tariff Taxes Hurt Industry, Not Help Them

US Steel prices have cost franchisees in my company and... Read More

China Finds Humans to Test Bird Flu Vaccine On, in Qinghai

China is serious about breaking into the bio-tech field and... Read More

Dafur Emergency: A Challenge To Civilisation

With pain rocking through my whole body today, I cast... Read More

Federal Trade Commission Partnerships Questioned

In many reports we see that the Federal Trade Commission... Read More

Does America Get It about Terrorism?

I have to be honest. It is time to come... Read More

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act Was created on July 30th 2002, by... Read More

The Morality of Child Labor

From the comfort of their plush offices and five to... Read More

Mexico; Look What We Did

The number-one question people ask us is, "What possessed you... Read More

News Media Misguided or Just Plain Liars?

Last week, the media coverage called the airplane crash in... Read More

Kudos For Monsanto Company

I applaud Monsanto for their R and D. I would... Read More

Should Farmers Plant GM Terminator Seeds?

If a farmer plants the same crop three seasons in... Read More

The Dragons

I hope to provide a starting point for the serious... Read More

MORAL ARMORS Economic Warning for Americans

For years we've suffered under recession, prompting us to ask,... Read More

How Can We Elect Good Leaders?

Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Men desire power. Give power to... Read More

Dealing With UK Water Rates Debts: What You Need To Know

UK Water RatesYOU CANNOT BE DISCONNECTED FOR WATER RATES DEBTSWater... Read More

Market Impeders and Market Inefficiencies

Even the most devout proponents of free marketry and hidden... Read More

Hypocrisy of Over Regulation

All to often law makers and regulators create rules and... Read More

Are We Serious About Fuel Alternatives?

As you can see from some of our previous articles,... Read More

Count Rumford

Why did FDR say Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and Count... Read More

Minor Disruptions Cause Chaos in Transportation

Recently the Los Angeles Transit workers are on Strike and... Read More

The Protocols of Sion #1

There is a lot of debate about who made the... Read More

Tax Dollars and Transparency of Government Agencies

As we watch fewer Americans voting it is no wonder... Read More

The Worlds Eldest Democracy Was A Truly Romantic Affair

Visible remnants of the world's eldest democracy can be seen... Read More

California Power and Commodity Markets

Excess capacity occurs in many industries, such as power, electricity,... Read More

reliable maid service Lincolnshire ..