Lessons from politicians: 7 ways executives can learn from presidents and others
In "The Roosevelts: An Intimate History," a recent PBS TV series, presidents Teddy Roosevelt and Franklin Delano Roosevelt were seen campaigning by train, stopping and meeting, touching and reaching thousands of people. Each created a distinctive personal brand. Like a politician, a business professional is a brand. Both must be likable, and both must build trust in their characters, their values and their expertise.
Business people can learn from politicians and political campaigns through these seven lessons:
You can't be all things to all people: You must segment voters or potential customers and target the most promising segments. A Republican candidate is unlikely to win over both Tea Party supporters and progressive Republicans. A technology company will have a hard time selling to both defense companies and health care companies.
Branding matters: It's very difficult for candidates to change parties or positions. Hawks have difficulty presenting themselves later as doves. IBM successfully changed its focus from hardware to software, and ultimately to services. However, IBM has more resources than most companies or candidates.
Packaging matters: People dwell on outward appearance. "Hillary haircut/hairstyle" has 946,000 Google entries; "Coke can design changes" has 25.9 million. To look like a regular guy, former U.S. senator Scott Brown wore his barn coat and drove his truck when he campaigned. Apple wins awards — and customers — partly because of the elegant designs of its products.
Personal behavior is just as important as professional behavior: Candidates and business people have had to drop out of campaigns or resign because of sexual or financial impropriety.
Communications must be appropriate at all times: Offhand comments about voters or opponents made when a mic was supposedly off have sunk many campaigns. Similarly, corporate spokespeople who make unsubstantiated product claims or other inappropriate remarks jeopardize their companies' reputations and profits.
Budgeting matters: Do you spend all your funds on primary elections (or product launches)? Or do you save some funds for later on? Former attorney general Martha Coakley, who lost last year's race for governor to Charlie Baker, had to spend much of her war chest to win the Democratic primary. Product launches must succeed; yet, they, too, can drain the coffers.
Your competitors can become allies: After a primary, winning candidates must rally their competitors and their supporters to win the final election. Companies often form partnerships with former competitors.
Businesses and politicians appeal to both the rational and emotional sides of voters and customers. In both cases, everything matters: the brand, the packaging, the communications, and the operations of the business and the campaign. Candidates and businesses are never "off camera."
Ruth Winett is owner of Winett Associates (www.winettassociates.com), which provides research and writing services to growing companies. Contact her at ruth@winettassociates.com.
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