Photo credit: Gage Skidmore
Donald Trump may be a controversial and divisive character, but PR experts say he offers important lessons to PR professionals and business leaders.
PR veterans don’t suggest adopting Trump’s political views or copying his hairstyle, but they do recommend that PR and corporate executives study and emulate his successful PR and marketing habits. After all, the real estate mogul and reality TV personality is now the apparent Republican presidential nominee, despite spending far less on paid advertising than his rivals.
David E. Johnson, CEO of Strategic Vision PR Group, cites three lessons that CEOs can learn from Trump.
Be consistent with your brand. Pundits presumed Trump would a politically correct image than the image he developed from tabloid coverage and the Celebrity Apprentice. He took the opposite tact and strengthened his image with a public feud with FOX’s Megyn Kelly, a call to ban Muslims from entering the United States, and plans to build a wall to keep illegal immigrants out. Corporate sponsors fled, but Republican voters loved it. Trump found voters’ hot buttons and pressed them consistently. Hillary Clinton, by contrast, has been less consistent in espousing her positions.
Exploit the power of social media. Large and growing numbers of consumers obtain news through social media. A tweet from Trump received more media coverage than the combined television coverage of rivals. He realizes he can go over the heads of traditional media by using social media, and thus create greater loyalty among fans. Business leaders can likewise use social media to reach consumers and increase loyalty.
Stay on message. Trump repeatedly refers to his message no matter what happens or what he is asked in debates and interviews. Meanwhile, opponents are repeatedly thrown off track. The lesson: Stay on message regardless of what is asked and always make any question fall back to your main message points. And, above all, keep the message simple.
More PR Lessons from Trump
Leverage the press. Attract coverage by mainstream media by making bold proposals and statements that generate controversy. Maintain the focus with additional bold comments or stunts. Keep telling the media how good you are and how well-received you’ve been.
Clarity. Trump’s message of “make America great again” is (although unoriginal) more easily understood than Hillary Clinton’s message, says Doug Simon, president and CEO of D S Simon Media.
Change vs. status quo. Trump represents change, while Clinton is associated with the status quo. If this is a stay the course election the advantage would go to Hillary. Clearly, this election seems to be about changing the way Washington works.
Underdog status. The media dismissed Trump’s chances of securing the Republican nomination. Although news outlets covered his outlandish statements, they did not thoroughly examine them. Clinton’s best strategy, some believe, is to build him up as the favorite and shine an even brighter spotlight on his past statements, his numerous business failures, and his shallow understanding of government and foreign affairs.
Take a stand. Many corporate brands are cautious and even boring, particularly regarding current issues. “So when Trump lambasts public figures or opines about ISIS, it’s refreshing even when misguided,” says Dorothy Crenshaw of Crenshaw Communications. “He’s not afraid to say what some others only think.” As both Trump and Bernie Sanders have demonstrated when communicating with voters, boldness and authenticity can produce astonishing results.
Target the audience. He understands his core audience and hits their hot button issues. He does so in outlandish, Trump-like fashion, but his rants aren’t just rants. They are targeted and strategic, points out Kate Peters at Cohn Marketing.
Bottom Line: PR and marketing professionals and business leaders in general can improve their PR messages and tactics by studying Trump, although PR experts don’t recommend replicating the content of his message. Love him or hate him, you’ve got to admit Trump has a knack for generating publicity, recognizing and pushing the hot buttons of the electorate (his “customers”) and differentiating himself from his competition (Washington politicians). All those tactics are usually successful in business too.
Which of Trump’s approaches do you think worked best? How do you think Trump’s tactics apply to business? Please comment below.
William J. Comcowich founded and served as CEO of CyberAlert LLC, the predecessor of Glean.info. He is currently serving as Interim CEO and member of the Board of Directors. Glean.info provides customized media monitoring, media measurement and analytics solutions across all types of traditional and social media.
