Donald Trump is a Master Marketer

Perhaps the next Democrat candidate could brush up on their marketing skills...

“People will do anything for those who encourage their dreams, justify their failures, allay their fears, confirm their suspicions, and help them throw rocks at their enemies.”

― Blair Warren, The One Sentence Persuasion

I had this quote pinned to my office walls for 5 years. I saw it every time I sat at my desk.

Few political figures have demonstrated a more profound understanding of marketing principles than Donald Trump. Love him or loathe him, his recent electoral victory over Kamala Harris—despite her spending DOUBLE the amount on advertising—speaks volumes about his seemingly uncanny ability to connect with voters.

But what is it about Trump's approach that resonated so deeply with 70 million voters?

I may not be a political guru, but as a marketer, one thing is crystal clear: this election wasn't about policies—it was all about personality.

The Starving Crowd

In marketing, we often say that standing in front of a starving crowd is more important than the quality of your offer, or your persuasion skills.

When you're holding the only loaf of bread in sight in front of a starving audience, you don't need to convince them of its quality; you simply need to show it exists. Trump gets this intuitively. He tapped into the deep-seated desires and fears of his audience—their "hunger"—and offered straightforward solutions that promised immediate satisfaction.

Trump has made 41 distinct promises for his first day in office, including mass deportations and banning transgender women from sports.

He didn't just identify his audience; he zeroed in on their most pressing issues and offered simple solutions—41 times over.

While Harris's campaign was a buffet of well-prepared policies and nuanced discussions, Trump served a single dish that fed the masses' most pressing appetites. He didn't complicate his message with side courses; he zeroed in on what his base craved most.

This brings me to the importance of focusing on the...

ONE THING

Not two things, not three, not one and a half—just **ONE**.

Marketing 101 teaches us that clarity is king. Sell one thing, and sell it well. Most people are single-issue "buyers," and in politics, voters often cling to the one issue that matters most to them.

Trump's laser-focused messaging on topics like immigration, gun ownership, economic nationalism, and taxes allowed his supporters to overlook other controversies. He presented a singular vision that was easy to grasp and hard to ignore. Think "Build the wall."

In contrast, Harris's platform, while comprehensive, may have diluted her core messages, making it harder for any single point to resonate powerfully with any one group.

And the reason people are laser-focused on the "one thing" is because, at the end of the day, what separates us is a...

Difference in Fears Rather than a Difference in Ideals

Though I'm not American, I'm married to one. For me, the most critical issue is same-sex marriage. A 1% change in taxes means nothing if my marriage is annulled—a very real fear I now carry with me.

Similarly, if someone genuinely believes there's an imminent threat coming their way, the Second Amendment becomes their most important issue.

You can find definitive examples for any issue.

And what these issues often have in common is their grounding in fear. Fear demands attention. Fear is easily weaponized. And most importantly, fear polarizes.

Polarization isn't just a side effect of Trump's strategy; it's a deliberate tool. In both digital and real-life interactions, nothing sparks engagement like a divisive topic.

Anyone who's ever posted a video on social media knows the first three seconds are crucial. They determine whether the viewer sticks around or scrolls on. The best scroll-stopper is a strong hook. Trump's hook is fear.

His willingness to court controversy keeps him at the center of conversations, dominating headlines and social media feeds alike.

He confirms his supporters' suspicions and helps them "throw rocks at their enemies." This not only solidifies his base but also forces his opponents to react on his terms, keeping him perpetually in the spotlight.

He then justifies the struggles of his supporters by attributing them to external enemies—be it globalization, the media, or political elites. This externalization of blame absolves individuals of personal shortcomings, creating a bond between the leader and the led.

Trump is not only a master marketer, but it also helps that technology favors the polarizers.

The Echo Chamber of AI and Social Media

Your online world is just that—your world. It's not the world, but the algorithm's best guess at what you want your world to be. Apart from the occasional post designed to ruffle your feathers and boost engagement, you're mostly surrounded by content that reinforces your existing beliefs.

Algorithms are the silent architects of our online experiences.

By analyzing our past behaviors, these algorithms tailor content to our preferences. While this can enhance the user experience, it also creates echo chambers where we're primarily exposed to information that validates our viewpoints.

For example, I don't know a single person in my social circle who supports Trump. Not one. Partly because I'm not a U.S. citizen, and partly because these aren't the people I naturally gravitate toward. Consequently, my online experience mirrors my offline reality.

But what that also means (aside from living a more peaceful life) is that I'm rarely confronted with opinions different from my own. I don't understand why someone would keep a gun in their house when they have a toddler; that kind of fear is foreign to me. My fears are different from theirs. Likewise, they will likely not understand my own fear of having my marriage annulled.

Unless we find a way to bridge these divides, the polarization will only intensify. Maybe it's time we step out of our algorithm-induced bubbles and start conversations with those who see the world differently. We might discover that, beneath the surface, our fears and desires aren't so different after all—we all seek safety, acceptance, and a promising future for ourselves and our loved ones.

And hey, if nothing else, perhaps the next Democrat candidate could brush up on their marketing skills.