“A business without customers isn’t a business.”
– Anonymous
If you are running a business you know that your number one job is to attract and retain enough customers to remain viable. You need to attract enough customers who want to buy what you have to offer. You also need to entice your customers to return and make additional purchases. And… you work hard to delight your existing customers so that they, in turn, will recommend your business to their friends and associates. That is a smart way to build your business.
It is also a smart way to run a political campaign.
To get elected – or nominated by your party to run for election – you need to attract enough voters who want to vote for what you have to offer. And… you work hard to encourage the people who are now ready to vote for you to encourage their friends and associates to consider voting for you.
But the primary responsibility for success resides with you – the business owner or the political candidate. You must offer something that your customers want to buy; something that voters want to support.
Successful businesses do not make sales. Rather, they develop enough customers who are eager to buy the product or service that they offer for sale. Likewise, candidates need to develop enough voters who are eager to support their cause. Voters who are willing to recruit others in support of your campaign.
All of this seems rather simple and straight forward. And it is. The complexity lies in how you ask for your customers business; how you ask for your supporters vote.
People love to buy but they hate to be sold. Likewise with voters. You can – and should – tell them that you need their support; you need their vote. But I would never tell them that it will be their fault that I went out of business or that I lost the election.
Unfortunately, the Clinton campaign is ignoring this advice. Granted, I am not a million dollar a month political adviser (like Mark Penn) so why should they take my advice. But, I would never say this to my supporters: Continue reading “Don’t Blame Your Customers!” »
