by Ben Baker
Do You Want to be President?
Primary season is almost upon us in the US and Democrats are coming out of the woodwork.
As of February 1st, 2019, ten Democratic candidates have either unofficially or officially announced their candidacy for President. <https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/21/politics/2020-democrats-running-for-president/index.html> Now before you get all left or right on me, this article has nothing to do with the candidates themselves or their parties. Instead, it has everything to do with setting themselves apart.
Candidates, no matter their political leaning, tend to spend way too much time defining what they are not instead of focusing on who they are. They cannot define themselves and create a brand that separates them from the crowd that eventually leads to them becoming an ineffective and unsuccessful candidate.
What do I mean by this?
People are like all other types of brands; if we do not understand why we should care about them, we won’t. If we do not understand their value to us and how they solve our problems, we will ignore them. Additionally, if they do not define themselves in unique ways, they are perceived as just another commodity, with little consequence, not memorable or relatable.
So how do they fix this?
They need to have a story!
A well-defined story is what will define them. It gives people a hook to believe in and remember.
Remember that man who came “from a little town called HOPE?” Bill Clinton, no matter what you think of him, won the election and the re-election, because he was able to tell a simple story that resonated with people, was authentic, believable and was easily repeatable. President Clinton drew people in and made them believe that he was one of them. He created trust amongst those who would be swayed by the Democratic message, and people believed that he would help them create a better future for themselves and their children.
It was not what he was against that mattered; it was what he was for that defined him. He had a clear vision and a story that people could tell and re-tell, in their own words. It was that ability to give people a narrative that they could re-tell, that allowed the champions of his brand to sway undecided voters over the long, arduous primary season and through the general election.
Too many politicians today, cannot tell a story and inspire a following. They do not have the oratory capacity, nor the ability to gain the trust of those they want to inspire. The reason is that they do not take the time to perfect their craft. Anyone can get up and speak in public, but few people can do it well. Few people have the gift to inspire, sway opinions and make people believe in things so deeply that they are compelled to action. However, this skill set is desperately needed if you want to become President of the United States.
Having a vision and not being able to articulate it is worse than not having a vision at all. If you cannot articulate your vision, people will not take you seriously. They will not be inspired, and they will not have any desire to help you achieve your goals. They do not understand what you are trying to achieve and more importantly, why they should care.
Looking at the vast majority of people putting their hat in the ring today; they may have the desire, but they cannot stir the passion in others. They cannot make their audience sit on the edge of their seats and hang on to every single word they say. They do not paint a clear picture in the minds of people as to how they will handle being the leader of the free world. Again, they do not demonstrate how they will solve problems that the electorate wants them to fix and therefore, people lack confidence that they can do so.
So, what can they do?
The first thing that anyone wanting to run for President should do before they do anything else is to be clear about who they are, what they believe, what their vision is and how they plan to move the country in the direction they desire.
The second thing they need to do is to be able to test this message with people who do not know them, outside of the political lens and find out if what they believe truly resonates with enough people that a movement can be formed.
Lastly, they need to learn how to clearly and effectively communicate that message in ways that resonate both with their base of followers and also the greater population.
This can include bringing aboard a communications coach or two that can take you away from everything for a few weeks and help you hone your message. To teach you how, when you are in front of a lens or a group of prospective candidates, to communicate your vision in ways that inspire, motivate and can be easily remembered and shared effectively.
Now, here is a secret that I forgot to tell you.
It is not just people vying to be President of the United States that need to heed this advice.
Anyone and everyone who wished to be influential and lead requires these skills to varying degrees.
Everyone needs to have a clear message and be able to articulate effectively. Everyone needs to be able to communicate that whatever we are trying to achieve is not only in our best interest but in the best interest of the people we wish to inspire and lead. We all need to be able to articulate a vision, tell a compelling story and leave people with the thought that what we say we can do, we can, but only with their help and support.
It is not enough to believe in something; you need to be able to sell it.
If those we are selling the idea to do not understand why they should care and what the benefit is to them, they will not care. They will not believe in the idea, they will not embrace it, and they certainly will not champion it. People only stand by a leader and follow their lead if they understand the vision and for that to happen, that vision needs to be articulated effectively.
Take the time to hone the craft of communication. Take the time to learn how to use words and phrases to develop ideas that people want to listen to, understand the value to them and compels them to engage. Take the time to develop stories that are authentic, memorable, teach a lesson, compel people to action and are easily re-tellable. Take the time to be relatable, trustworthy and empathetic.
None of this is easy, and all of this takes work. However, by investing time, energy and passion, the dividends are amazing.
In the end, the goal is to be memorable, unique and trustworthy. If you can do this, you will STOP being a commodity and instead become a brand worth loving.
STOP being a commodity and instead become a brand worth loving.
To Your Success ~Ben Baker
www.YourBrandMarketing.com www.BenBakerSpeaks.com
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Ben Baker is the author of “Powerful Personal Brands: a hands-on guide to understanding yours” and provides workshops, keynotes and consulting on enabling sales, customer service and management teams to build influence through trust and become more effective at what they do. He believes that every brand needs to stop acting like a commodity and instead be a brand worth loving. You can download a free book chapter at www.powerfulpersonalbrands.com and contact him to help you or your organization communicate more effectively at www.YourBrandMarketing.com. Ben hosts the www.YourLIVINGBrand.live show on IHEART Radio every Wednesday at 10 am Pacific.
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