Perfecting Selling Is Not That Much Different From Building a Loyal, Political Support Base

This text is from our consulting firm's latest 321 Biz Development episode found on 18 podcast platforms like Spotify, iTunes, Pandora and iHeart Radio. 321 Biz Dev has over 500 podcast episodes across multiple platforms. There is too much content to write for this article, so readers are referred to the podcast for the complete story. 321 Biz Dev supports supporting attorneys, CPAs, corporate dental franchisers, independent dentists, home health providers, homebuilders, medical groups, plastic surgeons, medical billers, insurance brokers, real estate brokers, restaurants, tattoo shops, boutique shops, indie artists, hair stylists, HVAC companies, and plumbers.

I was recently contacted by several people running for political office. How did they find me? One of my business development clients in South Florida referred me to a local candidate with whom I interviewed on a podcast episode before the November 2020 election.

Over the last three years, I have connected and gotten to know about eight political candidates in various states. All of them are great people and would serve their constituents well.

About 90 days ago, I reconnected with a person running for Congress in 2022 who did surprisingly well in a previous run for a local Florida office. The person did not win but received a respectable number of votes...approximately 300,000...against an incumbent opponent deeply entrenched in local politics.

The question to ask is how did this candidate receiving 300,000 votes, spending hardly no campaign money and having very little name recognition, run a competitive race?

Answer? He sold himself similar to how a traditional salesperson has to in order to add new clients. This person is believable and has the moral foundation for most people to like him.

I said to myself:

"successful selling has so many similarities to how the best, honest people win elections".

I matched what the actions I perform in my consulting practice to the actions good politicians should execute to win, and decided to write this blog article and produce a podcast episode with the episode title:

"Perfecting Sales Is Not That Much Different From Building a Loyal, Political Support Base"

For first time readers and listeners who may be unfamiliar with 321 Biz Dev LLC, I will simplify what we believe in and what we do.

321 Biz Dev believes successful selling requires using a system. A system rarely changes. In contrast, people who fail in selling do not use a system.

321 Biz Dev believes in the sales pipeline approach where potential clients move through phases so salespersons and prospects can mutually make buy or not-buy decisions.

When you examine how politicians get votes, the best politicians use a system of good messaging. Losing politicians have no system of messaging such that constituents can benefit.

Just like the best salespeople earn their clients' business by delivering great sales experiences, the best politicians earn their votes by keeping the process simple so everyone can understand the intended message. Voters want a great political experience.

Have you ever seen a political candidate that's all over the map claiming he or she can solve all problems with rhetoric and hyperbole?

Rhetoric definition, (in writing or speech) the undue use of exaggeration or display.

Hyperbole is often a boldly overstated or exaggerated claim or statement that adds emphasis without the intention of being literally true.

Potential voters see right through the rhetoric and hyperbole of many political candidates just like potential clients often do not buy because they perceive salespeople as selling "snake-oil", or swampland in Arizona, or selling igloos to Eskimos.

One Governor I really like is Ron DeSantis, the Governor of Florida. I guess he was getting tired of the Covid-19 positive test, rhetoric and hyperbole. Governor DeSantis used a phrase that serves as a perfect example of exposing issues that may appear truthful...for about one second...then is clearly identified as a boldface untruth...or a flat out lie.

Governor DeSantis said during an interview: "Don't pee down my leg and tell me it's raining", as he began to expose the faulty positive-test case rhetoric and hyperbole. Governor DeSantis meant that the truth about covid-19, positive-test cases rose above fabrications by politicians and public health officials looking to continue economic damage to Florida residents and political damage to Governor DeSantis.

I've outlined five areas where politicians can stay on message to best serve their constituents.

First, let's lay a foundation that most voters want life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness would.

Just a disclaimer, the opposites of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are pain, misery and destruction. So I am assuming most people, regardless of political affiliation, want life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.

The challenge for some politicians is the rhetoric and hyperbole coming out of their mouths sound good, but when you peel the onion skin, what's being spoken turns out to be pain, misery and destruction.

If I were running for political office, I would structure my messaging on five important items, which are:

• Support for small business owners

• Support parents/grandparents with children and grandchildren

• Support for the local community because a rising tide raises all ships

• Support for the U.S. Constitution and the rule of law

• Support for election integrity

I believe anything and everything that is good for the United States of America is contained in the items I just mentioned.

As a candidate, I would never deviate from this list, no matter what media questions I get.

Just like in sales, where salespeople want their clients to feel good about the purchase, before, during and after appointments, people running for office must believe that their political platforms will leave their voters in a better position after the vote than they were before the vote.

In a sales transaction, buyers want a great sales experience.

When deciding to vote for a person running for political office, voters want a great political experience.

This blog article and podcast episode theme is not content typical of what 321 Biz Dev LLC produces.

Thanks for reading and listening.

Rick, CEO