Secrets from America’s most persuasive presidents
Published: Mon, 03/16/20
If you are in the US, and are taken to blaming "Republicans!" or "Democrats!" (or "Trump!" or "Obama!") for your problems, I recommend you shut off your emotions for the next few minutes and rationally take in the lessons you can learn from the following presidents who, I believe, are amongst the most persuasive in American history.
Obviously, this not an exhaustive list.
But there is a reason why many of them were loved and despised in equal parts...
GEORGE WASHINGTON — The General showed zero neediness. And it’s because he had a Mission he pursued relentlessly, against all odds, and even at great personal risk to his fortune and life. A marketer who has a Mission, and passionately pursues it, is automatically more persuasive and inspires people to take action. i.e., buy...
ABRAHAM LINCOLN — The late, great Jim Camp was especially fascinated by Lincoln's ability to influence and persuade. Including how he was able to pithily create vision to motivate people, as well as his purposely making himself "un-okay" (more on this below) to make people he wished to persuade comfortable around him.
TEDDY ROOSEVELT — His sheer brass yarbles simply inspire loyalty, making him far more persuasive than the average man. His Bruce Wayne-like story is a doozy too — how he was a weak, skinny, sickly man, went to live in the forest, and came back a superhero. It’s the essence of any good sales letter story and worthy of study.
FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT — Not a big fan of FDR, but whatever the case, he is a perfect example of someone who understood how, if you don’t have what you need to make the sale, you go out and get it. i.e., packing the courts to get his agenda across.
Marketers can do the same thing.
Product weak?
Make it better. (Or tell the client how to make it better.)
Offer lacking?
Find (or create) bonuses and incentives to make your offer appealing and so legitimately valuable people buy just for those alone.
Pack your offers like FDR packed the court and you'll win.
JOHN F. KENNEDY — Not only was this Democrat amusingly farther to the Right than most Republicans are today, but I can’t help but think he’d have made a great social media guy. Not only did he have the looks and charisma (many political scientists agree had his debate with Nixon not have been televised, he would have lost)… but he oozed inspiration with his big ideas and goals.
Attributes that will make any marketer more persuasive.
RONALD REAGAN — Despite his gaffes, bumbling, and misspeaking, he was known as the Great Communicator. Why? Because he could relate to the people (his market) better than depressing "we'll cry together" Jimmy Carter or stuffy Walter Mondale.
But, his greatest persuasion tool?
Being un-okay.
Being un-okay is an extremely powerful tool of persuasion. And if you aren’t using it in your emails and sales copy (and other marketing) I suspect you are leaving a lot of sales and response on the table.
BILL CLINTON — I have no trouble believing what his biographers (and even enemies) say about him always being the most empathetic (real or manufactured) guy in the room. And empathy can do more for your persuasive abilities than almost anything else can. He was also great at rebranding (i.e. “New Democrat.”) And, he was an underdog story, too, if you study how he won the first election, Ross Perot siphoning off votes away from Bush notwithstanding. And, nothing sells better than an underdog story in sales copy and emails.
BARACK OBAMA — He had near perfect message-to-market match game in 2008 without even needing to say anything substantive, which made him extremely persuasive to his market (his fundraising ability was especially incredible). And it allowed him to compete and win the 2008 Presidential race when probably most people would have told him he’d be nuts to try. He also had two other strong persuasive forces at his back:
1. Timing — America was sick of Bush(s), Democrats wanted a charismatic leader, and Republicans were sick of their candidates being establishment stooges.
2. Unique offer — A big complaint back then was young people not wanting another "old white man" (the same people who are pushing for Bernie/Biden today, the irony writes itself...) candidate, and he had the “fill in the blanks with whatever you want his words to say” rhetoric that can also make for profitable sales copy, especially to overly emotional markets.
If you can time your offers with what your market wants correctly, you almost can't lose.
DONALD TRUMP — Which brings us to the Donald. He ran tight message-to-market match game, too. But, he's also the master of polarization and at making sure nobody is indifferent to him. He’s hated, loved, mocked, and revered… but never ignored. He also won the election against a popular career politician and impossible odds, with the entire media, political establishment, and even his own party actively working against him.
Bottom line?
You can learn a lot about persuasion from popular presidents.
Yes, even the ones (especially the ones) you despise most…
If you want to delve more into the topic of persuasion & influence, look no further than the “elBenbo TV” channel in the Ben Settle mobile app.
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Ben Settle
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