Industrial Marketing Strategy Need Help? Watch Donald Trump

donald_trump-disruptive_industrial_marketing.jpgAllow me to start with one of my favorite quotes from Guy Kawasaki, former Apple marketer & venture capitalist:

  • “If you have more money than brains, you should focus on outbound marketing. If you have more brains than money, you should focus on inbound marketing.”

Love him or hate him, it is fair to say that Donald has some good grey matter between his ears…or under his hair. It is also fair to say we are watching traditional marketing and communications disrupted in a massive way.

Trump’s communication skills are the embodiment of Kawasaki’s quote.  All of Trump’s 16 GOP opponents spent massive amounts of money to defeat him.  Much of Trump’s marketing was free. His big spending opponents are all gone.

No doubt, Trump’s celebrity status & wealth helped launch his candidacy, but I would argue that he had no more brand recognition or available resources than Jeb Bush and the others when all were at the starting gate.

In my mind, Trump is simply communicating using common sense promotion and clever, and quick, rebuttals. The difference is…it is in real time. It is personal. It is authentic (Yes…he does his own tweets)  @realDonaldTrump

I continue to maintain that the best way to market your industrial products, or a Presidential candidate, are not through traditional marketing channels.

Avoid this massive marketing disruption at your industrial company’s peril. It is time to rethink your industrial marketing strategy.