| The 2004 election is over--at least in | | | | profiting from, a successful movie |
| the minds of the public--and analysis | | | | franchise--though let's not call |
| runs rampant as to why Senator John | | | | "Fahrenheit 9/11" a documentary. |
| Kerry lost. From a business viewpoint, | | | | Unfortunately, Michael Moore himself has |
| one could say that he simply didn't sell | | | | proved to be less than stellar at being |
| the product. Or more accurately, he | | | | his own product. Although as of this |
| didn't sell the American voters on | | | | writing he won the People's Choice Award |
| himself, and by extension the Democratic | | | | for Best Film of the Year, he's also |
| Party, as the product. We all remember | | | | developed a reputation for lack of |
| phrases such as "This is the wrong war | | | | integrity, not to mention bashing the |
| in the wrong place at the wrong time" | | | | USA that has given him his career. |
| and "I voted for the invasion of Iraq | | | | Moore's whole image as "a man of the |
| before I voted against it."Imagine if | | | | people" has been called into question |
| Bill Gates took to the airwaves and | | | | many times. Although the marketing of |
| said, "We're against business. Our aim | | | | Michael Moore is an Oscar-worthy |
| is to completely sandbag business [N.B.: | | | | production, 51 percent of Americans |
| some Microsoft foes may quip that he's | | | | didn't find him credible.Celebrity |
| succeeded.] But even though we're | | | | endorsements are only as good as the |
| anti-business our software can do | | | | celebrities themselves, and many |
| business better than our competitors' | | | | Americans found the Dixie Chicks, Barbra |
| products. So buy Microsoft even though | | | | Streisand, Sean Penn, Martin Sheen, |
| we're anti-business."Even all of Bill | | | | Jessica Lange, Ed Asner, Janeane |
| Gates' millions couldn't stop | | | | Garofalo, Whoopi Goldberg, and many of |
| stockholders from hauling him before a | | | | the supposed elite to be less than |
| Wall Street firing squad. Die-hard | | | | convincing, particularly with the way |
| Windows lovers, like true blue | | | | Hollywood keeps selling crudeness, |
| Democrats, would continue to support | | | | vulgarity, violence and intolerance for |
| Gates nonetheless. They might even do | | | | any point of view but its own. The |
| it to spite Apple Computer, the way so | | | | multiple military backgrounds, Ph.D.s, |
| many Kerry voters chose to support Kerry | | | | and public service records the Bush team |
| because he wasn't Bush. "The Uncola" | | | | collectively holds puts in perspective |
| slogan worked for 7-Up, but that's the | | | | the glamour of a few Academy Awards and |
| exception. Most successful business | | | | hit TV shows, movies or albums.4) You |
| enterprises win loyalty by telling | | | | are confident enough in yourself not to |
| customers who they are, rather than who | | | | deride people who opt for an alternate |
| they're not.Consider the mundane example | | | | product. The British newspapers derided |
| of juicers, specifically an online store | | | | the majority of Americans who voted for |
| front called LivingRight.com, one of a | | | | Bush as being "dumb."As my voice acting |
| family of health appliance and lifestyle | | | | teacher, Samantha Paris, founder of |
| product Web sites operated by | | | | Voicetrax San Francisco/Desert Cities |
| Arizona-based company Open Chute. There | | | | says about casting for radio, narration, |
| are literally hundreds of juicer Web | | | | animation and TV commercial jobs, "It's |
| sites, so what can Open Chute do to | | | | selection, not rejection."5) You thrive |
| convince customers to buy from Except | | | | on competition, not taking it as a |
| for saying, "We will meet or beat any of | | | | personal attack, and you don't turn the |
| our competitors' prices," LivingRight | | | | competition into personal attacks. |
| doesn't waste much time reminding you of | | | | Politics violates this rule too often, |
| the competition. Consider the statement | | | | and the 2004 campaign was nastier than |
| on their homepage:"We supply commercial | | | | most.Contrast that with Coke and Pepsi. |
| juice extractors and industrial juicers | | | | The competing celebrity endorsements |
| to businesses and also carry the best | | | | (Santa and the polar bears on the Coke |
| juicers for at-home juicing junkies. We | | | | side, Ray Charles and Faith hill on the |
| have gift ideas for the health nut in | | | | Pepsi side) only prolong an ongoing |
| your life, juicing recipes and tips on | | | | competition that isn't likely to be |
| juicing for healthy living, as well as a | | | | resolved any time soon. The Pepsi |
| Best Price Guarantee."Let's look at what | | | | Challenge shook Coke out of it's 1980s |
| LivingRight has just told you about | | | | complacency, and Coke learned from its |
| itself:Fact: It cares about your health, | | | | abysmal New Coke mistake. Although to |
| and to prove it, there are pictures of | | | | be fair, Pepsi had its own klunker with |
| spiffy-looking juicers surrounded by | | | | Crystal Pepsi, although they rebounded |
| fresh fruit. Mm-mm. It even wants your | | | | with Pepsi Twist.These days Coke has |
| friends and family to be healthy!Fact: | | | | brought back Cherry Coke, Vanilla Coke, |
| It supplies commercial juicers, and | | | | and even branched out into Coke with |
| links to those products are right up | | | | lime. Notice that Coke isn't telling |
| there on the home page. But those | | | | investors how awful Pepsi is, and vice |
| juicers seem affordable for "at-home | | | | versa. It's just good old-fashioned |
| juicing junkies." Open Chute knows that | | | | competition in which you, the |
| if you're going to invest in a juicer | | | | businessperson, puts your best foot |
| you're going to get something that | | | | forward.6) You don't change who you are. |
| lasts. And hey, there's a Best Price | | | | People were never sure of who John |
| Guarantee!Fact: It is so sure that | | | | Kerry was, whereas George W. Bush's |
| LivingRight will make a difference in | | | | swagger ("which in Texas is calls |
| your life that it offers recipes to go | | | | walking," he remarked in his acceptance |
| with the juicers, as well as tips on | | | | speech at the Republican National |
| juicing for healthy living.So in one | | | | Convention) doesn't hide itself. Bush |
| short paragraph, LivingRight has sold | | | | has made no attempt to correct his |
| itself as a caring consumer advocate and | | | | oft-remarked-on slips of the tongue and |
| supplier of these nifty health | | | | even owns up to it ("People sometimes |
| appliances. After all, everyone wants | | | | have a tendency to correct my English--I |
| to be healthy.Contrast this with Kerry's | | | | knew that I was in trouble when Arnold |
| message, delivered not in one paragraph | | | | Schwarzenegger started doing it.") |
| but in hours of negative campaigning, | | | | Bush's folksy ways make a statement that |
| debates, and speeches. For those of you | | | | he is comfortable in his own skin. |
| who can't remember what it was, "I'm not | | | | Likewise, Bill Clinton didn't switch to |
| Bush" comes pretty close. Although "We | | | | caviar from McDonald's (much to his |
| have better hair" also surfaced as a | | | | regret later). Costco hasn't added |
| slogan. Reality check: People only vote | | | | high-end coffee bars and gourmet food |
| for hair and make-up at the Oscars. | | | | stands, but the lines at the checkout |
| Hillary Clinton herself denigrated the | | | | are still as dauntingly long as ever.7) |
| media fascination with her hair. | | | | You focus on who you are for the present |
| Imagine that: Hillary's a better | | | | and future, rather than who you used to |
| business leader than John Kerry. After | | | | be. Senator Kerry's rehashing of the |
| all, she survived Whitewater, didn't | | | | Vietnam conflict, and the Swift Boat |
| she?So what could the Democrats have | | | | controversy that cropped up to haunt |
| done differently and what can you learn | | | | him, illustrated how drawing on past |
| from them? For a start, you can realize | | | | glories (or controversies) only make |
| and affirm the seven reasons why you are | | | | people confused about who you are in the |
| your own best product.1) You are | | | | present. Imagine if Coke and Pepsi |
| successful in what you do. | | | | trotted out all their marketing |
| LivingRight's Web site says, "More than | | | | missteps, and imagine if Pepsi tried to |
| 25,000 health appliances shipped!" | | | | resurrect its ad campaign with the |
| "Shipped" communicates follow-through, | | | | embattled Michael Jackson. Dated at |
| as in a former McDonald's slogan "Over | | | | best, controversial at worst.People |
| one billion served."While going to war | | | | connect with who you are in the moment |
| isn't a popular decision (as even Joan | | | | and who you will be in the future. When |
| Rivers remarked at the 2002 Oscars, | | | | someone buys, say, a juicer, she |
| "Every idiot in the world wants peace"), | | | | envisions many mornings of fresh |
| President George W. Bush successfully | | | | homemade nutritious juice and the |
| prevented attacks on American soil by | | | | well-being that she receives, well-being |
| first going after al-Qa'eda, then in | | | | that she comes to associate with the |
| toppling Saddam Hussein from power.2) | | | | company or store that makes and/or sells |
| You believe in your product, and by | | | | the juicer. A past track record is |
| extension yourself and your vision, so | | | | helpful, particularly in maintaining |
| much that you use it yourself. Those | | | | relationships with customers, but don't |
| cheesy Hair Club For Men ads hit it | | | | keep rehashing it. "You've always been |
| right on the head, pun intended: "I'm | | | | there for me" sets up the expectation |
| not only the Hair Club president, I'm | | | | that, like State Farm, you will be there |
| also a client." If John Kerry was so | | | | in the future. You can enjoy a |
| against the action in Iraq, why did he | | | | restaurant twenty times, but have you |
| initially vote for it?3) You are so | | | | ever noticed that one bad meal can make |
| compelling that you surround yourself | | | | you think twice about going there?A coda |
| with people who build up (not | | | | to this list: Fortunately, if you've |
| necessarily brown-nosers) rather than | | | | made yourself your primary product, even |
| tear down your image. Bush has | | | | the most critical of diners can forgive |
| benefited from Colin Powell, Condoleeza | | | | a slip-up, because they've already |
| Rice, Vice-President Dick Cheney, | | | | invested in you. So make sure you are |
| California Governor Arnold | | | | an investment they'll want to hang on |
| Schwarzenegger (another businessman | | | | to, and in the Democratic Party's case, |
| successful at selling himself), Rudy | | | | a future they believe in.Kristin Johnson |
| Giuliani, Georgia Democratic Senator | | | | is co-author of the "highly recommended" |
| Zell Miller, and especially the legacy | | | | Midwest Book Review pick, Christmas |
| of former President Ronald Reagan. Now | | | | Cookies Are For Giving: Stories, Recipes |
| Bush has truly moved into bold territory | | | | and Tips for Making Heartwarming Gifts |
| by appointing his own father and former | | | | (ISBN: 0-9723473-9-9). A downloadable |
| President Bill Clinton, one-time | | | | media kit is available at our Web site, |
| political rivals, to head the Asian | | | | or e-mail the publisher () to receive a |
| tsunami relief.I have to concede partial | | | | printed media kit and sample copy of the |
| credit to Kerry and the Democrats for | | | | book. |
| being associated with, or at least | | | | |