As a Marketer, This was my Most Important Takeaway From This Year's Election

Business doesn’t run on money.

Business runs on trust.

Yes, of course businesses need money. Money is the blood of the business. But trust is the heart that sends the blood surging through the veins.

Without trust, the money doesn’t matter.

Trust is the most important factor if you want to be great at business.

Potential clients who trust you become clients.

Potential employers who trust you become employers.

Employees stay when they trust you as a boss.

Great businesses aren’t just based on trust. They grow on trust.

Distrust can kill your business.

The United States just wrapped up an incredible presidential election between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

Watching both candidates brand themselves was incredibly fascinating to me.

Trump was a moving target, who “spoke” to a very powerful segment of voters without actually ever speaking to them. Clinton’s campaign spent a lot of time on defense, choosing to highlight the opposing candidate’s character very often.

Regardless of how hard she tried, she didn’t seem to be able to gain the trust of swing voters. The scandals were too much for some.

For many—including me—Trump’s victory was a surprise. As I watched the election and everything leading up to it, I couldn’t help but see the race through my marketer lens.

The main takeaway for me is pretty simple: distrust can be more powerful than erratic behavior.

When it comes to trust, don’t mess it up.

Business runs on trust.

It dies with distrust.