How 3 Influence Tools Won a Presidency in 2024

Published 7 November 2024 by

Martin Hamilton

In November 2024 Donald Trump claimed victory as the 47th president of the United States, marking a notable comeback after his initial term. Many have speculated about the factors that contributed to his victory in the 2024 election, and it appears that his campaign strategy played a vital role.

Central to this strategy were three powerful influence tools that set his campaign apart from others, particularly the one led by Kamala Harris.

These influence tools focused on effective communication which are: Simple and clear messaging, a sense of connection that doesn’t alienate him with voters, and the principle of relevance. These all contributed to Trump’s success.

As he continually emphasized straightforward ideas, his campaign resonated with a wide audience. In contrast, the Harris campaign struggled with complex messages that alienated potential supporters.

This article will explore how these strategies shaped the landscape of this historic election, and how you can use them in your business and everyday life to communicate ideas better with others.

Key Takeaways

Simple messaging sticks in the mind of voters and helped Trump connect with more of us.
Everyone knows the Trump campaign’s slogan, few remember Harris’s due to unclear messaging.
The Harris campaign’s focus on diversity unintentionally alienated some supporters.
Trump benefited from relevant advertising that kept him in the public eye, unfortunately for the Harris campaign her advertising benefitted Trump as well due to the relevance factor.

Influence Tools in Trump’s Campaign

Simple and Clear Messaging

Donald Trump’s campaign focused on straightforward and easy-to-remember ideas. This approach helped him connect with voters over time.

By sticking to themes like everyday people’s concerns, small businesses, and border security, he turned simple phrases into powerful messages.

One notable example was his slogan, “Make America Great Again,” which was clear, well-known, and based on facts written in the Constitution and America’s strong economic structure that worked very well in the past, yet had been eroded through unwise policies. Harris’s on the other hand wouldn’t stick in the minds of voters. It was “A New Way Forward,” which could mean many things and is nuclear.

In contrast, his opponent’s slogan was more complicated and less memorable, showing the strength of keeping things simple.

Non-alienation Approach

Another strategy used by Trump was to avoid alienating voters. He made an effort to connect with all kinds of people, regardless of race or gender. The fact that voters are all inclusive. We ALL share these problems and the he could fix them.

Conversely, his opponent’s campaign highlighted diversity but inadvertently pushed away those who didn’t fit into specific categories. This led to a disconnect with potential supporters, which was reflected in the election results. Many voters from different backgrounds ended up supporting Trump as they felt included in his message. Key battleground states with diverse populations showed strong support for Trump.

Relevance Factor

The relevance principle played a big role in shaping opinions during the 2024 presidential campaign.

Trump’s ads focused on his own messages, while many of his opponent’s ads discussed Trump, making him a central figure in the conversation.

The Democrats spent a substantial amount more on advertising, yet much of it was aimed at attacking Trump rather than promoting their candidate.

This strategy inadvertently kept Trump in the spotlight, reinforcing his relevance and aiding his campaign’s influence over time.

Campaign Slogans: Trump vs. Harris

Donald Trump focused his campaign on straightforward ideas that resonated with many voters. His famous slogan, “Make America Great Again,” was simple and memorable, connecting directly with the common person.

It highlighted themes like small business support and border security, making it easy for people to recall.

In contrast, Kamala Harris’s slogan, “A New Way Forward,” was more complex and changed over time. Many people found it hard to remember, which weakened its impact. The difference in their slogans mirrored the influence each candidate had in the election.

Key Points

Trump’s Approach:
- Simple Messaging: Clear and relatable ideas appealed widely.
- Non-Alienation: He aimed to connect with all voters, regardless of background.
Harris’s Challenge:
- Complex Slogan: “A New Way Forward” didn’t stick in voters’ minds.
- Alienation: Focusing on her identity may have pushed away some potential supporters.

Advertising Impact

In the 2024 election, Trump spent time promoting his own image and ideas, while Harris’s campaign mostly highlighted Trump as a threat.

This meant that despite spending nearly $1 billion more, Harris’s ads often made Trump more relevant to voters.

This strategy left Trump’s simple messages dominating the conversation, leading to a significant influence that helped secure his victory.

Impact of Influence Strategies on Elections

In 2024 Donald Trump became the 47th president of the United States. This outcome was expected by many, as he effectively utilized three significant strategies throughout his campaign.

The first strategy was simple messaging. Clear and basic ideas build influence over time.

While Trump’s messages focused on relatable themes like small business and border security, the opposing campaign struggled with complex ideas.

This simplicity made Trump’s message memorable, allowing it to resonate with voters. The well-known slogan “Make America Great Again” is a prime example, while the opposing team’s slogan, which changed throughout the campaign, was less memorable.

Another key element was non-alienation. Trump avoided putting up barriers that could disconnect him from certain voter groups. He took an all inclusive approach.

Conversely, the opposing campaign highlighted the candidate’s identity, which inadvertently alienated many potential voters.

While aiming for an inclusive message, it ended up excluding those who didn’t identify with the specific demographics of her ethnicity and gender being emphasized. This approach led many diverse populations, including Latino and Middle Eastern voters, to favor Trump in the election.

The third strategy was the relevancy principle. This principle states that repeated exposure to a message makes it seem more relevant.

Despite spending nearly $1 billion more on ads, the opposing campaign often focused on Trump rather than their own candidate.

This meant that voters saw more ads about Trump, reinforcing his relevance in their minds. As a result, Trump received more attention, which solidified his influence over voters.

Advertising Expenditure and Its Impact

Donald Trump became the 47th president of the United States. His victory was tied to three key strategies he used during his campaign.

The first strategy focused on simple messaging, which emphasized basic and clear ideas. This approach helped voters remember his messages, such as supporting small businesses and securing the borders. Repeating these straightforward concepts proved powerful, convincing many voters in traditionally blue states to choose him.

The second strategy was avoiding alienation, where Trump focused on connecting with a wide audience rather than highlighting his identity.

In contrast, the Harris campaign, which emphasized Kamala Harris’s identity as a woman of color, unintentionally alienated voters outside those specific groups.

This approach led to a significant shift in the electoral landscape, with diverse populations increasingly supporting Trump.

The third strategy was the relevancy principle, which suggests that repeated exposure to a topic makes it feel important.

In the 2024 campaign, Democrats spent nearly $1 billion more on advertising than Republicans.

Much of this spending focused on Trump, with ads warning about his dangers rather than promoting Harris.

This backfired, as Trump’s relevance grew from the constant mention, giving him more exposure and influence in the election.

Case Study: After the Attempt on Donald Trump’s Life

Reinforcing Strong Messaging

Following the assassination attempt on Donald Trump, his campaign focused on using clear and simple messages. This approach helped him connect with voters over time.

By sticking to basic ideas like supporting small businesses and securing the border, Trump created a memorable message.

His famous slogan, “Make America Great Again,” is a prime example of how effective simple messaging can be. In contrast, Kamala Harris’s slogan, which changed to “A New Way Forward,” was more complex and less memorable.

Effects on the Harris Campaign

The Harris campaign faced challenges by emphasizing her identity as a woman of color. This focus unintentionally excluded voters who did not identify with those categories.

In doing so, they created barriers that made many feel disconnected from her message.

As a result, key battleground states with diverse populations showed strong support for Trump.

Outcome: Trump’s Victory in the 2024 Election

Donald Trump has been elected as the 47th president of the United States, a prediction made confidently as far back as July 2024. Several key factors contributed to this outcome, showing why his campaign strategies were more effective than those of his opponent.

Simple Messaging

One significant tool used by Trump’s campaign was simple messaging. This strategy focused on straightforward ideas that were easily memorable.

By repeatedly highlighting themes like support for small businesses and strong border security, Trump built a powerful influence over time. His well-known slogan, “Make America Great Again,” was a sharp contrast to the more complex and lesser-known slogan from his opponent, which ultimately did not resonate with voters.

Non-Alienation Approach

Another important tactic was the principle of non-alienation. Trump worked to avoid creating barriers that would disconnect him from potential voters.

In contrast, the campaign of Kamala Harris overly emphasized her identity, which could alienate those who did not share her background.

This approach proved counterproductive, as many voters felt excluded.

Relevancy Principle

The relevancy principle also played a crucial role. Trump’s campaign effectively highlighted his message. Ironically, the Harris campaign focused on attacking him.

This meant that viewers saw Trump ads promoting his ideas. They also saw him talked about in Harris’s ads, making him highly relevant in the minds of voters. Despite spending significantly less on advertising, Trump’s campaign captured attention by focusing on relevant topics everyone could relate to.

Combining these three effective strategies—simple messaging, non-alienation, and the relevancy principle—led to Trump’s success in the election. Throughout the campaign, his methods proved to be far more impactful, resulting in his current position as President of the United States.

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