Love him or hate him, you have to admit that Donald Trump knows quite a bit about public relations and marketing.  In fact, he is a branding wonder.

Public Radio’s Marketplace recently aired a segment about “The Donald,” noting that no one really knows how much he really is worth or how successful he really is.

As a private company, Trump International does not disseminate its financial results.  Yet he has aggressively projected an aura of wealth and confidence throughout his tumultuous real estate career.  His highly watched television reality show is just icing on the cake, a small ingredient of Trump’s long-time, heavily financed campaign of self endorsement.

The result is a branding empire that probably can float his lifestyle without any further assistance.  The “Trump” brand can be found on everything from spectacles to sportswear, even though Trump himself does not manufacture most of his namesake products.  Instead, he sells his brand to others who want their products to benefit from his carefully managed image of elegance and accomplishment.

Of course, most of business persons do not start with Trump’s advantages and cannot access his media resources.  We also lack his drive for shameless self-promotion, which has made him both a phenomenon and a frequent punch line. Nonetheless, we can learn a great deal from his branding approach.

A strong, recognizable brand is one of your business’s most powerful assets. If the public equates your brand with quality and success, there will be demand for your product or service.  Manage your brand properly and it will open doors of opportunity.

By: David Stiefel