Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Colossians 4:6

Trump won the first presidential debate. Yes, there was a low bar for both candidates. But with the race in a virtual tie, winning tonight was critical for both.

A win for The Donald was, “Would I want to, maybe, have a beer with him?”

The Hillary measure of success was, “Did she pass out?”

So how did Hillary still not win? The debate could be called a draw; a tie. But a dead heat favors the newcomer.

Trump was presidential with a measured demeanor who appears to be the champion of the little-guy who is looking for a job.

Whereas Hillary was not able to be more likable.

Vote getting is a process of selling an intangible: the future performance of the political candidate. This sales process has three easy steps and Hillary can’t seem to get started.

Rapport

The first step is establishing rapport. Few trust her. She hasn’t created a personal brand that bonds with the voting public. Even Obama quipped in a debate that, Hillary was, “likable enough …” Barack was probably thinking her abominable — while smiling.

But Trump also has high ‘not-likable’ poll numbers. Why does this matter less for him than for Hillary?

Marketing Expert Seth Godin reminds us that, “The presenter who loves his audience the most, wins.” Hillary calls half the Trump supporters “deplorable.” She doesn’t like some of the voters and they don’t seem to like her much either …

Trump often speaks of “loving” his supporters. This is sales; the transference of emotion. His simple message is Make America Great Again.

What’s not to like?

A relationship is needed for a sale of any kind to begin.

Pain

Selling is easiest when the customer has a desperate need that must be satisfied. The customer/voter must be in pain. We are wired to avoid discomfort before pursuing pleasure.

Ninety-four million Americans are not working. When Obama took office there were some 78 million out of the labor force. Few life events can be more painful than not having a job and having little hope in a flat economy.

Action

A few years ago, I had lunch with Ed Rollins. He is the political genius who engineered Ronald Reagan’s re-election campaign in 1984 winning 49 states. We crossed paths when he ran the Huckabee campaign in ’08. He lives to win.

I asked him how candidates sell themselves.

Rollins’ younger days were spent in the controlled violence of boxing where his character was formed. “It taught me how to live with pain … I also learned that quitting is never an option.” He wins.

Rollins now runs a pro-Trump political action committee and teaches at Hofstra University, the venue hosting the debate. Rollins does not have any direct contact with the Trump campaign, of course. But he shares a bare-knuckle philosophy with Tump. Rollins says, “I’m a fighter — not a hater.”

Trump, like Rollins, pulls no punches to sell an idea. Trump comes across as less un-likable than Hillary. Trump will move voters to action to make a change.