This blog is based on an insightful conversation between Bethany Meadows and Chris Peterson, author of Red & Blue Customers and co-founder of LifeMind AI, on the Time to Thrive podcast. Chris has spent over 30 years as a marketing strategist working with Fortune 500 companies and small businesses to refine their messaging and reach the right customers. His research reveals that political and cultural identity significantly impact buying behavior, and understanding these differences can give businesses a competitive edge.

Let’s dive into the key takeaways from this episode!

Understanding Red & Blue Customers

Chris’s book, Red & Blue Customers, was inspired by a 2020 Pew Research study that highlighted how differently liberals and conservatives perceive the world. That insight led him to ask:

"If they see the world differently, how does that not affect what they buy?"

His research uncovered 27 core values that influence consumer decisions—20 that distinguish Red (conservative) and Blue (liberal) customers, and 7 that unify them. These insights can help businesses refine their messaging and better connect with their audience.

👉 Key takeaway: Customers buy based on values, not just needs. Aligning your brand’s message with your audience’s worldview makes your marketing more effective.

Are You Marketing to the Right Audience?

For business owners, the first step in applying this framework is understanding your existing customer base and the market you serve. Chris suggests asking:

• Are my customers more conservative or liberal?
• Does my brand messaging reflect their values?
• Is my business operating in a market that leans one way or the other?

If your messaging doesn’t align with your audience, you may be unintentionally creating friction in your marketing. Small adjustments in language, visuals and positioning can make a big difference in how customers perceive your brand.

👉 Key takeaway: Don’t assume your messaging is neutral—your brand is likely already leaning one way or the other. Understanding that can help you fine-tune your approach.

Adjusting Your Marketing Without Getting Political

Many businesses worry that addressing customer worldviews will mean taking a political stance. Chris clarifies that this is about consumer psychology, not politics.

Here are simple ways to adjust your messaging while staying non-partisan:

• Highlight change vs. tradition – Liberal customers embrace innovation and the future while conservative customers value stability and tradition. Frame your products accordingly.
• Leverage the right influencers – Experts and celebrities resonate more with liberal customers while business leaders, military figures and sports icons appeal more to conservatives.
• Use the right emotional triggers – Messaging that focuses on self-expression and change will attract liberal customers while messaging that focuses on security and loyalty will appeal more to conservatives.

👉 Key takeaway: Small messaging shifts can make your marketing more effective without alienating potential customers.

Taking Action: The First Steps for Business Owners

If you want to apply these insights, start with these three steps:

1. Identify your audience – Look at geographic data, customer demographics and survey responses to determine whether your customers lean more conservative or liberal.
2. Evaluate your messaging – Does your brand emphasize values that align with your audience’s worldview? If not, small tweaks may improve engagement.
3. Test and refine – Experiment with different messaging approaches and see how your customers respond. Use A/B testing on social media and email marketing to measure effectiveness.

By understanding the values that drive consumer behavior, small businesses can create stronger connections with their ideal customers and improve their marketing results.

Want to dive deeper? Get Chris Peterson’s book, Red & Blue Customers

Learn more about LifeMind

Let us know in the comments—have you noticed differences in how customers respond to your marketing? Would you adjust your messaging based on these insights?