A look at `The Art of the Deal`

I thought I would write a Column / Op Ed based on the Trump campaign from the perspective of the 11 Winning Negotiation Tactics From Donald Trump`s book `The Art of the Deal`. I find it interesting and a great way to look at exactly what the future may have in store for the nation. So here are Trump`s tactics followed by my observations:

1. Think big

DT "I like thinking big. I always have. To me it`s very simple: if you`re going to be thinking anyway, you might as well think big."

Clearly he thought big. It is interesting that many thought he was thinking about increasing his Q score -- NOT actually being president!

2. Protect the downside and the upside will take care of itself

DT "I always go into the deal anticipating the worst. If you plan for the worst--if you can live with the worst--the good will always take care of itself."

The downside here was a bad loss and Mr. Trump was clearly focused on maintaining his brand and credibility even if another candidate emerged victorious. He would have said that he was running to bring issues to the table, bring new blood to the republican party, and restore a new interest in the election process. He would have been able to do all of that and more - his “downside” was covered with no chance of failure.

3. Maximize the options

DT "I never get too attached to one deal or one approach...I keep a lot of balls in the air, because most deals fall out, no matter how promising they seem at first."

This may be why he won, he used every possible option he had from attacking his opponents to working the crowd. He was a media mastermind and new how to use it. He would say anything so that when he said something wrong he was just being Trump, no harm no foul.

4. Know your market

DT "I like to think that I have that instinct. That`s why I don`t hire a lot of number-crunchers, and I don`t trust fancy marketing surveys. I do my own surveys and draw my own conclusions."

His market was the media, not the voter, and he knew this. He knew that the choir was converted and they weren’t on his side so he turned his back on them and preached to the audience. He knew that if the show was big and entertaining he would always have center stage. The interesting thing is that talking to the individual in the audience was not his goal – the size of the audience was his goal.


5. Use your leverage

DT "The worst thing you can possibly do in a deal is seem desperate to make it. That makes the other guy smell blood, and then you`re dead."

Two billion dollars in free media was the estimated value of his leverage with the media, he made every candidate in the race seem desperate and then used the media leverage he had gained from to destroy them.

6. Enhance your location

DT "Perhaps the most misunderstood concept in all of real estate is that the key to success is location, location, location...First of all, you don`t necessarily need the best location. What you need is the best deal."

He was, and is, the king of making the best deal in the location he was in. When his location was the bible belt he became a better christian. In the cities it was terrorism. Where education was an issue he promised to eliminate common core. Where energy and water were issues he said let`s get rid of the Environmental Protection Agency (although he couldn`t remember the name of the agency and thought it was a department). Surrounded by elderly he talked about Saving Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security without cutting benefits. He did not have a stump speech because stumps have roots he changed his message for the location and the best deal.

7. Get the word out

DT "One thing I`ve learned about the press is that they`re always hungry for a good story, and the more sensational the better...The point is that if you are a little different, a little outrageous, or if you do things that are bold or controversial, the press is going to write about you."

Ya think! Read what he says here again, it was his objective to be outrageous from the day he announced. From the building the wall to ending political correctness he focused on issues the would make the evening news. There is a good story in the Washington Post that includes 76 of these campaign “promises”. Remember his goal was NOT to make promises, his goal was to get the word out and make the evening news. He fed the press with a shovel.

8. Fight back

DT "In most cases I`m very easy to get along with. I`m very good to people who are good to me. But when people treat me badly or unfairly or try to take advantage of me, my general attitude, all my life, has been to fight back very hard."

If the press was not loving, in fact worshiping, him he fought with a vengeance and how did the media respond, he did a one on one prime time interview with Megyn Kelly whom he had called a lightweight reporter (of course in his defense the lightweight comment was because he was explaining that he only retweeted the bimbo comment). He attacked his opposition with an onslaught of nicknames and unsubstantiated observations. But every thing out of Donald`s mouth is retractable it is the magic of fighting his way.

8. Contain the costs

DT "I believe in spending what you have to. But I also believe in not spending more than you should."

I did mention the two billion in free media and this will continue through November. He can now legitimately ask all the super pacs to unite behind him to defeat Hillary. He will masterfully suggest that they run and fund the negative attack side of the race and he will fuel the flames with comments and accusations. Trumps gun is loaded regarding his opponent –- Vince Foster affair, The Travel Employees, Stand by your man, Benghazi, Her court record as a defense attorney, Is she a lesbian, Emails, Her investments, The bank speeches, Carpetbagger, hundreds more. Each of these will place Donald on the Evening New and on every front page in the nation.

10. Deliver the goods

DT "You can`t con people, at least not for long. You can create excitement, you can do wonderful promotion and get all kinds of press, and you can throw in a little hyperbole. But if you don`t deliver the goods, people will eventually catch on."

Now it gets interesting. He clearly delivered on the primary side but moving forward it will not be so easy. Lets look at both potential scenarios:

11. Have fun

DT "Money was never a big motivation for me, except as a way to keep score. The real excitement is playing the game."

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Notes: