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Trump: The Art of the Deal by Donald J. Trump, Tony Schwartz
Book Summary InformationAuthor: Donald J. Trump, Tony Schwartz Edition: Mass Market Paperback Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published) Published: 2004-12-28 ISBN: 0345479173 Number of pages: 384 Publisher: Ballantine Books Product features: - ISBN13: 9780345479174
- Condition: New
- Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
Book Reviews of Trump: The Art of the DealBook Review: How the Rich See the World. Very interesting. Hard to Put Down Summary: 5 Stars
In picking up this book, I wanted to know where this guy got his other-worldly confidence. To understand Donald Trump, is to believe, with every fiber of your being, that whatever happens is a good thing, and will turn out for the best, and your competitors are, for the most part, dopes. He's sharp, he's thoughtful, and yeah, he's still rich, but this was not at all a 350 page book on natural confidence, but a sharp, direct focus on persuasion. Not only is this a great book on sales, it's a handbook for how people who actually have money see the world.
Here's what they don't think about money. They don't dream of swimming in it. They don't spend a lot of time talking about it, and 9 times out of 10, whenever you see these people in the press it's because a) they're trying to exert public pressure on some guy you've never heard of or b) some newspaper is attacking them to sell some magazines.
And by the way, these guys, from day one, had zero interest in actually spending their own money. The notion of rich people as big spenders, for the most part, couldn't be further from the truth! They will fight and fight and fight, for the smallest inkling of a tax break, or talk in circles to get some loophole whereby they can save a couple percentage points per annum. The notion that these people are interested in spending their own money, or even good at it, is antithetical to their very existence. But watch one episode of the Apprentice, and there you have it, over the top opulence. There's a difference: Donald Trump wants a nice hotel because he knows he can charge a high price tag for prestigious apartments. That doesn't mean he himself is comfortable with blowing money. Now compare that, to your average rap video.
When you look at Donald Trump, what you're looking at is a deal-maker. He got a few people together, that didn't want to look at each other for more than three seconds, and one by one, he got them to agree to something. That's where all this wealth, all the hotels, all the magazine covers, all the TV shows, that's where it all came from.
Now, a lot of people have rightly pointed out that Trump's father was already wealthy long before Donald graduated from Wharton, and I should address this point. It should come as no surprise that his dad had built an empire in real estate, but nothing compared to what Donald did. Just like the Bill Gates story, this is a story of amazing timing, and capturing unbelievable opportunities. The beginning of Donald Trumps fortune came at a time when lots of New Yorkers were out of work, and lots of great apartments and buildings were on the selling block. With that amazing opportunity, Donald, with his father, started hitting homeruns. And even after those initial deals, nothing came easy. Every single step, and every court case appeal, and secret meeting, that went into the construction of Trump Tower (arguably his most famous achievement) happened in spite of his incredible wealth. In other words, the money didn't help. All the money did was help pay off the lawyers and the designers, and all the people you have to pay, just to even start talking about building something (and long before a bank will lend you $200M). And as each of these deals was about to finalize, there are always guys with alot more money calling.
But Donald figured out that everytime he picked up the phone, he could make a deal, not by pleasing people, but by slashing and hacking expectations to the ground. Only then, is it time to turn on the charm: "Under-promise, Over-deliver." Those four words are absolute genius, and can be applied not just to business deals and financial reporting, but all aspects of life. We are bound to be disappointed when we get our hopes up. And if we're not, our excitement will be diminished. The way to really get people excited, get them talking, and get them signing is with U.P.O.D. This may come across as `no more mr. nice guy' stuff, but it works. And it explains why `nice guys' are often the worst salesmen imaginable. All they do is build up expectations, then disappoint you.
When it's time to sign, it's not about the money. It's a choice between signing with you, and about 10 other guys, all of whom have lots of money. It ultimately comes down to personality and showmanship. Much like Steve Jobs, these deals of a lifetime, come down to charisma, credibility, and loyalty.
Everyone had money. Only Trump had the grit, drive, and imagination.
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Summary of Trump: The Art of the DealFrom the Impresario of NBC?s hit show The Apprentice
TRUMP ON TRUMP: ?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.?
And here?s how he does it: the art of the deal.
Beginning with a week in Trump?s high-stakes life, Trump: The Art of the Deal gives us Trump in action. We see just how he operates day to day?how he runs his business and how he runs his life?as he chats with friends and family, clashes with enemies, efficiently buys up Atlantic City?s top casinos, changes the face of the New York City skyline . . . and plans the tallest building in the world.
TRUMP ON TRUMP: ?I play it very loose. I don?t carry a briefcase. I try not to schedule too many meetings. I leave my door open. . . . I prefer to come to work each day and just see what develops.?
Even a maverick plays by rules, and here Trump formulates his own eleven guidelines for success. He isolates the common elements in his greatest deals; he shatters myths (?You don?t necessarily need the best location. What you need is the best deal?); he names names, spells out the zeros, and fully reveals the deal-maker?s art: from the abandoned property that became the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center to the seedy hotel that became the Grand Hyatt; from the race to rebuild Central Park?s Wollman Skating Rink to the byzantine saga of the property that became Trump Tower. And throughout, Trump talks?really talks?about how he does it.
TRUMP ON TRUMP: ?I always go into a 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.?
Donald Trump is blunt, brash, surprisingly old-fashioned in spots?and always, always an original. Trump: The Art of the Deal is an unguarded look at the mind of a brilliant entrepreneur and an unprecedented education in the art of the deal. It?s the most streetwise business book there is?and a sizzling read for anyone interested in money and success.
From the Hardcover edition.
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