Read Dr. David Ryback’s Review of Trump 101: The Way to Success by Donald J. Trump with Meredith McIver.
Trump 10: The Way to Success
Dr. David Ryback
What else could the Donald possibly have to teach us? One of his former books was subtitled Everything You Need to Know About Success, Real Estate and Life. Well, what his latest book does offer is a new format—each brief chapter ends with “Coach Trump” bulleted pointers and answers to “Ask Mr. Trump: Questions from Readers of
the Trump University Blog.”
When marketing, writes Trump, success means “believing in yourself, in your ideas and projects, and being prepared to fight the good fight.” Success on the platform for speakers doesn’t come easily, and he seems to be focusing on us. “The pros make difficult maneuvers [excellent performances] look easy because they’ve spent thousands of hours perfecting them. You probably haven’t seen them practicing, but they constantly work to hone their craft and improve their art. Then they go out and perform.”
Here are some tips for connecting with your audience:
“Know whom you’re talking to …”
“The challenge is to find the common bond,” whether the audience consists of 2
people “or 40,000 in an amphitheater listening to you speak.”
Good comedy relates to the audience’s needs.
“If you take the time, you can create a bond that didn’t previously exist.”
In a pinch, even bad traffic on the way to the talk could work. Everyone—“from
billionaires to struggling single moms”—has had that experience, maybe even on
their way to the event, just as you did.
Feeling nervous? Make your focus the interest of your audience.
“Always deliver the goods by giving your audience valuable information, no matter
how many people are in the room.”
“At the end of the meeting … briefly mention or refer to the item you have in common
… that can strengthen your relationship.”
And some tips for negotiating with the decision-makers:
Deal directly with that individual, not the assistants.
Show your depth of commitment and “put your cards on the table.”
Persuade; don’t push. “You don’t want to force people to accept your ideas. That’s a
recipe for disaster.” Instead, treat them like partners.
As for your particular topic, “know it cold. Work at it, read about it, and discuss it with others. Dedicate yourself to working at it every day.”
So the Donald does it again. Just like us in NSA, he believes in sharing his expertise, openly and generously. Want to pave your road to success with the experience of a master? Then Trump 101 has something to offer. He’s the guru of financial success and has advice that fits speakers very comfortably. Try it on for size and see what fits. If you’re not happy with the results, you can always say, with your right hand gesturing, fingers open, Trump style, “You’re fired.”
David Ryback is the author of “Putting Emotional Intelligence to Work” (Butterworth-
Heinemann) and head of EQ Associates International. He speaks on how to avoid hearing,
“You’re fired.” He can be reached at EQassoc@aol.com or 404/377-3588.
