7 Smart Things Donald Trump Told Me

The real estate and entertainment mogul spills a few of his secrets. On the agenda: Talent spotting, sales mistakes, and personal branding.

Donald Trump is almost undoubtedly the world’s most famous business leader.  I recently had the opportunity to interview him on the subjects of sales, entrepreneurship, and other business topics.

Trump is a smart man. Here are a few of the most interesting things he told me.

1. The Value of a Personal Brand

“A brand saves time for the public. They will know a gold standard brand because the name will stand for the gold standard. It takes the guesswork out. Chanel did this with her fashion and fragrances and was extremely successful.

“It has been done before, but the Trump brand is very comprehensive–it’s not just beautiful buildings, but golf courses, books, a hit television show, a men’s clothing line and fragrance, and a hotel collection. This list goes on. But every aspect of the Trump brand will signify the best because that is our standard.

“The first building I put my name on was Trump Tower, which has become a top tourist site and remains as beautiful as when it opened in 1983. That was the beginning, for me, of the Trump brand.”

2. Mistakes People Make When Selling

“When people come in with a sales pitch, it’s always bad news when they appear to be desperate. That works against them immediately. Enthusiasm is fine, but it shouldn’t be extreme.”

3. What Makes a Great Entrepreneur

“First-time entrepreneurs have to do their research, and they should be very passionate about what they are doing. Passion is the No. 1 ingredient for success … because it’s necessary in order to withstand the challenges and difficulties one will face.

“You have to completely believe in what you are doing, and a knowledge of business is useful, but I would mention that passion, momentum and focus are crucial. It’s good to read books by successful people … A good one for entrepreneurs is the recent book I wrote with Robert Kiyosaki, Midas Touch.”

Continue reading this article at INC.com after the break!

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