Donald Trump’s Top Three Tips for Dominating Your Niche

- Kim Steadman | December 16, 2010 Fantastic Mister Fox Business Lessons | December 16, 2010 Friday December 17, 2010 Business Buzz, News, And Insights | December 17, 2010 CommentsRandy Kemp says: December 16, 2010 at 10:06 am

Julien:

Interesting tips on how Donald Trump is successful – and how we can intimate his success. But to be truthful – I just don’t like Donald. I rather imitate billionaires Sam Walton or Warren Buffet. Perhaps because they don’t put on “an air of show”. Warren still has modest house he lives in, which he brought on middle class wages. Sam used to stand in line at his own Wal-Mart, wear blue jeans and drive a pick up truck. Heck. Even Elliot Zuckerberg is always dressed plainly and Time just made them their man of the year.

The real Donald probably reminds me of that recent Discover Card commercial, with the 1 – 2 man customer service operation in Siberia, with the thousands of Russian phones. I’m just guessing it’s Siberia. Donald brings to mind the second person ringing the bell, while the first one yells, “happy time.” Please note – this commercial is to show what Discover Card is not. Just as Donald is not Sam, Warren, or Mark.

Saying that – if you did want to follow Donald’s success, you did a good job today. The three principles are very good. Your post was also good. It’s just I wished you used someone like Mark, Warren, or Sam instead.

Randy

ReplyRandy Kemp says: December 16, 2010 at 10:17 am

Julien:
What did you write? I did find a Julien Smith on Amazon. He wrote a book with Chris Brogan entitled Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust . It has 91 reviews and an overall excellent user rating. Are you the same person?
Randy

ReplyBrian Clark says: December 16, 2010 at 10:23 am

Randy, yes… this is that Julien — co-author of Trust Agents with Chris Brogan.

ReplyRinatisDinoro says: December 16, 2010 at 11:42 am

I wonder why he’s not changing his hair style…or, if he did – then he would no longer be the same Donald Trump?

ReplyTony says: December 16, 2010 at 11:47 pm

His hair is trademarked.

Julien says: December 16, 2010 at 12:40 pm

Yup! That’s me. Thanks for looking me up.

ReplyEl Edwards says: December 16, 2010 at 3:10 pm

I heard it was a pretty good read. My sister in law is getting me a copy for Christmas.

ReplyChristian says: December 20, 2010 at 11:55 am

It is a good read. Your sister in law is a great gift giver:)

Ken Thompson says: December 16, 2010 at 12:38 pm

I share Randy’s view of DT. How does one ignore multiple bankruptcies, extensive use of junk bonds, and some questionable business practices. Extending the “Trump” analogy, especially given our current business and economic environment may work at a superficial level but below the hype it’s hollow. I must agree with point #3; there is definitely an odor.

ReplyChristian says: December 20, 2010 at 12:01 pm

Multi-billionaires are easy to criticize aren’t they, especially when you believe wealth is inherently corrupt.

ReplyAngie - The Work at Home Wife says: December 16, 2010 at 10:07 am

I love this take, and it is not too hard to implement if even on a small scale. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

ReplyCAELAN HUNTRESS says: December 16, 2010 at 10:17 am

It’s amazing how well the Trump properties function, and how much of a caricature the Donald personality has become.

This juxtaposition undeniably WORKS. His hair, his personality, his charisma, they’re all kind of outrageous. Memorable. Sticky.

And his properties–the quality is never anything short than beyond the best.

This is, in my view, exactly what makes a perfect blog personality. Something outrageous and memorable that is nonetheless exquisite in its ability to give you what you want.

ReplySusanne penfold says: December 16, 2010 at 10:19 am

Thanks Julien for a interesting article, I live in the UK so we don’t get to see Donald and the American Apprentice very often they seem to start the series and then it stops half way through, but when I have seen clips he is a very interesting man. We have are own version of this show but it’s not quite as high powered. Any way thanks for the article

ReplyDenise Butchko says: December 16, 2010 at 10:40 am

Love this take on The Donald – and think I can attempt every part EXCEPT the hair!

ReplyJulien says: December 16, 2010 at 12:41 pm

This is my favorite comment by far.

ReplyChristina Rodriguez - The Diva's Home says: December 16, 2010 at 10:44 am

Interesting article and good advice. It takes a lot of work to get noticed, and having a team of people like Trump does would also help. Until then, doing what you can and trying what you think you couldn’t do will get you on your way!

ReplyDojo says: December 16, 2010 at 10:48 am

Cannot say I am in love with the guy, but he’s not who he is because he’s got no clues. I’ve read some of his books too and watched the Apprentice. These 3 tips are just amazing. If we learn to work at least in these 3 aspects, I think our businesses will surely improve.

ReplyArchan Mehta says: December 16, 2010 at 10:52 am

I think Donald Trump probably uses a combination approach, such as advertising, public relations, networking, apperances, events, seminars, TV shows, etc. The sum total adds to his visibility, which in turn increases his credibility in the marketplace. No wonder he is so wealthy and successful. Trump understands marketing quite well like few people do. And he has used marketing to his advantage for decades now. Thanks for this enlightening post.

Replymark allen roberts says: December 16, 2010 at 10:59 am

Have to agree with Randy,… not a big fan of “the Donald”, although we may not like his persona, we can learn from him.

I believe you share some great advice here.

Leaders who I respect most are not self promoting as they are service focused, passionately committed to solving a particular customer problem. ”It’s not about them.”
Thanks for the content.

Mark Allen Roberts

ReplySonia Simone says: December 16, 2010 at 3:43 pm

It is very, very useful to be able to learn from people you do not like.

ReplyChristian says: December 20, 2010 at 12:02 pm

Very good point!

Replycate says: December 16, 2010 at 11:02 am

This has been my favorite post here in a while.
very entertaining and easy to assimilate.
thanks.

ReplyChristine Hueber says: December 16, 2010 at 11:07 am

Love the tips you share!

These are terrific reminders of what goes into engaging your audience.

Best,
Christine Hueber

ReplyMarshall Adler says: December 16, 2010 at 11:09 am

Excellent Article! Yes it is very hard to take The Donald serious but his business skills are serious and for that I think it’s great how your content highlights and entwines with him and his showmanship. For me I have a hard time breaking out of the norm. I am a “cut and paste” sort of fellow in that I prefer to know the best spots to promote rather than promote everywhere. Why?

Insecurity I guess….I mean let’s face it; insecurity exists in the absence of knowledge!

Great article!

Marshall Adler

ReplyDeborah @ Tradeshow Exhibiting Success says: December 16, 2010 at 5:32 pm

Marshall —

I think we each need to define for ourselves what “be everywhere” really means. I can’t imagine this overrides the need for having a niche and doing focused marketing to your target audience– after all, Trump sells to an upscale audience and so he might try to be everywhere that that audience looks. So “be everywhere” simply means do not get caught in a rut and expect everyone to trip over it and find you.

Julien –

I attended a Trust Summit with you and Chris Brogan, and it is humble of you perhaps not to have brought in that as an example of your own “trading connections” legacy of leverage.

Deborah

Replymomma mindy says: December 16, 2010 at 11:11 am

so….any ideas on how to make my blog smell good?

thanks for pointing out the obvious in his life that i had obviously overlooked. good insight.

ReplyJulien says: December 16, 2010 at 12:13 pm

What the smell is really about is details and surprise. That’s what got me… seriously, I’ll never forget it.

ReplyJoseph says: December 16, 2010 at 11:24 am

I’m personally not a big Donald Trump fan. I prefer to pay attention to Mark Cuban 10 times out of 10. With that said, these are great lessons to learn from Trump. My favorite is the tip about leverage. The only problem with this is what do you do when you’re a small fry and don’t have much leverage… Julien, what’s your take on that?

ReplyJulien says: December 16, 2010 at 12:11 pm

Good question Joseph. I think everyone has an existing set of relationships they can work from, and they need to provide value first if they want to get taken seriously by bigger players. I try to meet people in person, then I can let my charm take over. Seriously though, meeting pople in person often makes a big difference… you’re feral to them.

ReplyJoseph says: December 16, 2010 at 12:51 pm

Thanks, Julien, that’s great advice. This really makes sense — it’s leverage because you’re providing value.

ReplyRuth Barringham says: December 16, 2010 at 3:41 pm

I loved this post because it sets out the three principles so succinctly and makes them “do-able” to anyone no matter how small their business.

And I was interested in this comment and reply because yes, if you’re Donald Trump it’s easy to find others to work with, but it may seem impossible if you’re just starting out (as I once thought).

I once read in a Joe Vitale book, that whenever you write something you have to keep Bart Simpson in mind who always says “So What? Who Cares? What’s in it for Me?” and make sure that everything you write answers these questions. I’ve found that to be invaluable information for everything whether I’m writing a book, a blog post, an article, an email, or even just a small ad.

And I’ve approached other writers with these questions in mind and so far have co-authored two ebooks and set up interviews with other writers for next year. And it’s all thanks to remembering Bart’s questions and answering them.

It’s pure gold!

I never would have thought that Bart Simpson could give me the leverage I needed to move my business forward.

Thanks again for this insightful post.

ReplyRead Aloud Dad says: December 16, 2010 at 11:33 am

Super post – I love it. Reminds one of the power of positive thinking and devotion to a project.

Thanks for sharing this – made my day!

Read Aloud Dad

ReplyAhlam Yassin says: December 16, 2010 at 11:38 am

Yes, “the Donald”, is very controversial, but I think he can serve as a great example for the average joe. He is business smart in a very common sense kind of way. This is what I think makes him so successful. It’s really about believing in yourself, going after it (when other people just don’t have the self-confidence to do it) and building your ability to leverage. It all has to start from somewhere.

ReplyHilde Gamkinn says: December 16, 2010 at 11:39 am

Thanks for a great, inspiring post! It’s really that simple, just try.

best
Hilde Gamkinn

ReplyWalter Ingram says: December 16, 2010 at 11:53 am

I will be the first to admit that I don’t care to much for Donald. But with that being said, I can appreciate tip #1. My personal mentor ALWAYS stresses the importance that every opportunity is a marketing opportunity!!! So each day, I try to get better at getting out of my comfort zone to ensure that I’m using all the marketing tools that’s available. I prefer writing but I know I need to do more video to allow folks to connect with me visually…..so that’s for the post!!

ReplyTodd@PhitZone says: December 16, 2010 at 12:14 pm

I love the tie-in here. Very well executed post, Julien.

ReplyJulien says: December 16, 2010 at 1:01 pm

Thank you sir.

ReplyTed Vieira says: December 16, 2010 at 12:18 pm

Very simple and effective concepts. (the simplest usually are the most effective) Great post, thanks Julien.

ReplyPamela Wilson says: December 16, 2010 at 12:26 pm

Julien, I agree with the others who have said they don’t want to be The Donald, but they’d like to emulate his flair for being memorable.

He has done an excellent job branding himself. Despite having gone through times of financial and personal difficulty, his brand lives on and flourishes because it’s bigger than him!

Replycontrarian says: December 16, 2010 at 12:30 pm

Julien … “YOU’RE FIRED!”

Actually, I liked the article … particularly the partnering to access each others audience.

ReplyJulien says: December 16, 2010 at 1:02 pm

Shockingly, I didn’t expect this comment at all. Nice.

ReplyGabor Wolf from Hungary says: December 16, 2010 at 12:33 pm

Great post, thanks!

RE: the hair

I’m POSITIVE it’s like that on purpose: to provide an easy and innocent target for critics.

Think about it: if his hair was perfect, they would have to criticise something else about him.

Plus, people can’t identify with perfect people, at least here in Central Europe. How’bout in the US?

The hair thing is very, VERY clever!

ReplySonia Simone says: December 16, 2010 at 3:46 pm

That’s an interesting possibility. Always hard to tell which is greater — his capacity for self-delusion or for deluding others.

I just think he has Voldemort hiding in there.

ReplyBrad Gosse says: December 16, 2010 at 12:44 pm

Great post. I especially love the don’t pay cash tip. Well done.

Say what you want about Donald Trump and his image, everyone knows who he is and remembers him. Not to mention he is the comeback king.

ReplyRick Ryan says: December 16, 2010 at 12:50 pm

Geeeze, couldn’t you come up with a better example than Donald Trump? He’s a guy that was born on third base and has gone through life thinking he hit a triple! His father gave him millions so he could buy his first properties and now he’s an expert on how to make it big? Not in my book. Some of the points made in the article are valid, but if they’re from Trump, they’re likely not original.

ReplyLaurie Boris says: December 16, 2010 at 12:55 pm

Not a big fan of The Donald, but I admire his success and business acumen. Great take…does his hair look as bad in person as it does on TV?

ReplyJess Webb (aka Jessilicious) says: December 16, 2010 at 1:35 pm

Great lessons to be learned here! I particularly liked the part about being everywhere. Makes soo much sense!

ReplyLisa Inglis says: December 16, 2010 at 1:59 pm

These are on point, Donald. I like your style.
I may not be rocking a coif like the Donald, but I do have my own tips…

http://lisainglis.blogspot.com/2010/12/writing-for-web-is-like-talking-to.html

(good for a laugh..and some pretty useful info too!)

- Lisa

Replyanton kozlik says: December 16, 2010 at 2:14 pm

What appears to be missing is the mention of the hundreds of souls behind the DT scene that those who would want to copy his “style” do not have . . . and never will without “oodles” of tokens to trade. These people compete 24/7 to come up with the ideas that we attribute to DT. The “behind the curtain” guys and gals are conspicuous by their absence, or does DT lay every brick and vacuum the carpets in his spare time. I wonder if he even knows how to really comb his hair!

ReplyMarcy Gerena says: December 16, 2010 at 2:17 pm

Great post!

You are correct. “Simple, effective, and unforgettable”

He is strategic even when he speaks. The few words he speaks come out of his mouth and lands exactly where he wants it to for a reason.

ReplyKim Steadman says: December 16, 2010 at 3:12 pm

Be Seen – Pay Smart – Smell Good
A simple three step process and I LOVE simplicity!
Thanks, Julien for a GREAT strategy for 2011.
Next step, to make the step by step game plan for each
point.

ReplyJ.D. Meier says: December 16, 2010 at 3:17 pm

> that’s like being a guru on top of a mountain
Beautiful metaphor.

I’m a fan of being in the game. After all, life’s not a spectator’s sport. Not to mention, everybody loves their hands-on heroes.

ReplyDel Williams says: December 16, 2010 at 3:36 pm

I love Donald Trump and his business sense. I have read and written on him quite a bit, and though he may be over the top for some, he is effective at what he does. Can’t argue with success.

ReplySonia Simone says: December 16, 2010 at 3:48 pm

My favorite Trump story is from when he was selling the units in New York. A rival condo was opening for new buyers close by, and Trump had a gigantic sign made, which he hung from his own building, saying “We have the views you want.” (Trump’s NY building has truly stunning Central Park views, I stayed there once.)

Legend has it he sold out that weekend.

Brutally simple, brutally effective. He may be a bit of a buffoon in many ways, but he’s also got a gift for cutting to the chase.

ReplyRicardo Bueno says: December 16, 2010 at 4:48 pm

Re: “We have the views you want.”

I love it! Great, simple tactic.

ReplyErik Emanuelli @ FreeMakeMoneyAdvice says: December 16, 2010 at 3:52 pm

I will try, thanks for the post.

And I already have m hair job done.

ReplyRicardo Bueno says: December 16, 2010 at 4:47 pm

“Be everywhere.”

Great way to implement that one is to Guest Post on several well known sites Great job Julien. Something I need to step up and work on executing myself.

As for exceeding expectations, being helpful and going above and beyond the call of duty is certainly a great way to earn new fans for life!

ReplyJulien says: December 16, 2010 at 5:19 pm

You just figured it out.

ReplyJef Menguin says: December 16, 2010 at 4:48 pm

I wonder if he paid cash for his hair.

Hey, thank you for giving these three tips of what you believe were Trump’s Top Three Tips. I believe these are yours. And I I believe in these tips too.

Keep on writing.

ReplyMike Wood says: December 16, 2010 at 5:06 pm

This is a great post. Gets right to the point. I saw it on twitter, bookmarked it till I had time to read it without distraction and was blown away. Lots to think about. And more importantly, lots to do.

ReplyChet Frame says: December 16, 2010 at 5:40 pm

Very good post. I like bringing in seemingly incongruous sources that make your point stronger by their presence. It is interesting that you suggested climbing a mountain in Bhutan since the largest collection of Bhutanese Architecture in the world is on the campus at the University of Texas El Paso where they have mountains but no Donald.

ReplyJBestler says: December 17, 2010 at 1:46 am

I wonder how I can get the air to smell good while people visit my website? Did I miss something?

Great post!

Joe

ReplyJohn says: December 17, 2010 at 1:50 am

Julien – You made some great points in this post. I especially liked your Trump Tip number 2 “Don’t Pay Cash”. Trading chips with people that can benefit you is great advice. For example, you can write a guest post for another blog/website in order to gain access to their audience without paying any money. I see how following Trump’s formula can help you dominate your niche.

ReplyJohn McNally says: December 17, 2010 at 4:48 am

Maybe his hair is the best part of his brand. You want to be unique and genuine, he’s managed both. He genuinely doesn’t care what people think of his hair.

We have a similar chap in the UK ‘Alan Sugar’ who leads our version of the Apprentice. He became a millionaire with computers, but he’s now better known for his TV show.

These are great business points to follow. Be everywhere, don’t spend any money, concentrate on quality and over deliver. You can’t go wrong, as Donald trump has proved.

John

ReplyAmy says: December 17, 2010 at 6:58 am

I love this, which makes me feel better about julien.

I had just read julien’s post at problogger about not being boring and checked out shutupandgettowork. both suggested, or seemed to suggest to me, that success requires being rude, harsh or controversial. why any of these things would certainly garner attention, it’s not the kind of attention i want. so knowing that i can also get attention by shocking people in a positive way is refreshing, because i just can’t bend to the other – and frankly, there’s nothing original at this point about snarky or harsh.

If all else fails I’ll work on my smell.

:0)

Amy Parmenter
The ParmFarm

ReplyDonny Gamble says: December 17, 2010 at 8:02 am

Being everywhere online is critical because the more time that people see your name or your face, the more likely that they will visit your website. This is how relationships online get formed without you even having to do any communicating besides producing content on your blog or website.

ReplyKsenia Egorova says: December 17, 2010 at 4:27 pm

I loved reading your article, and I fully agree with some of the people wjo commented: he is a man to learn from.

ReplyLaurie says: December 17, 2010 at 6:36 pm

Great tips! Personally, I wouldn’t want bad hair to be part of my branding, but that’s just me….

I wonder if he wants everyone to THINK the hair was strategic, but maybe the real truth is he’s just a hair idiot, and since it worked for him PR-wise he just kept it going. One can only speculate….

ReplySherman Unkefer says: December 17, 2010 at 7:44 pm

“Exceeding expectations” is one of the things that I believe is what makes companies the strongest today. How many times do you recommend your a restaurant with impeccable service where the staff goes “above and beyond” to friends?

ReplyJill says: December 17, 2010 at 11:01 pm

Nice tips and a new take on The Donald. The “be everywhere” is probably the biggest and most important tip and also the one that takes the most work. Network, network, network.

ReplySonia Simone says: December 18, 2010 at 12:18 am

Trump’s known for being a tireless networker. He’s at a “social” event every night, not to party but to make and maintain connections.

ReplyElmar Sandyck says: December 18, 2010 at 12:11 am

Hi Julien!

I truly enjoyed this post of yours. Couldn’t help but smile when you did mention about ‘the hair!’

But disturbing hairstyle or not, Donald Trump really knows how to trump up his cards in his own field. Such an amazing personality. His excesses may be too much for some but I think that’s what makes him ‘the Donald Trump’ that he is. Besides, in his world, extravagance may just be his definition of giving the utmost quality of service. That’s something we could really learn from.

ReplyVaclav Gregor says: December 18, 2010 at 5:31 am

We can learn a lot from successful people like Donald Trump.
The “Be everywhere” is great tip and it’s also something that everybody will go like: “Yea I know that one”, but not many people will actually incorporate it into their businesses.

ReplyTito Philips, Jnr. says: December 18, 2010 at 3:07 pm

This is such a great read Julien. Thanks so much for crafting this out.
I am so down with being strategic in everything we do as entrepreneurs. Everything really is leverage.
Being everywhere also is a great tip, to be seen, you really have to put yourself out there and be in the eyes of those you seek to influence or reach. One also useful tip, is putting your personality into your brand. Donald and Richard Branson are two unusual entrepreneurs who creatively know how to do this very well.

Thanks for the tips once again Julien, I am reading your book “Trust Agents” for the second time this year, you both did an awesome work. Can’t wait for your second book together!

ReplyFrankie Cooper says: December 19, 2010 at 6:08 am

Wow, interesting tips that are helpful and useful to the readers. Putting them into practice myself.

ReplyRobin says: December 19, 2010 at 1:47 pm

Love him or hate him, he radiates success. Simple method. I say we have nothing to lose be trying it.

ReplyRich Boyd says: December 21, 2010 at 8:39 am

This very blog post utilizes the embodied principles. I started at a blurb about ‘The Donald’ on Alltop (Robert Kiyosaki) which took me to a blog post by Chris Brogan, which referenced Julien and the book they’re writing together (on Brogan’s blog), which brought me here. That’s a lot of chip trading. I guess that makes this post a big rake. Artful.

Replychris says: December 21, 2010 at 3:55 pm

short and to the point – this is the exact strategy that people need to follow to be successful – many will fail few will succeed – welcome to the “american dream”

ReplyBianca says: December 21, 2010 at 8:31 pm

I like tip #2 about not paying cash! I use to own a website that sold children’s clothing and I would pay for keywords or advertising. Didn’t really help. I recently started a blog about saving money and finding the best deals. I think doing guest blogging is the best way to get your name out there. The best part is that it doesn’t involve money!! If you interested in saving money check it out!

ReplyTito says: December 22, 2010 at 12:04 am

Great post! Exceed expectations: little things can make a big difference.

ReplyThomas Moradpour says: December 26, 2010 at 12:38 pm

Julien, excellent post.
I think your third point is the most powerful and easiest to overlook. Outstanding success comes from the details, because that is where most people stop. The details are what will surprize your customers most, what demonstrates how much you care and know your craft. It sends the strongest and loudest signal about who you are as a person and a business. And that’s what people will talk about.
Tom
@tommoradpour

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