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P RINCIPLES OF N EGOTIA TION

you tell someone that a property you own is not for sale there is a
good chance they will want it even more. They may even hound you
until you name a price. The simple statement that something is a
limited edition creates a desire for ownership. For example, the suc-
cess of any auction sale depends on the number of bidders and the
emotional frenzy of a heated bidding environment. Because every
parcel of real estate and every building is unique in some way, the ex-
clusivity principle is already at work to drive up the price, but you
can get a much higher price, if you can create more exclusivity for
your property. Later chapters explain in more detail how Trump does
this, but you can create the aura of exclusivity by the way you talk up
the features of any property: its location, size, neighborhood, in-
creasing value trends, bargain price, lack of comparable product, or
any other selling point that might impress potential tenants or buy-
ers. Embellishment is the order of the day to create excitement and
get your target to say “It’s a deal.”
Using 40 Wall Street as our example, let’s look at how Trump
created exclusivity. First, he used the variety of floor sizes as a
unique selling point. By marketing the building as if it were three
separate buildings, one on top of the other, he could offer a tenant a
full floor as small as 6,000 square feet and as large as 37,000 square
feet. He played up the fact that 40 Wall Street was the only building
in the financial area that had such flexibility. The smaller floors at
the top of the tower had magnificent views of New York harbor and
had the prestige of a full floor for a boutique firm. Visitors would be
impressed by seeing a receptionist’s desk instead of multiple doors
and nameplates as the elevator doors opened. Trump sought out ten-
ants whose space needs were small but who would pay an above mar-
ket rent to be in a totally refurbished Trump building that catered to
their individual needs and gave them great views from all windows.
Second, Trump created exclusivity by insisting that all construc-
tion be of the highest quality and workmanship. He redesigned

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