Page 123 - Trump University Commercial Real Estate 101

Locking in Y our Profit

Proven Methods to Increase the Chances
of Getting Your Offer Accepted

Build Rapport

This is the very first thing you should do with a seller. People like people
who are like them. Search for common ground that you may have with
the seller. Do the same with brokers if you ’ re dealing through them.
When talking with a seller, listen to his voice. Does it have a
familiar accent? Is he wearing an article of clothing you can quickly
compliment?
If you ’ re at a seller ’ s home or business, look around. What do you
see that you can relate to? Even if you ’ re just meeting at a restaurant,
try to start with small talk about the weather, sports, or noncontrover-
sial news. You may get little or no response, but you ’ re gently fi shing.
Eventually you will come across a topic that you both fi nd interesting.
Within reason, the more you genuinely talk about that topic, the
more the other person will like you and want to do business with you.
I ’ m not suggesting that you become coldly manipulative. Instead, I ’ m
saying that being all business is also usually a mistake. Don ’ t ramble on,
but do grease the conversation with some nonbusiness human ele-
ment. It ’ s all part of my rule about being easy to do business with.

The Silent Treatment

Silence makes most people uncomfortable. After you have made an
important point, look directly at the other party, smile, and shut up.
The longer you go without saying anything, the more uneasy the
other person will tend to become. Eventually he will say something —
anything — just to break the silence. The response will often be
unguarded and give you valuable information.
Over years of negotiating, I ’ ve become a big believer in the old
saying, “ He who speaks fi rst, loses. ”

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