Trump University: Sales strategy foreshadowed campaign

[webfact]

Trump University: Sales strategy foreshadowed campaign
By JULIE PACE, JILL COLVIN and JONATHAN LEMIRE

WASHINGTON (AP) — Grand promises. Boundless boasts. Absolute faith in the man behind it all.

The strategies that Donald Trump's now-defunct educational company used to woo customers have plenty of echoes of the presumptive Republican nominee's current pitch to voters, based on newly disclosed court documents about Trump University. Hillary Clinton leapt on the parallels Wednesday, using them to cast Trump as a "fraud" who peddles false promises to Americans but cares only about his personal gain.

"He is trying to scam America the way he scammed all those people at Trump U," Clinton said during a campaign stop in Newark, New Jersey. "It's important that we recognize what he has done because that's usually a pretty good indicator of what he will do."

The new details about Trump University were revealed in documents released Tuesday as part of a trio of lawsuits accusing the businessman of fleecing students with unfulfilled promises to provide secrets of real estate success. Plaintiffs contend the organization gave seminars and classes across the country that constantly pressured customers to buy more and more but failed to deliver on promises of financial success.

Trump vigorously maintains that customers were overwhelmingly pleased with the offerings, and the documents do include testimony from several satisfied customers. His campaign released a video Wednesday featuring several people speaking positively about their experiences — although two of the former students shown have business ties to Trump.

A case against Trump University in San Diego is scheduled to go to trial shortly after the November presidential election.

The documents released ahead of the trial underscore that, like the businessman's presidential campaign, the selling point of Trump University was its namesake's unshakeable self-confidence and his own personal success story.

The program's 2009 playbook boasts that Trump is "the most celebrated entrepreneur on earth. He makes more money in a day than most people do in a lifetime." Another manual boasts, "The Trump University Team is truly the best of the best, however Retreat & Special Events Team Members are the crème de la crème of the best of the best."

The playbooks, which are guides for those running the Trump University seminars, are chock-full of advice on how to seal the deal with prospective students, including painstakingly specific instructions on seminar room setups and music selections, reminiscent of the attention to detail given to the stagecraft at the candidate's signature campaign rallies.

An operating guide for supervisors contains "Sales Wisdoms" that appear to echo Trump's speaking strategy at his rallies at which he rails about the nation's problems — from immigration to trade deals to the death of the American dream — without offering much in the way of specific solutions.

"When you talk to customers, it usually works best if the subject is problems," one document reads. Another declares, "The customers must perceive the problem." And a third makes clear, "You don't sell products, benefits or solutions — you sell feelings."

The Trump University material also seems to foreshadow Trump's run-ins with the media, offering tips for what organizers should do if a reporter attempts to conduct an interview at a seminar. Among the guidelines: "You don't have to deliver what the reporter wants" and "Reporters are rarely on your side and they are not sympathetic."

But Trump doesn't always follow his school's advice.

"Never disparage a competitor or competitive products ... focus on the benefits of our programs and how they meet the needs of the client," the school's training manuals advises employees. Trump has reveled in disparaging his rivals, continuing to bash his former Republican competitors even after locking up the nomination.

As Trump steamrolled through the GOP primary, some of those rivals raised Trump University as a liability for the businessman, and at least five different outside groups mentioned the business in attack ads. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio also used Trump University in his campaign speeches in an attempt to blunt the real estate mogul's political rise.

"It was targeted at people that were struggling," Rubio said in March. They were retirees, single mothers and young people trying to start a business, he said. "They were people that were hurting, and they specifically targeted them."

Rubio said last week that he's eager to help the party defeat Clinton.

While details about the business did little to slow Trump in the primary, Clinton allies say GOP candidates were too slow in raising concerns and inconsistent in their attacks. Clinton aides have vowed to avoid repeating those mistakes and officials said that Wednesday marked the beginning of a concerted campaign on the subject.

The centerpieces of the Trump-owned education organization were pricey seminars and other offerings that promised to share his business insights. Trump University offered a three-day seminar for $1,495, using it as a springboard to sell more expensive "Trump Elite" packages for up to $34,995 a year.

Trump University's core customers are identified in the documents as male heads of households between 40 and 54 years old with annual household incomes of at least $90,000, a college education and a net worth of more than $200,000.

"If they complain about the price, remind them that Trump is the BEST!! This is the last real estate investment they will ever need to make," a playbook read. For those who have hit credit limits, employees are told to suggest they dip into savings or identify other "seed capital."

The playbook declared, "Money is never a reason for not enrolling in Trump University; if they really believe in you and your product, they will find the money."
___

Associated Press writers David Porter in Newark, New Jersey, and Julie Bykowicz and Jeff Horwitz in Washington contributed to this report.


-- (c) Associated Press 2016-06-02

[boomerangutang]

Here's a detailed report in US's NPR.

One little gem: Trump is already trying to trash the judge. Excerpt: "Trump has derided him as a "hater" and also noted that he believed Judge Curiel was "Mexican." (Curiel was born in Indiana and went to Indiana University's law school.)"

How low can scam artist Trump go? We ain't seen the bottom yet, folks. Get ready for ever-lower depths from The Divider. Who ever thought politics could be so entertaining?

[alfalfa19]

flim-flam mogul.

[Pinot]

Why would a successful billionaire be wasting his time with this nonsense? Why didn't he settle the case? He knew it was going to make him look like a thin skinned, low-life.

Occam's Razor - the principle that entities should not be multiplied needlessly; the simplest of two competing theories is to be preferred

He's not a successful billionaire. He is a thin skinned low-life.

[NovaBlue05]

Kinda pales in comparison to compromising national security, setting fires in the Middle East and accepting foreign money for favors to be named later.

Edited June 2, 2016 by NovaBlue05

[Mojomor]

Nothing to say really. The reports tell it all. The man is a fraud and has no real money. He pretends he is a billionaire, but his tax returns will show otherwise, if he ever produces them.

[Jingthing]

To prospective low wealth students that the sleazeball ruined:

"You're gonna win so much you'll be tired of winning!"

Get the word out. Total con artist. A man like that in the white house would be an international tragedy.

He asked for it, running for president. His brand is almost everything to him. It's time to make his brand synonymous with excrement, rather than large font gold lettering.

Edited June 2, 2016 by Jingthing

[keemapoot]

Mark Cuban, a REAL self-made billionaire, unlike the grifter Trump, who may have become a billionaire simply by investing his great fortune he inherited, had some accurate and harsh words about the small time, small-fry scammy deals like Trump University, Trump Steaks, Trump crap, etc., that Trump has been hawking, saying they are small time, and why would a big billionaire do these small ass things, and do them so deceitfully if he was as rich and successful as he claims?

http://fortune.com/2016/06/02/mark-cuban-donald-trump-attack/

[Linzz]

Here's a detailed report in US's NPR.

One little gem: Trump is already trying to trash the judge. Excerpt: "Trump has derided him as a "hater" and also noted that he believed Judge Curiel was "Mexican." (Curiel was born in Indiana and went to Indiana University's law school.)"

How low can scam artist Trump go? We ain't seen the bottom yet, folks. Get ready for ever-lower depths from The Divider. Who ever thought politics could be so entertaining?

Except Boomer, the Repubs are behind trump and now with no more Never Trump has died a death, it's now the Dems and Hillary is the Divider

[Berkshire]

I hope this trial(s) gets a lot of play because this whole Trump University episode is EXACTLY like his presidential campaign. Promises of untold riches for the masses from a guy boasting about his own wealth and success, only to fall apart because of all the lies, unkept promises, and unmistakable fraud. On top of all that, Trump is attacking the judge overseeing the case, suggesting that it's because he's Mexican that the case didn't get thrown out. What a complete and total scumbag Donald Trump is.

[Publicus]

Kinda pales in comparison to compromising national security, setting fires in the Middle East and accepting foreign money for favors to be named later.

A move is underway by several prominent lawyers to have the American Bar Association issue a statement that Donald Trump The Ignoramus and uniquely American Mussolini is in contempt of court for his vile statements against the US District Court Judge presiding over the Trump U swindle case.

On Tuesday, Jules Bernstein, a prominent Washington, DC-based employment lawyer, wrote a letter to Paulette Brown, president of the American Bar Association, calling on the organization to condemn Trump’s continuing diatribe against the judge...

“Under well-established canons of ethics and judicial rules relating to contumacious conduct, comments that are rude, insulting or disrespectful made by a party to litigation about a presiding judge, either in or out of court, are subject to censure as constituting contempt of court. Hopefully, Judge Curiel will see fit to hold Trump in contempt of court for his diatribe. But independently, the judges of our nation as well as the entire bar should speak out loudly against Trump’s contemptuous remarks about a member of the Federal judiciary. It is precisely because Trump has demonstrated such contempt for the judicial branch of government through his attack on Judge Curiel, that it is the obligation of the legal profession to respond promptly and in no uncertain terms, to his outrageous conduct.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-dreier/is-the-contemptible-trump-in-contempt-of-court_b_10247040.html

Donald Trump spits in the face of the law and the rule of law. He is truly the original and unique American Mussolini. Trump has only contempt of the Bill of Rights and of the Constitution itself. His fanboyz share the fanaticism from waaay over there on the far out right.

A federal judge cannot engage in any kind of public argument initiated by a principal in a case that is before him/her. But as the linked article notes, there is plenty of legal and Constitutional precedent to in this instance hold The Ignoramus "in contempt for impugning the integrity of the federal court." This is true to the point of the court sending US Marshals to haul Trump to the slammer until he apologises to the court.

And we know Trump never -- ever -- apoligises to anyone for anything. One could say Trump is constitutionally incapable of it, however, Trump is also against all constitutions of any kind, whether formal or personal. Trump is the Strongman and his fanboyz love it and they adore him because of it.

Edited June 3, 2016 by Publicus

[bendejo]

Don the Con.

He's not about issues, he's about succeeding at the overall con. Inside of his campaign events he has a security detail to keep the press away from the yokels who support him: he doesn't want the marks to be distracted from what HE says.

The press is responsible for where he is now, with all the free publicity and over-doing the coverage. "This just in! We break from our scheduled programming to bring you Trump's plane landing in Des Moines!" Now is their chance to put him back where they found him, preferably much worse for wear.

[Pinot]

Kinda pales in comparison to compromising national security, setting fires in the Middle East and accepting foreign money for favors to be named later.

The far right lemmings love to make up little stories they tell each other.

[otherstuff1957]

Nothing to say really. The reports tell it all. The man is a fraud and has no real money. He pretends he is a billionaire, but his tax returns will show otherwise, if he ever produces them.

I rather suspect that his income taxes would show something far more damaging: I suspect that Trump never made ANY charitable contributions until he declared his candidacy.

Probably a moot point though, I doubt if we will ever see those tax returns.

[keemapoot]

Nothing to say really. The reports tell it all. The man is a fraud and has no real money. He pretends he is a billionaire, but his tax returns will show otherwise, if he ever produces them.

I rather suspect that his income taxes would show something far more damaging: I suspect that Trump never made ANY charitable contributions until he declared his candidacy.

Probably a moot point though, I doubt if we will ever see those tax returns.

BINGO! This has already been alluded to by Bill Gates, who runs the billionaire philanthropists boys' club. He says Trump is notoriously stingy, does not want to help any of the charities the others involve in, and is the single 'billionaire' conspicuously missing from the club.

[pitrevie]

For the past 40 years every candidate has produced their tax returns, Nixon of all people produced his during an audit. In 2012 Trump urged Romney to publish his tax returns. The fact is he isn't going to produce his tax returns because that would expose his so called worth and claim to be worth 10 billion.

[Andreas2]

Nothing to say really. The reports tell it all. The man is a fraud and has no real money. He pretends he is a billionaire, but his tax returns will show otherwise, if he ever produces them.

I absolutely agree with you. Do you also agree, that the "Clinton" U could be a fraud? Provided that the story is true, of course...

Trump U Is Nothing Compared To Laureate Education (by Roger Stone)

To dress the deal up in 2010, Bill Clinton was brought in to serve as “Chancellor,” a part-time position for which he was collecting $16 million through early 2015.

It's not meant to defend Mr. Trump by any means, why should I. But it shows, that it could be dangerous for the family Clinton throwing stones while sitting in a glass house.

It seems that Mr. Trump isn't the only presidential candidate who is involved in the university business.

Edit: typo

Edited June 4, 2016 by Andreas2