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Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer beat out the competition to buy the LA Clippers. Mark J. Terrill/AP Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer always wanted to own a sports team. Ultimately, he bought the LA Clippers for $2 billion, out-bidding numerous other groups that wanted the NBA team, including Oprah and Oracle's Larry Ellison.

Ballmer revealed the negotiating tricks he used to beat out everyone else in Business Insider's podcast, "Success! How I Did It," They can be applied to most major deals, whether you're bidding on a house, or a sports team.

Listen to the full episode here, or listen later with the buttons below:

1. Do your research and learn the landscape.

One of the first things Ballmer did when he retired from Microsoft in 2014 was meet with the commissioners of the NBA and NFL. At first, no teams seemed to be on the market.

"It turned out the most difficult thing was actually figuring out how to get involved in the process," Ballmer said. "I had looked at the Milwaukee Bucks; they didn't want to sell to me. I had asked the commissioner who I should get to know. There was nothing that seemed like it was going to sell."

But soon, the LA Clippers became an option after tapes of then-owner Donald Sterling making racist comments became public. Ballmer was ready to pounce.

2. Find a mutual connection to introduce you to the seller

Ballmer had never met the Sterlings, but it dawned on him that he knew Disney CEO Michael Eisner, and the Eisners had a Clippers box right next to the Sterlings. He asked for an introduction, and was quickly given Shelly Sterling's contact information.

"[Eisner] called me on a Saturday morning, 7 o'clock," Ballmer said. "He says, 'Call Shelly Sterling right now at this number, she'll be available.'"

3. Make the seller get to know you so the deal feels more personal

Ballmer spent a day with Shelly Sterling and came prepared with a bank statement to prove he could afford the team. At first, she had no idea who Ballmer was. By the end, she liked him better than any of the other bidders, The Wall Street Journal reported at the time of the Clippers sale.

Ballmer met with Shelly Sterling's lawyer that same evening to make sure he was prepared to bid a proper amount.

4. Make your bid as hassle-free as possible, and don't try to nickel and dime

Ballmer says the fact that he was a sole bidder for the team rather part of a group (like in Oprah's case) proved to be an advantage. Given the "legal wrangling" the Sterlings had to endure regarding the scandal, Sterling's lawyers thought Ballmer would be more likely to stick through the process as a stand-alone.

Additionally, Ballmer was upfront about how much he was willing to pay. He didn't want to drastically overpay, but he didn't want to nickel and dime the Sterlings either.

"I had told them, 'This is what I'd like to pay, this is the maximum I'd pay and, oh by the way, you have to understand, I don't want to look stupid in front of my wife for being a guy who dramatically overpays,'" Ballmer said. "But I laid it out there, I wasn't trying to be some tough, get the last 3%, 5% out of the deal, I just wanted to own the team."

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