Book Summary: How to Become a Rainmaker

How to Become a Rainmaker: The Rules for getting and keeping customers and clients by Jeffrey J. Fox.

Rainmaker’s Credo
• Cherish customers at all times
• Treat customers as you would your best friend
• Listen to customers and decipher their needs
• Make or give customers what they need
• Price your product to its dollarized value
• Show customers the dollarized value of what they will get
• Teach customers to want what they need
• Make your product the way customers want it
• Get your product to your customers when they want it
• Give your customers a little extra, more than they expect
• Remind customers of the dollarized value they received
• Thank each customer sincerely and often
• Help customers pay you, so they won’t be embarrassed to go elsewhere
• Ask to do it again

Killer Questions
1. Do you have your appointment book handy?
2. Will you look at the facts and decide for yourself if they make sense?
3. Would you like to know our differences? (when discussing competitors)
4. We can give you a demonstration, is there anything else inhibiting you from going ahead? (unresolved customer issues or leads to a closing)
5. Why don’t you give it a try? (try, dependant, see benefit)
6. What questions should I be asking that I am not asking? (give them chance to voice concerns)

“Don’t waste your time trying to convince dairy farmers to by horseshoes.”

Rainmakers sell money, not windows or software or shoes.
Dining: Your back to the wall, do not let the customer be distracted during the meeting.
Objections: Welcome them because they are how customers express their desires.
Preparation: Always taste the wine before the wine tasting. Confirm any variable possible.
Ask dumb questions to understand their functionality
Investment return analysis: Prepare this so the customer can sell the product within their organization. There are usually 8-12 decision makers behind the scenes.
Customers do not care about what is making it hard to do your job.
Break the ice at the end of a meeting, ensure time for business.
Show the chain, sell the first link. (explain the process to the customer, get them into the first step)
Be the best dressed person you meet today. No coffee before a meeting.

NEVER
• You are never in a meeting – resolving a customer’s issue
• You are never sick, you are traveling
• Vacation – traveling
• Left for the day – out of the office
• Out to lunch – meeting with a client
• Not in the office yet – at a breakfast meeting

Negotiation:
• Give a sample, get an agreement to test
• Give a demo, get agreement to buy if works as claimed
• Give a brochure, get an appointment
• Give a discount, get more volume
• Give a free drink, get a dinner meeting
• Give a favor, get a due bill
• Give a solution, get paid

Point system (strive for 4 pts per day)
1. lead referral intro
2. appointment to meet decision maker
3. face-to-face meeting
4. commitment to close or action toward close

Voicemail
• Prepare it in writing
• Use third-party reference where you can
• Practice your message
• Be ready for a pick-up
• Speak slowly, clearly
• Introduce yourself first
• State how long message will be
• Purpose of your call (dollarized opportunity)
• Benefit and dollared value
• Suggest a meeting time
• Telephone number AREA CODE 815 888 3333, then repeat
• Thank them and advice you will follow up
• The beauty of voice mail is they will listen to it at their leisure and with their full attention.

10 things to do today to get business
1. Send a handwritten note
2. Clip and send an article of interest.
3. Talk to a satisfied client and ask who else you might help
4. Send a thank-you give to someone who referred you.
5. Give your business card to someone with influence.
6. Send a letter to the editor of a magazine your customers read.
7. Add 15 people to your mailing list
8. Leave a compelling voice mail.
9. Make an appointment
10. Call a client you haven’t talk to in 2 years

Recognize a Rainmaker
• Is organized
• Calls only on decision makers
• Does detailed pre-call planning
• Always has a written sales call objective
• Asks preplanned questions
• Listens
• Is empathetic with customers
• Encourages and appreciates objections
• Always dollarizes the value of a product
• Asks for customer commitments

How to Dollarize
1. Determine the competition price
2. State benefit
3. Quantify that benefit
4. Dollarize the benefit overall (avoided warranty claim x cost per claim = overall cost saved)
5. Reduce benefit to per unit (total savings / # units = savings per unit)
6. Demonstrate the true net cost of your products (price – savings per unit = true price per unit)