Rainmaking Conversations: Influence, Persuade, and Sell in Any Situation

by Mike Schultz, Mike Schultz

Conversations make or break everything in sales. Every conversation you have is an opportunity to find new prospects, win new customers, and increase sales. Rainmaking Conversations provides a proven system for leading masterful conversations that fill the pipeline, secure new deals, and maximize the potential of your account. Rainmaking Conversations offers a research-based, field-tested, and practical selling approach that will help you master the art of the sales conversation. This proven system revolves around the acronym RAIN, which stands for Rapport, Aspirations and Afflictions, Impact, and New Reality. You'll learn how to ask your prospects and clients the right questions, and help them set the agenda for success. Armed with the knowledge of the markets you serve, the common needs of prospects, and how your products and services can help, you can become a trusted advisor to your clients during and after the sale. With the RAIN system, you'll be able The world-class RAIN Selling SM methodology has helped tens of thousands of people lead powerful sales conversations and achieve breakthrough sales performance. Start bridging the gap between "hello" and profitable relationships today.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction

288 pages, Hardcover

First published February 23, 2011

Reviews

[Margot Note]

"Rainmakers recommend, advise, and assist. They are change agents who are not afraid to push when it's in the best interest of the customer" (17).

"The road to success is always under repair" (28).

"A value proposition positioning statement is a compelling, tangible statement of how a company or individual will benefit from buying from you" (37).

"The collection of reasons why people buy fall into three major buckets:
1. Prospects have to want and need what you're selling. You have to resonate.
2. Potential buyers have to see why you stand out from the other available options. You have to differentiate.
3. Potential buyers have to believe that you can deliver on your promises. You have to substantiate" (38).

"There are two core buyer mind-sets you will encounter when selling: problem solving and future seeking" (60).

"When you think about providing value, don't just think about the value you will provide after they buy from you. Think about the value they'll get from speaking with you. Eventually, you'll sell your company, your offering, and yourself. At first, sell the idea that the prospects' time will be well spent if they elect to speak with you" (163).

"Whichever approach you choose, the prospect has to see value in the meeting itself. Eventually the prospect may get value out of your products and services, but for now, you need to sell the value of a first conversation" (166).

"Anticipate and raise objections that may be below the surface. Don't think that just because objections haven't been raised they aren't there. You take a risk when you bring up possible objections (welcome to sales), but if you're not the front-runner by far, the risk is often worth taking. At the same time, you build the relationship with your honesty and openness. Buyers appreciate that" (193).

[B. Mulenga Sindala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book to give show and teach how to become an effective salesperson. And not just in sales, in any other field, if the lessons in this book are applied, they will help you succeed at whatever it is that you do.

[Jason Girouard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Frameworks, and a little theory. Build rapport and then focus on the advantages of a particular product framed for your audience, essentially.

[Denis Vasilev · Rating 2 out of 5]

Достаточно базовая книжка по навыкам продаж. Еще и от консалтеров

[Jay French · Rating 3 out of 5]

It seems like the sales/presentation classes that you see at work are like quick seminars on specific issues. This book is like a semester class covering many of the issues I've seen in sales and presentation classes over the past 10+ years. There are plenty of recommendations that really sound familiar, and often that's because they are. But, this book provides a good overall selection of to-do lists for how to sell. While the book promised to share ideas on selling using demonstrations, there really wasn't much specific to that kind of presenting, so I didn't feel this book covered everything. I listened on audio, and there were really too many lists to keep track of, there were lists within lists. I'd suggest not listening to this one, read it instead.

[Kevin Eikenberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a business owner, responsible for many rainmaking conversations, this book struck a chord with me before I even opened it. Since this is an area I always want to improve in, I opened it with hopeful expectancy.

At the same time, I have read many sales books and realized I could be disappointed or finish the book feeling I had not learned anything new.

While I’m not sure I had massive thunderbolts of insight, I am certainly glad I read this book.

- See more at: http://blog.kevineikenberry.com/leade...

[Ko Matsuo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A how-to-book to be a top 10% sales person (i.e, rainmaker). Book explains the RAIN framework (Rapport, Aspirations and afflictions, impact, and New reality) and walks you through a common sense sales approach that focuses in on conversations to build trust, uncover issues, and frame impact in an understandable way. There is a chapter towards the end of the book called "How to Kill a Sales Conversation" that is especially concise. Generally a quick read.

A reminder for product people to look not only to solve problems for today, but to meet hopes for tomorrow.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing earth shattering as far as new ideas and approaches but an exceptional book that really reinforced the basics and covered everything from motivation to tactics in a no nonsense and practical way. One of the best sales books that I have read in a while.

[Mckinley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Selling, selling, selling. Some good points for non-sales people but not up my alley. For example: know what you are going to say, and have visuals to help people see what you are driving at. Got about 1/3 way through.

[Aubrey]

Joe Nezi spoke at the 2012 annual PRISM conference in Vegas at this session: "Accounts Strategy & the Sales Call" and recommended this book.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good tips, but it seemed like a pitch for me to buy their services more than a book for how to generate greater sales.

[A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely has some useful points in it, unfortunately the framework used to deliver the information detracts strongly from the content.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high expectations for this book based on who gave me the recommendation but it fell short for me personally. Maybe another listen in a year will yield more.

[Dr. Rae Baum · Rating 5 out of 5]

A necessary book for everyone to read again, and again...