Rainmaking Conversations E-Book

Mike Schultz

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 367

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2011

Beschreibung

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 to: * Build rapport and trust from the first contact * Create conversations with prospects, referral sources, and clients using the telephone, email, and mail * Uncover the real need behind client challenges * Make the case for improved business impact and return on investment (ROI) for your prospects * Understand and communicate your value proposition * Apply the 16 principles of influence in sales * Overcome and prevent all types of objections, including money * Craft profitable solutions and close the deal 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.

Leseprobe

Contents

Acknowledgments

Part 1 : Getting Ready to Make RAIN

Chapter 1 : Introduction

RAIN, RASP, and 10 Rainmaker Principles

RAIN—Your Guide to Rainmaking Conversations

RASP—Four Keys to Rainmaking Success

10 Rainmaker Principles

Chapter 2 : The Most Important Conversation You’ll Ever Have

Six Questions to Ask Yourself

Outcomes from Your Conversation with Yourself

Chapter 3 : Goal and Action Planning

Why Goals Are Important

Living by Goals

Chapter 4 : Understanding and Communicating Your Value Proposition

A Value Proposition Is Not a Statement

Three Legs of the Value Proposition Stool

Focus on Impact, Not Mechanics, to Break Free of the Commodity Trap

Six Building Blocks of Value Proposition Positioning Statements

Make It a Rainmaking Conversation

Part 2 : RAIN Selling Key Concepts

Chapter 5 : Rapport

Building Real Rapport

Questions that Build Rapport

Chapter 6 : Aspirations and Afflictions

Capturing Missed Opportunities

Uncovering Aspirations and Afflictions

Advocating to Uncover Needs

Chapter 7 : Impact

Two Types of Impact

Make the Impact Tangible

Tips for Uncovering and Communicating Impact

Chapter 8 : New Reality

Establish the New Reality Benchmark

Craft Your Solution

Communicate the New Reality

Differentiate Your Offering, Substantiate Your Claims

Chapter 9 : Balancing Advocacy and Inquiry

Why We Talk Too Much

What We Miss When We Talk

Advocacy—The Yin to Inquiry’s Yang

Power in Advocacy

Guidelines for Balancing Advocacy and Inquiry

When You Inquire, Listen to What the Prospect Says

Develop Active Listening Skills

Chapter 10 : Digging Deep into Needs

Example Problem: The Production Line Stopped Again

Chapter 11 : 16 Principles of Influence in Sales

Principle 1. Attention

Principle 2. Curiosity

Principle 3. Desire

Principle 4. Envy

Principle 5. Emotional Journey

Principle 6. Belief

Principle 7. Justification

Principle 8. Trust

Principle 9. Stepping Stones

Principle 10. Ownership

Principle 11. Involvement

Principle 12. Desire for Inclusion

Principle 13. Scarcity

Principle 14. Likeability

Principle 15. Indifference

Principle 16. Commitment

Chapter 12 : Tips for Leading Rainmaking Conversations

Stage 1. Rapport Building

Stage 2. Meeting Kickoff

Stage 3. Needs Discovery—Interest, Desire, Aspirations, and Afflictions

Stage 4. Impact Analysis

Stage 5. New Reality

Stage 6. Determine FAINT and Buying Process

Stage 7. Next Steps

Stage 8. Meeting Follow Up

Part 3 : Maximizing Your RAIN Selling Success

Chapter 13 : Prospecting by Phone

Prospecting—What It Is

Demand Driven—The Buyer Drives the Demand to Buy

Demand Driving—The Seller Drives the Demand to Buy

Prospecting for Demand-Driven Services

Prospecting with Demand-Driving Offerings

A Closer Look at Cold Calls

Key Concepts in Prospecting

Six Essential Prospecting Outreach Formulas

What’s In It For Me (WIIFM)—The Common Denominator in All Outreach Formulae

Telephone Call Success Power Boosters

Voicemail—To Leave or Not to Leave

Overcoming Call Reluctance, Nancy Reagan Style

Chapter 14 : Handling Objections

Four Objection Types

The Five-Step Objection Handling Process

When Money Is (Or Appears To Be) the Objection

Responding to Money Objections

Handling the Unspoken Objection

Chapter 15 : Closing Opportunities, Opening Relationships

Understand What Closing Is

Setting the Table for Close Ready Deals

Close with the Right Actions

Chapter 16 : What You Need to Know to Sell

What Rainmakers Know

Chapter 17 : Planning Each Rainmaking Conversation

Planning Question 1: What Is the Prospect’s Current Situation?

Planning Question 2: What Are My Sales Goals for this Prospect?

Planning Question 3: What Is My Desired Next Outcome?

Planning Question 4: What Are My Relative Strengths?

Planning Question 5: What Are My Relative Vulnerabilities?

Planning Question 6: What Actions Do I Need to Take Before the Next Call?

Chapter 18 : How to Kill a Sales Conversation

Killers that Make You Dead on Arrival

Killers Hiding in the Open

Killers Waiting to Ambush You

Killers You Never See that Kill in the Dark

Tendency to Get Emotionally Involved

Need for Approval

Nonsupportive Buy Cycle

Money Discomfort

Self-Limiting Record Collection

I’ve Met the Enemy, and It’s Me, I Think . . .

Chapter 19 : Putting RAIN in Your Forecast

Appendix and Online Resources

About RAIN Group

About RainToday.com

RainToday.com Membership

About the Authors

Index

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Praise for Rainmaking Conversations

“Rainmaking Conversations is the ultimate strategic guide to creating dialogs so valuable that they rise above the noise, create engagement, and make you the anchor others must unseat in order to compete.”

—Ardath Albee, Author ofeMarketing Strategies for the Complex Sale

“Rainmaking Conversations is the one sales book you should absolutely read if you want to become a top sales performer while also maintaining the highest integrity.”

—Paige Arnof-Fenn, Founder and CEO, Mavens & Moguls LLC

“Rainmaking Conversations hits upon an eternal truth: that despite the technology, the complexity, and the noise that surrounds us today, sales arise from a dialog between two people. But it doesn’t just theorize and observe, it presents a practical, step-by-step guide to developing the psychology, skills, knowledge, and processes necessary to excel at winning new business. If you put into practice just half of the ideas in this book, you’ll never struggle with sales again.”

—Ian Brodie, Managing Director, Rainmaker Academy

“Those who can’t make rain think it’s about luck and personality. Real rainmakers know that it’s about hard work, preparation, and proven methods. Except for the hard work, everything you need is in this book.”

—Thomas H. Davenport, Author ofCompeting on Analytics

“In [a] commoditized world, value is the key differentiator. And the brain trust at the RAIN Group has done it again. This isn’t a book—it’s a symphony. They provide daily practices that anyone who sells can implement into their efforts immediately. Read this book and you won’t just make it rain, you’ll make it POUR!”

—Scott “The Nametag Guy” Ginsberg, Professional Speaker, and Author ofHow to Be That Guy

“Trust drives sales, and conversations drive trust. Really great salespeople have conversations that create trust, with sales as the natural outcome. Rainmaking Conversations is a how-to book that goes way beyond tactics; it’s about integrating trust, relationship, and sales.”

—Charles Green, Founder and CEO, Trusted Advisor Associates, and Author ofTrust-Based Selling

“Today’s crazy-busy prospects won’t waste their time with you unless they get value from every interaction. In Rainmaking Conversations, you’ll learn how to make that a reality.”

—Jill Konrath, Author ofSNAP Selling and Selling to Big Companies

“There are too many books on selling but once in a while one comes along with a fresh approach. This one is worth reading even by the seasoned professional.”

—Philip Kotler, S.C. Johnson & Son Distinguished Professor of International Marketing, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University

“While many books exist on related subjects, Rainmaking Conversations provides a fresh and well thought out strategic sales path from “hello” to “let’s get started” for all of us who are committed to growing our organizations. Kudos to Schultz and Doerr on this compelling read. Let it RAIN!”

—David Lissy, CEO, Bright Horizons Family Solutions

“Schultz and Doerr have given us a perfect prescription for profitable selling. They’ve zeroed in on exactly what it takes to be a rainmaker—the sales conversation. The chapter on value propositions alone is worth more than the price of the book. Don’t think twice. Buy this book. Read it, apply it, and watch your sales success soar.”

—Michael W. McLaughlin, Author ofWinning the Professional Services Sale

“In the hypercompetitive world of selling and all the expert opinions floating around it, Schultz and Doerr present an eloquent ‘thinking person’s guide’ to long-term success in building and maintaining successful customer relationships. If you believe that excellence in sales and service are not mutually exclusive, that buying trumps selling and listening outweighs talking, your world view will be highly receptive to the lessons they teach regarding the required competence, preparation, and skills for professional selling success. If not, find a new career.”

—Peter Ostrow, Research Director, Sales Effectiveness, Aberdeen Group

“There are lots of books on selling but few as free of fluff as Rainmaking Conversations. Read it and you’ll see a clear, convincing, and compelling case for how to sell in virtually any situation. Kudos to Schultz and Doerr for writing such a valuable book. Highly recommended.”

—Michael Port,New York TimesBest-Selling Author ofBook Yourself Solid

“Buyers choose to do business with people they like. True rainmaking, the kind that makes you 5 or even 10 times more successful than the plodding average, comes from mastering conversations with buyers. In this book—chock-full of compelling stories and winning techniques—Mike Schultz and John Doerr show you how to master the art of rainmaking.”

—David Meerman Scott, Best-Selling Author ofThe New Rules of Marketing & PR

“Nothing happens without sales . . . and Mike Schultz and John Doerr have effectively provided us all with the book on sales that will make things happen! Rainmaking Conversations is a must read!”

—Leonard A. Schlesinger, President, Babson College

“I love this book. Why? Because Rainmaking Conversations isn’t yet another collection of empty tips-and-tricks calories that provides no real nourishment to your career. It is, on the other hand, a compelling, interesting, far-reaching, and highly relevant guide to being who you need to be, and precisely how you need to do what you need to do, to be among the elite, that top 10 percent of sales professionals who are ‘The Rainmakers.’ Folks, take it from me. This is the real thing.”

—Dave Stein, CEO and Founder, ES Research Group, Inc.

“In Rainmaking Conversations, Mike Schultz and John Doerr give a practical and inspiring set of action steps to preparing ourselves for sales success. What a thorough and accessible program they have laid out here! No fluff, no abstractions, plenty of meaty anecdotes. This book provides a solid to-do list for professionals who want to get more business without flailing around.”

—Ruth P. Stevens, President, eMarketing Strategy, and Adjunct Professor of Marketing, Columbia Business School

Copyright © 2011 by The Wellesley Hills Group. All rights reserved.

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.

Published simultaneously in Canada.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, [phone], fax [phone], or on the web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, [phone], fax [phone], or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:

Schultz, Mike, 1974–

Rainmaking conversations : influence, persuade, and sell in any situation / Mike Schultz, John E. Doerr.

p. cm.

ISBN 978-0-470-92223-1 (cloth)

ISBN 978-1-118-02575-8 (ebk)

ISBN 978-1-118-02576-5 (ebk)

ISBN 978-1-118-02577-2 (ebk)

1. Selling—Psychological aspects. 2. Persuasion (Psychology) 3. Influence (Psychology) I. Doerr, John E. II. Title.

HF5438.8.P75S36 2011

658.85—dc22

2010045649

To Erica.

—MES

To Chris, John Michael, and Andrew.

—JED

Acknowledgments

In order for this book and any of our books to come to fruition, a number of people have to continue to do the real work so we can take the time to write. For that, we’d like to acknowledge our colleagues at RAIN Group and RainToday.com: Bob Croston, Erica Stritch, Mark Fortune, Mary Flaherty, Michelle Davidson, Adam Tokarz, Kelly Kerr, Zach Rachins, John Michael Doerr, Terese Riordan, Jae-ann Rock, Jim Miller, Sandy O’Dell, and Sue Brisson for keeping everything moving forward. Thanks especially to our internal editors John Michael Doerr and Erica Stritch who were not afraid to tell us when we needed to go back to the drawing board and rewrite until it was just right. This book is infinitely better due to their willingness to push, prod, and cajole. Thanks to Scott Whipple for his fine work in preparing the graphics for the book.

We’d also like to thank Mike Treske (John Hancock Annuities Distribution, John Hancock Wood Logan), Nicole Giantonio (Buck Consultants, a Xerox Company), John Calucci (McLane, Graf, Raulerson & Middleton, PA), John Flavin (Edgewater Technology), Dan Cohen (Linkage), Lilian Eilers (The Blue Ocean Company), Marcus de Layen Vian (IRIS Software and Services), Marisa Edmund (Edmund Optics), Mike Sheehan (Hill Holliday), Jim Keenan (Pace), Mark Gowrie (AchieveGlobal), David Carrithers (Centennial Contractors), Richard Wetenhall (formerly Mercer and McKinsey), Kevin Davis (Topline Leadership), Jere Doyle (Prospectiv) and Deborah Dumaine (Better Communications) who generously gave their time to lend their thoughts and experiences to the content of the book.

To Dave Kurlan and Rocky LaGrone (Objective Management Group) thanks for your thoughtful insight into what it take to be a true rainmaker.

To our valued clients, we repeatedly thank you for the privilege of working with you and accepting us as members of your teams. To the authors, contributors, members, and readers of RainToday.com, we appreciate your continued support, content, questions, and interactions with us through the years.

We are also grateful to our editor at John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Daniel Ambrosio, along with Ashley Allison and Lauren Freestone, who once again helped us keep on target through the editing process, and to everyone else at John Wiley & Sons, Inc., who helped see this book to its final form.

—Mike Schultz and John Doerr

I can never thank my mom, Gloria Doerr, enough. She continues to inspire me and everyone else in our ever-expanding extended family with her ability to stay young and work hard even at 84 years. (Sorry, Mom, everyone knows your age by now.) I also want to thank my in-laws Jeff, Al, Rob, Jessica, and Randy, who were not mentioned by name in our first book but should have been. Of course, I continue to draw strength from the warmth and caring of my sisters Jean, Judi, Jen, and Jodi, and my brother Jim and all their children, in-laws, and grandchildren. And to my friends who have become a part of that family. I am what I am because of all of you.

A special thanks to Over the Hill Basketball and my friends on the court. As we have heard repeatedly, it is this twice-a-week activity that keeps us off the streets and more fun to be around. It certainly does that and so much more for me.

Finally, to my wife, Chris, and to my sons, John Michael and Andrew, who continue to provide love and support—and that’s all that matters.

—John Doerr

To my wife and best friend, Erica Schultz, each day we spend together is a joy and a privilege. And to my family, Stan, Nancy, Marvin, Linda, Allyson, Mike, Mikey, Mikayla, Dave, Alena, Shirley, and everyone else. For your continued love and support, I can’t thank you enough.

—Mike Schultz

PART ONE

GETTING READY TO MAKE RAIN

Chapter 1

Introduction

Ideal conversation must be an exchange of thought, and not, as many of those who worry most about their shortcomings believe, an eloquent exhibition of wit or oratory.

—Emily Post

It’s 4 pm on a Thursday and you’re about to meet the CEO of a major company you’d like to win as a client. The conversation starts as you walk into the office, approach the CEO, stretch out your hand, and say, “Nice to meet you, Jill. I’m Steve Webb.”

Fast forward to a meeting about four months later—3 pm on a Wednesday this time. You head into the office. Jill gets out from behind her desk and says, “Good to see you again, Steve. Here’s the check for $1.2 million that you need to get the process underway. Let’s schedule the kickoff for next Friday.”

Suffice it to say, a lot has to happen between “nice to meet you” and “here’s a check for $1.2 million.” Yet two things are true:

1. This is how it happens.

2. Conversations form the bridge between “hello” and “let’s go.”

As sales trainers, sales managers, and sellers ourselves, we’ve had the privilege of observing and analyzing thousands of telephone and face-to-face sales conversations. All too often we see salespeople say “hello,” but never get to “let’s go,” because of mistakes they make in their conversations. We also regularly see salespeople unable to generate the conversations they need. Limited sales conversations=limited sales opportunities.