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How to Become a Rainmaker: The Rules for Getting and Keeping Customers and Clients (精装)
by Jeffrey J. Fox
| Category:
Selling skills, Customer service, Motivation, Attitude |
| Market price: ¥ 180.00
MSL price:
¥ 158.00
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| Stock:
In Stock |
MSL rating:
 Good for Gifts |
| MSL Pointer Review:
Powerfully simple and practical, Jeffrey Fox's book is one of the most pragmatic texts on the art of selling and closing. |
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AllReviews |
1 Total 1 pages 10 items |
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Barbara Jacobs, USA
<2006-12-22 00:00>
This is an afternoon read, pure and simple. And chances are good that once readers accept Fox's hard-hitting yet commonsense approaches, they'll accept his sales process, which applies, by the way, to selling widgets, promoting intangible services, or selling yourself. Every one of the author's 50 two-page to four-page chapters contains just one nugget of information more than the preceding section, enough to keep the momentum and the attention. A sad story about the hazards of drinking coffee (it spilled - and the prospect was then distracted by a second crisis) is followed by a notice not to eat a major meal during a sales lunch, which is promptly followed by "no pen in the shirt pocket" advice. Fox's seemingly disparate hints and tips, in short, comprise a very logical and memorable way of rainmaking, and a short tome that will show anyone the how-tos. |
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Blaine Greenfield, USA
<2006-12-22 00:00>
A student recently lent me HOW TO BECOME A RAINMAKER by Jeffrey J. Fox and suggested that I might like it… was he ever right! This was one of the best business books I have read in a long time.
The idea behind the book lies in the American Indian tradition of employing a Rainmaker to use magical powers to nourish the crops to feed the people… updating this, a Rainmaker today is a person who brings revenue into an organization (be it profit or not-for-profit).
Even though this premise might sound so basic, it is amazing how many companies tend to forget it… Fox says you mustn't, and he presents a series of simple-to-follow principles that can be applied to a wide variety of situations.
There were many memorable passages, but so as to not overwhelm you with all of them, I'll just present the his series of six "killer" sales questions:
1. When you have the customer on the phone, suggest a meeting and then ask, "Do you have your appointment calendar handy?"
2. The Rainmaker asks the customer, "Will you look at the facts and decide for yourself if they make sense?"
3. [when a competitor is mentioned] You answer exactly as follows: "Yes, that is a good company. Would you like to know our points of difference?"
4. When a customer asks for a product demonstration, the Rainmaker responds as follows: "We would be happy to give you a demonstration. If the demo is successful, is there anything else prohibiting you from going ahead?"
5. To close the sale, to get the final customer commitment, the Rainmaker might say: "You've looked at everything. Your concerns have been answered. Time is of the essence. You've heard our recommendation. Why don't you give it a try?"
6. [always conclude an interview with a customer by asking one killer sales question] The killer sales question is: "What question should I be asking that I am not asking." Variants or follow-up questions, are: "Is there anything I have missed?" "Have I covered everything?" "Have I asked about every details that is important to you?" |
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Wing-Tze Tai, Hong Kong
<2006-12-22 00:00>
Rainmaker, as defined by Fox, is a person who brings revenue from customers and donors into an organization, be it profit or not-for-profit. And rain refers to customers' money. It is good to use "rainmaker" as the metaphor since the book is about how to get and keep customers, which is directly related to the revenue of the organization. And people bringing revenue to the organization can really help it to survive, just like the importance of rain to life. However, some people may think that the use of "rainmaker" is not suitable. No matter it is suitable or not, it can, at least, arouse my interest to read it!
How to become a rainmaker? The answer is to focus on customers. It is true that salespeople should put themselves in the customers' shoes. They need to tell the customers what economic benefits the product will give them and the consequences of not going with the recommended product, rather than how good their products are. It is also important to precall plan for every sales call, talk to customers who want your products, treat everybody you meet as a potential client, try to make the selling attempt?
Many ideas in the book seem to be common sense or quite minor. However, these ideas are really important that people are in general ignorant of. For examples, many salespeople neglect the importance of taking the best seat in a restaurant so as to reduce distractions and make the customers focus on them. They waste time on trying to "break the ice" in just a few minutes for sales. They forget the aim of the appointment: it is not a time to focus on eating lunch.
To be a rainmaker, just read it and put it into practice! |
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Paul Baker, USA
<2006-12-22 00:00>
The pro and con of this book is that it appears to be a list of useful insights for acquiring and maintaining relationships with clients. It is useful in the sense that one need not read the previous 25 rules to implement rule 26. However, a reader desiring a more structured, comprehensive approach might want to look elsewhere. I personally found it to be a good book for reading for a few minutes every day, because I didn't need to necessarily remember all the previous items I had come across. |
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An American reader, USA
<2006-12-22 00:00>
I'm new to sales, so this book was great for me. I got a lot of help from it. I needed to sell my car among few other things, so i decided to go for this book because it didn't look like some sales bible filled with tons of information. I needed some fast information I could use right away, and this is exactly what I got from this book.
I'm guessing that to the seasoned, experienced seller this book would be waste of money and time, but for beginner who needs some fast, to the point information, it will be very helpful.
This is what you find in this book:
- Customers don't care about you, but about themselves and their problems.
- Always plan your sales call, like a sports team plans their strategy. (He tells you how)
- Help them see money. Don't sell the product, sell dollorized value. People would select the product that yield lowest total cost. (I can't explain this, it'll take too much space, read the book, but this is one of the gems from the book.)
- He tells you few "killer" sales questions and explains them, very helpful.
- Don't make cold calls, don't go for "break the ice" introduction (he explains why). |
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Michael Myland, USA
<2006-12-22 00:00>
I was disappointed at first when I received this book. It was too small and slim to be useful, I thought. Wrong! It's full of good ideas and timely reminders for anyone who makes their living from causing and fulfilling other people's buying decisions.
As a consultant (rather than a product salesperson), some of the product-oriented advice wasn't applicable to my practice. The advice to "dollarize" customers' benefits are easier with "hard products" than they are with "soft services," but Fox does not address this challenge.
Those issues aside, I like the short but intense style, with each of the chapters taking little more than 2-3 pages (500-750 words). I remember watching a friend of mine, an antiques dealer, work with a customer. I thought, "He forgot to ask killer sales question number...," letting the customer leave the store even after expressing specific interest in purchaing an item. The book's style allows one to easily remember snippets like the six "killer sales questions" (each with its own chapter).
This is not a huckster's book, either. There's a heavy message of respect for the customer, fair dealing, not wasting time (yours OR your customer's), and attentiveness to the customer's wishes. Rainmakers thrive on relationships, not "quick kill" sales.
Fox also discusses this when addressing prospecting. He recommends prospecting a reasonably small number of targeted customers and investing time and effort in each one. PLan repeat contacts progressing toward a sale. Don't scatter your time and talents all over the board, mistaking effort for accomplishment.
Rainmaker is a valuable addition to my consulting library, and its compact size will make it easy to carry along with me for inspiration and recollection. |
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A Singaporean reader, Singapore
<2006-12-22 00:00>
I am new to the world of sales and for beginners like myself, it's really a good book. I believe that the simple principles taught in this book can make you a great salesperson. It's easy to read and I have learnt quite a lot of things. For those reviewers who claim there are not many interesting things in this book, I am just wondering what are you expecting in a good sales book because if you have reached the 'rainmaker' level as described in this book, what else do you need to know more? Share your thoughts! :) |
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Joseph Maresca, USA
<2006-12-22 00:00>
Read this book if you are a salesperson or desire to succeed in private entrepreneurship. The first and most important rule is to give the customer what he/she wants. The authors encourage readers to treat customers as we would want to be treated- sort of a golden rule applied to sales. It is important to discuss a specific appointment time and date in order to gain access. Salespeople should be attentive to potential "buy signals". Lastly, "fish where the fish go". The authors stress that successful sales require that we socialize with the people who will be making the purchases. The book is a good value for the price charged. |
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Jerry West, USA
<2006-12-22 00:00>
Like any book on sales or marketing, you take what you need to boost your career and leave the rest "on the table". What I loved about this book is the quick read it gave, many of the chapters were a page or two. Many of the reviews here criticize the suggestions made in the book. Simply put, if it doesn't fit for you, don't use it. The power of this book is the advice on no longer making excuses, remembering that a potential client can always be around the corner, and getting good manners is a worthwhile investment.
Jeffrey Fox provides his advice in a format that is an easy read and can be used nearly immediately in your career. I highly recommend this book. |
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Deborah Crawford, USA
<2006-12-22 00:00>
This is a good book for those beginning a sales career--good basic information on "etiquette" and sales that aren't always covered in the orientation.
For sales managers whose teams may have become a little sloppy, it's a good refresher, too.
I like the point system, particularly. While it's not new and there are many similar methods around, this one is easy and will help those who tend to get tied up in non-sales activities to regain their focus.
The "canned" sales questions and tactics do make my skin crawl. I've listened to too many "trained" sales reps who follow the "method" to the point where I can predict their next three questions. And, I've always found the "rapport" part of the sales call useful, whereas Fox seems to advocate an almost abrupt "down-to-business" approach. Different strokes, I suppose.
Overall, I'd recommend it as part of a sales library. |
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1 Total 1 pages 10 items |
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