Rainmaking Conversations

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 SellingSM methodology has helped tens of thousands of people lead powerful sales conversations and achieve breakthrough sales performance. Start bridging the gap between "e;hello"e; and profitable relationships today.

Conversations make or break everything in sales. Every conversationyou have is an opportunity to find new prospects, win newcustomers, and increase sales. Rainmaking Conversationsprovides a proven system for leading masterful conversations thatfill the pipeline, secure new deals, and maximize the potential ofyour account.Rainmaking Conversations offers a research-basedfield-tested, and practical selling approach that will help youmaster the art of the sales conversation. This proven systemrevolves around the acronym RAIN, which stands for RapportAspirations and Afflictions, Impact, and New Reality. You'll learnhow to ask your prospects and clients the right questions, and helpthem set the agenda for success.Armed with the knowledge of the markets you serve, the commonneeds of prospects, and how your products and services can helpyou can become a trusted advisor to your clients during and afterthe sale. With the RAIN system, you'll be able to:* Build rapport and trust from the first contact* Create conversations with prospects, referral sources, andclients using the telephone, email, and mail* Uncover the real need behind client challenges* Make the case for improved business impact and return oninvestment (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, includingmoney* Craft profitable solutions and close the dealThe world-class RAIN Selling¯SM methodology has helpedtens of thousands of people lead powerful sales conversations andachieve breakthrough sales performance. Start bridging the gapbetween "hello" and profitable relationships today.

Acknowledgments ixPart One Getting Ready to Make RAIN 11 Introduction 32 The Most Important Conversation You'll Ever Have 193 Goal and Action Planning: Making the Most Rain 274 Understanding and Communicating Your Value Proposition 35Part Two RAIN Selling Key Concepts 495 Rapport 516 Aspirations and Afflictions 597 Impact 718 New Reality 859 Balancing Advocacy and Inquiry 9510 Digging Deep into Needs: The Five Whys 10711 16 Principles of Influence in Sales 11512 Tips for Leading Rainmaking Conversations 135Part Three Maximizing Your RAIN Selling Success 15313 Prospecting by Phone: Creating Rainmaking Conversations 15514 Handling Objections 18115 Closing Opportunities, Opening Relationships 19516 What You Need to Know to Sell 20517 Planning Each Rainmaking Conversation 21518 How to Kill a Sales Conversation 22119 Putting RAIN in Your Forecast 237Appendix and Online Resources 239About RAIN Group 257About RainToday.com 258RainToday.com Membership 259About the Authors 260Index 262