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

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 ...