In every group there are one or two unique individuals, or rainmakers, that stand out. These are the leaders in the group. The person that other’s trust, respect, and follow. When they talk, people listen. They are both confident and fearless. They’re the ones that are willing to take the risk. The people that make things happen. When a rainmaker makes a move, others watch carefully. Once the risk is minimized the followers join the club.
Of all the people in your RMR (Relationship Management Report which includes all past clients, advocates, and your sphere of influence), rainmakers can have the greatest impact on your business. When they decide to move, buy a second home, or take a chance, they encourage others to join them. When a rainmaker buys a home, they refer dozens of other people that could also buy from you. Because rainmakers shape the “Herd Mentality,” they can be the best people to help you grow your business. When you successfully represent a rainmaker, they believe in you and trust you. By asking for their help to grow your business, most rainmakers are happy to help because they enjoy helping other people succeed.
Rainmakers can include:
– Family members
– Attorneys
– Business associates
– Friends
– Business leaders
– Civic leaders
– Your best clients
– People that you do business with or who you give referrals to
One of the best ways to prospect is with your rainmakers because one rainmaker can be responsible for referring several clients to you in any given year. Your rainmakers should be near the top of your prospecting list every week. When you are determining who to contact each week, you should include face-to-face and phone conversations with several of these people. Specific examples include:
– Power lunches
– Social invitations
– Regular phone conversations
– Thank you notes prior to meeting the person they referred
– Courtesy updates
– Market update mailings
Because rainmakers can help generate millions of dollars in sales you must be sure to include activities that involve your Rainmakers every week.
A great phrase to use to ask rainmakers to help you grow your business is as follows:
“Mike, I’m glad you’re happy with my service. I’d like to ask for your help. As you can see I spend almost all of my time providing the highest level of service to my clients. That leaves me little or no time to grow my business. Who do you know that may be thinking of buying or selling? If you happen to come across anyone, Please Don’t Keep Me A Secret. Fair enough?”
This phrase should only be used when value has been received by the rainmaker and the value is recognized. For example, the value is recognized when your client tells you what a great job you’ve done.