Top 5 Tips to Become a B2B Sales ‘Rainmaker’

sales rainmakerI recently finished reading Jeffrey Fox’s “How to Become a Rainmaker”. It was an excellent book full of information designed to help turn you into a ‘Rainmaker’ – a person who can consistently capture sales and bring revenue into an organization.

Fox espouses philosophies that the Rainmaker should live by, a host of tips to boost your B2B sales skills, and uses insightful stories to illustrate his themes with examples.

Below are my top 5 takeaways to help you boost your startup’s B2B sales and become a B2B sales Rainmaker.

1. Why should this customer do business with you?

A Rainmaker will always ask themselves this question. It is important to consider your offerings from the customer’s perspective to determine what truly matters to them. A Rainmaker does not sell the product or service; the Rainmaker sells the solution to the customer’s problems. To become a Rainmaker remember to always consider the customer’s perspective when deciding how to sell.

2. Maximize your meeting time

Jeffrey explains that an average sales person looks for an icebreaker to a meeting, such as a conversation about a family photo in the office or a trophy on the desk. However, a true Rainmaker does not use an icebreaker. The Rainmaker understands that the prospect has agreed to the meeting to hear about your offerings, not to engage in small talk. The Rainmaker will build a relationship based on professionalism and a demonstration of product knowledge. Break the ice at the end of your sales call.

3. Turn objections in objectives

Customers will always have concerns and objections that must be overcome in order to make a sale. A Rainmaker will always probe for customer objections in order to find a solution that best suits the customers’ needs and eliminate the concerns that may be preventing a sale. Treat an objection as an opportunity and always come prepared to handle common objections.

4. Perform an Investment Return Analysis

ROI calculations can be a powerful selling tool for a Rainmaker. Monetizing your solution and demonstrating to the customer how they stand to gain through savings can be an easy selling point. It is important to note that it is not always the lowest cost product that offers the better ROI. The Rainmaker will look for the true cost of the offering as opposed to just its price.

5. Always go for the sale

The Rainmaker knows that if they don’t make an attempt to sell there will never be a sale. As Wayne Gretzky famously said, “you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Don’t pre-emptively rule out a potential customer before you have even attempted the sale. Remember to ask yourself why the prospect should become a customer then try and earn the sale.

I hope that these top 5 takeaways are able to help you become a better Rainmaker and earn more sales for your growing organization. If you want to learn more about becoming a powerful salesperson, be sure to subscribe to our monthly newsletter for B2B sales tips and advice.

Top 5 Tips to Become a B2B Sales ‘Rainmaker’