Secrets of Great Rainmakers: The Keys to Success and Wealth

by Jeffrey J. Fox

Book Overview

In Secrets of Great Rainmakers, you'll learn how to outsmart the competition and set yourself apart from the pack. In over 50 interviews with industry leaders from a wide variety of fields, bestselling author Jeffrey J. Fox will share the proven techniques and hard-won wisdom that have helped great rainmakers get ahead, along with his trademark brand of counterintuitive insight and commentary that have made his books so popular.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1401301576
• ISBN13: 9781401301576
• Release Date: March 2006
• Publisher: Hachette Books
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.3" x 7.8"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

After a Year the results speak

I read these reviews for help ascertaining the practical usefulness of a sales book. The thousands of reviews written by fellow authors which abound throughout the review on business/sales books I discount as completely worthless, authors scratching each others backs. Then there are the reviews by all the folks that know nothing of what sales is like in the real trenches of belly to belly selling. Worthless as well. Then the reviews by so called sales people and sales managers that is their opinion of the book being a "good" book or a "bad" book, that have suggestions, systems, etc. that they deem worthy or unworthy based on nothing more then their decree. No help for a salesman looking to better his skills and productivity. I started last January and used the dollarization principle as part of every sales process for the year. This single principal drove my closing rate into the 90 percentile (93%) when presenting to the decision maker. My closing rate dropped to 76% when I have been forced to "sell by messenger" (i.e. selling my messenger occurred at times due to my own failure to present only to the final decision maker). I also specifically used the principal regarding a "shot on goal" to close my biggest sale of the year which paid me a commission of a little under $12,000. I use Mr. Fox's magic appointment setting words that make setting appointments with qualified prospects a natural, zero stress process (next time you have some one on the phone you have qualified and would like to meet just say the magic words..."do you have your calendar handy?" Direct, to the point and works in setting appointments with folks you want to see. I've read libraries of sales books and my personal feeling has always been that if I pick up just one tip that helps close a sale the book was worth while. Well the rain maker books did that and much more for me. Here are the stats after 1 yr. on a national sales team of 37 sales reps, B2B, financial industry: * Sales ranking went from 3 in the country to number 1 (4th person in country has 30% of the sales volume as number 3) * Sales increase 2006 to 2007; 89% increase in sales * 46% increase in income in 2007 over 2006 So hopefully this was a little more helpful as a review for my friends that are shoulder to shoulder with me in the frontlines of selling.

Great Reading

This is the second Jefferey J Fox book I've read, and it's as a good as the first. Great real-world examples. Easy to read. I highly recommend everyone read it.

Crazy like a fox

Mr. Fox's books are straight to the point. He doesn't spend a lot of time trying to help you decide if you want to be a Rainmaker, he just tells you how to do it. By learning to use killer questions and dollarize you can get what you want. I am not in sales directly, but have applied the techniques to move on in my career.

Useful stuff, much of what you won't find elsewhere!

HOW TO BECOME A RAINMAKER by Jeffrey J. Fox is one of my all-time favorite books on selling . . . if you're in that field or know somebody who is, do that person a big favor and get him or her a copy . . . they'll be forever grateful. I recently heard the follow-up, SECRETS OF GREAT RAINMAKERS--written and read by Fox . . . for this latest effort, he conducted over 50 interviews with industry leaders from a variety of field . . . .he then shares what he learned in a series of short chapters that all contain very powerful messages. The amazing thing about Fox is that he takes what can be a difficult task and makes it relatively simple, provided that you listen to his advice . . . what makes it so interesting is that much of what he shares can't be found elsewhere. For example, he tells you not to knock your competition . . . for if you do, you're telling your customer that he or she is stupid for considering somebody else. He also presents "killer questions" that can be helpful in selling anything, such as: * In addition to yourself, who is responsible for making this decision happen in your country? And what might be their concerns about going ahead? * [when a customer has a question] Why do you ask? And how important is it to you? There were many other memorable tidbits, including: * In a sales call, the customer should do 80% of the talking. * Play Rolodex Roulette at least once a month. Give it a spin, pick some names, call some of them. * Always use an intriguing postscript. * The phone call never sells anything. * Only after you get the order can you ask a non-business question. * 90% of salespeople don't ask for the order. * Always ask for something on a visit; e.g., a tour of the facility. If you're the one being asked to take a tour, that's a buy signal. * Take handwritten notes on every call. Then summarize your notes in a follow-up letter to the customer. * Don't mail your proposal. A good proposal, well written, has a 15-18% winning percentage. Good proposals, when presented in person, have a 55-65% winning percentage. * People who ask for the sale in person have four times the chance of getting it than those who don't. And my personal favorite: * In the future, some power point presenter will be arrested for boring the customer to death!

Great basic sales stuff

This book is a great continuation of the first Rainmaker book. It contains all the basic do's and don'ts that sales people often forget.