Membership Benefits:

Join Rainmakers now to start meeting the people you need to know and learn new strategies to grow your business.  As a member of the fastest growing business networking organization in the Midwest, you will get free access to over 40 events every month where you will develop the relationships that drive your business.

Tangible-

• You get to come to all monthly morning and evening Rainmakers events for FREE!
• You get to come to all Members Only events for FREE!
• You get a discounted price for all Rainmakers Special Events.
• You get MONTHLY training FREE! (Whiteboard Sessions that teach you how to utilize your membership
• You get a Membership Kit containing: A framed membership certificate, a Rainmakers Directory, a Rainmakers Membership Card, free passes to invite a friend or colleague to the next Rainmakers meeting, member discounts and all kinds of surprise goodies.

Intangible-

The Shaman’s Guide to Being a Rainmaker
We want you to get the maximum benefit from your Rainmakers experience. Many people have gone before you. You can benefit from the combined knowledge of individuals who have learned what works and what doesn’t

1.) Sharpen Your Focus

What exactly do you do and who exactly is your customer. Other Rainmakers cannot refer you if they do not have a clear idea of both your clients and your services.

Bad – "I am a technology consultant"

Better – "I specialize in technology support for companies that do not have an IT staff"

Best – "I offer IT support for companies with no IT staff. My ideal client is an accounting firm with between 10 and 40 employees"

In the ideal scenario, Rainmakers will immediately think of the right connection between the right people, in the right businesses.

2.) Find your Power Circle


Your power circle contains the people you work with to add value to your clients. The ideal person is someone that:




• You like
  
• You trust
  
• Offers services that compliment yours
  
• Services a similar market



An example of a good power circle:




• A graphic designer
  
• A web developer
  
• A marketing consultant
  
• A software developer
  
• A hardware support specialist
  
• A phone systems vendor
  
• A phone service and bandwidth provider



Assume that each person in our power circle has 50 clients. Working together, this power circle would have a combined client base of 350 clients, while each member could offer better solutions to their core client base by drawing on the expertise of both their power circle, and the outside relationships held by members within the power circle.

3.) Don’t try and "sell" other Rainmakers

Rainmakers know the difference between selling and building relationships. If you try to sell your services before you establish a relationship, your chances of a sale are slim. Remember that the referrals that come out of a lasting business relationship will far outweigh a quick hit sale to another Rainmaker.

4.) You have fewer competitors than you think

Do not be discouraged that there are many Rainmakers in your field. Sharpen your focus and understand the target market of everyone in your field. Consider the real life example of three financial planners:






• Financial Planner #1 – Focuses on high net worth individuals
  
• Financial Planner #2 – Focuses on recently divorced women
  
• Financial Planner #3 – Focuses on retirees

When taking target markets into account, these three financial planners do not compete for business, and actually could be the basis for a strong power circle.

5.) Get Personal

Find Rainmakers with common interests. Get together outside of normal Rainmaker events. Find out about people’s families, hobbies, and goals. Have more fun and do business with people you like.

6.) Customer Service

Do your best work for anyone referred by another Rainmaker. Remember that another Rainmaker has staked their reputation on your quality of service. You will have worked hard to develop the types of relationships that generate referrals. Don’t blow it with sloppy execution.

7.) Follow Up on Promising Partnerships

Follow up is the most important step in getting value from relationships. Follow these tips to get the maximum value for your time.

 

• Meet someone you think you can work with at Rainmakers. This requires more pre-qualification than handing them your business card and walking away. After all, you may be investing additional time in the relationship.
  
• Call the person you would like to partner with and set up a follow-up meeting. This is a key part to establishing a business relationship. Many people forget this step.
  
• Pick a time and place where you will not be rushed and can focus on the meeting.
  
• Ask questions. Take notes. Focus more on understanding their business than talking about your own. No one ever learned anything by talking.
  
• Find out the profile of their perfect client, the one that brings the maximum long -term value to their company.
  
• Find out the profile of their perfect prospect, the one where there is a clear value proposition, good margins, and a slam-dunk close for the sale.
  
• Create actionable items and write them down. If there is no fit, think of other businesspeople that may be a fit and make the connection.
  
• Execute. Nothing pleases a potential partner more than really strong execution. After all, they may be staking their reputation on your work.
  
• Follow Up. Don’t waste all the time and effort invested to this point by letting the relationship die. It may be months before the first opportunity comes along to work together. Be patient and keep in touch.