The Bookworm Club: How To Become A Rainmaker by Jeffrey Fox

  I think I first heard about this book from Justin & Mary. And if I didn't, well, I think that they would definitely enjoy this read;) I read it on our way to Napa this past spring. I needed inspiration, I needed encouragement, I needed a swift kick in the rear end. Enter How To Become A Rainmaker by Jeffrey Fox.

This book is a no nonsense look at how to develop strong and real relationships in your business life that leads to growth and success. While it is a quick and easy read, the topics discussed in this book are huge and can have an amazing impact on your business. At 50 chapters the books reads like a list of rules of "getting and keeping customers and clients." The inside jacket of the book reads "Rainmakers are not born. They are made." It takes work and determination to create a successful business and it's often the little things that we overlook that can make the biggest impact on that success. What are you doing to make it rain in your business? What little things are you doing to go the extra mile in your business relationships?

As always, I'll share my top five take away points from the book. I highly recommend that you grab a copy for yourself. Tackle one chapter and start implementing those ideas into your business today.

How To Become A Rainmaker by Jeffery Fox:

• "Always answer the question why should the customer do business with us?" -- It's a HARD question to answer and I immediately felt convicted that I haven't spent nearly as much time on this question as I should. Mostly because it's a hard. It requires a deep look at yourself and your business, which can often times be painful or discouraging. But the end result of such a task will reap benefits far beyond what you can imagine.
• "Earthquakes don't count." -- Rainmakers work hard. They don't make excuses for why a project wasn't accomplished or a goal wasn't met. Like I said, swift kick in the rear end. Fox doesn't sugar coat anything and that is exactly what I needed to hear. How many times do I say there are not enough hours in the day but yet find enough time to spend onFacebook? Exactly. Rainmakers don't make excuses, they run and work hard to see tasks and goals accomplished. There are no excuses to living your dream.
• "Treat everyone you meet as a potential client." Rainmakers are polite and courteous to everyone. Everyone is a potential client. Whether waiting in line at the post office or stuck in traffic on the highway they treat everyone with respect. Oh, how it easy it is for my red headed hot tempered ways get the best of me (especially in traffic, at rush hour). But I do see that as a Rainmaker, I need to realize that potential clients are everywhere. My reputation as a business owner and as a brand depends on how I treat others, even when I'm in a bad mood (and I think no one is watching).
• "Always be on high receive" -- I think one tendency we might have as experts (photographers) is that we like to tell people what we know. We like to share our knowledge with our clients. But Fox states that we have to be careful to also listen to our clients, to hear what they are saying, to take an active role as listener in each of our conversations with our clients. "Your job is to listen to your customers, to ask interesting questions." "Rainmakers focus on the customers. Rainmakers give individual attention. To the Rainmaker the customer is king and the sales call is an invitation to the king's court." -- Exactly.
• "Here's my card." -- I have to admit that I am not one who is extremely comfortable with the idea of talking about myself. Writing the bio page to my website was one of the hardest things I have had to do. Because really, who likes a person who likes to talk about themselves? When it comes time to hand out business cards I can often find myself shrinking away, as if handing out a business card is some how bragging on myself. Dumb I know, but in all honesty, it's hard to promote your business when your business is focused on you! So this chapter was an encouragement to me. Don't be afraid to hand out your business card. Give them away freely all the time. As Fox says, "Business cards are to get and keep customers." Duh, I know.

I cannot recommend this book enough. This will be a book that sits on my desk for daily inspiration. And because I want YOU to be able to experience a dose of daily inspiration, I am giving away one copy of the book to a lucky reader. Just comment below with your favorite piece of advice that someone has shared with you. I'll announce the winner on the blog tomorrow. Happy Reading!