A rainmaker is someone who is able to bring an abundance of clients into their practice or business. The term originally referred to traveling showmen in the Old West who were believed to be able to manipulate the weather. They were not, to my knowledge, in possession of magical powers but rather had a more sophisticated understanding of meteorology than the audiences for whom they performed. Using a combination of timing, geography, and theatrics, they could convince others that they were literally making rain. In today's business environment, rainmakers leave their less successful colleagues with the same impression—befuddled amazement as they leverage ordinary resources (24 hours a day and a network of relationships) to an uncanny effect (a downpour of new business). It's not an extraordinary manipulation of the elements. It's a combination of elements that result in extraordinary results.
Here are three of the elements you can use to make some rain of your own:
- Conviction: You will have a hard time attracting people to your practice if you have even the slightest misgivings about the services you or your firm can provide. Focus on your strong suits so you can confidently represent yourself to prospective clients.
- Preparation: Like their namesakes, rainmakers position themselves optimally within their environments. Understand the market trends and business challenges your clients face so you can be in the right places at the right times with the right offerings.
- Persistence: Rain is a funny thing. Sometimes it arrives as expected but just as often it behaves unpredictably. Be prepared to wait it out. Those who do will enjoy the bounty. Those who give up prematurely will miss the event.
Authored by David Ackert
