MAKE IT RAIN; JIMA Rainmaker’s Perspective on - Profitable Predictable Revenue
Growth Over Time…
“Water has been here and some remains”
Profitable Revenue is a commodity with a shelf life
Of the first inquiries by any credible board – - Tell me about Revenue, Profit & New Customer growth
What they are really asking is how is the “period” Forecast (i.e. “the Quarter”)
Many companies survive from past Rainmakers
Mr. Revenue Investigator speaks
Rainmakers ≈ Green $$$
Step 0 – A plan to show how much is needed throughout the year. (Create Sales Budget)
Step 1 – Make Revenue Predictable Step 2 – Make Revenue Repeatable Step 3 – Make Revenue Sustainable
Sales Budget – How Much Rain?
What would be the perfect & probable amount of revenue each time period based on capacity to serve or capacity to make?
Be SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Tactical (Actionable & Assumptive)
Revenue Predictability Once there is a selling team in place,
vocabulary is critical (“it looks good!” is bad) Vocabulary becomes the methodology behind
the selling process – Opportunity? Compete? Win? Worth Winning? Right Resources & Strategy?
Win Rate, Targets, Dominance within Targets fall out of vocabulary, methodology & process
The man with more money than brains tries to sell everybody, the man with more brains than money markets to Targets, closes with sales
1
Revenue Repeatability How can I build a Profitable Revenue
Operating System (PROS - not talking about IT O/S)
What is the Targeted Prospect looking for and what convictions do they have about options
How do I create Traffic to hear our stories? How do I nurture their interest? How do I create a buying cycle and “use”
experience they discuss positively in the market?
How do I improve the PROS & take out cost?
2
Revenue Sustainability Critical discussion in every company… Highlights of building it right include
Idea collection from everyone & everywhere Constant Communication on “their” ideas Ideas grouped to Business Cases Business Cases to Approval process Approval to Market to Two Launches
Internal Launch is key External Launch is key
Launch to End of Life (EOL) Many great resources including Discovery-
based Planning, Chasm, Stage-Gate, etc. & hard work ☻
3
Making an Impact over time
100 days – 1st 3+ months = effort, learning, time management & will to win
1,000 days – 3+ years = Relevance, Leads, Vocabulary, High Value Listening &WOMM
10,000 days – 25+ years = Brand
Promise fulfilled through every customer touch…
Always Tell the Truth Like in doctrine & dogmas, there exists
a “hierarchy” of truths as they vary in relationship to the source…
The truth is the truth even if the majority do not believe it
Teach your sales and marketing teams to tell the truth, but
Remember to great quotes of Ogilvy: “Lie them to the truth” - and - “You wouldn’t tell lies to your wife, don’t
tell them to mine”
Avoid “Acid Rain” - Rainmakers
We all know the stories, we’ve all seen the stories…
The actions and beliefs that enslave sales professionals will eventually reflect on your company – don’t fool yourself…
Acid Rainmaker’s Hall of Fame is another name for the Business Hall of Shame
We all know the stories, we’ve all seen the stories…
Some Final Thoughts
Should we start with Marketing, Sales, Business Development, Channels, Products, Services or Research first?
"Take care of the little things - and the big things take care of themselves.“ Joe Paterno (1926 - __) Penn State football coach & legend
YESYES
Final Thought (for now) People buy for emotional reasons, how do they see their situation after
the sale… Help them see!
People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care… Sales Leaders understand the critical role of truly caring
Which is best to compete on economics, terms and conditions, product superiority, project superiority, impact on “their industry segment, customer specific business and process?
"Perseverance is more prevailing than violence; and many things which cannot be overcome when they are taken together, yield themselves up when taken little by little." Plutarch (46 - 120) Greek philosopher
YESYES