How to become a rainmaker: Timeless lessons for business success
- Rita
- Jun 13
- 5 min read
A Book Recommendation from NETO Innovation
“Rainmakers don’t sell products. They sell solutions. They sell trust. They make it rain.” - Jeffrey J. Fox
In innovation, survival depends on momentum. You can’t rely on yesterday’s wins, no matter how impressive they were. Each project, each funding call, each market shift demands fresh energy and renewed commitment. Whether you’re scaling an SME, launching disruptive technologies, or crafting a Horizon Europe proposal that stands out in a sea of competition, one ability will set you apart: the power to continuously attract clients, partners, and new opportunities. This isn’t a nice-to-have skill. It’s the driving force that pushes your ideas forward and ensures they reach their full potential.
This is why How to Become a Rainmaker by Jeffrey J. Fox deserves a spot on your desk and on our Book Recommendations list at NETO Innovation.
Why this book matters
Let’s start with the word “rainmaker.” It comes from the world of sales and professional services. A rainmaker is the person who brings in the business, lands the deals, fills the pipeline, drives growth. Without rainmakers, companies dry up.
In a world where many professionals focus inward - on R&D, product development, execution - How to Become a Rainmaker offers a clear, concise manual for turning outward and mastering the skills that bring in opportunities.
Fox’s book is structured as a series of very short, punchy chapters, each focused on a “rule” or principle. You can read a chapter in under 3 minutes, yet many will stick with you for years.
What makes this book stand out is its relentless practicality. There are no long theories about buyer psychology or sales funnels. Instead, you get actionable reminders of what works: behaviors, attitudes, and habits that drive trust, relationships, and ultimately sales.
Whether you are a CEO, a sales manager, a project leader, an entrepreneur, or an innovation consultant, these are principles you can use every single day.
How to Become a Rainmaker: Key principles from the book
Sell outcomes, not products
One of the first and most powerful reminders in the book is this: Rainmakers don’t sell products. They sell results. Too often, sellers (especially technical experts) fall in love with features and specs. They talk about inputs. Clients care about outputs.
A business does not buy a software package. It buys efficiency, cost savings, or competitive advantage.
A city does not buy a new energy storage system. It buys resilience, reliability, and public trust.
A healthcare provider does not buy a wearable device. It buys better patient outcomes and reduced hospital readmissions.
This principle forces us to speak the language of impact, not technology. For anyone writing grant proposals or building innovation projects, this is gold: evaluators and funders want to understand the value your work will deliver, to citizens, markets, and society.
Speed wins
Fox is emphatic on this point: Responsiveness is a powerful competitive advantage. In sales and business development, the person who responds first - clearly, thoughtfully, and professionally - gains trust.
Many deals are won simply because one party moved faster than the others.
In an age of constant busyness, it is easy to let emails or messages sit for days. Rainmakers discipline themselves to respond with urgency.
It is a simple rule, yet many professionals violate it daily. Read this book, and you will likely find yourself moving faster and winning more.
Help - Don’t sell!
Fox champions the mindset of service: the goal of a rainmaker is to help the client achieve their goals. Selling happens naturally when trust and value are established.
This is a refreshing antidote to the manipulative sales techniques that often dominate business literature. Rainmakers ask:
What does this client truly need?
How can I help them succeed whether or not it benefits me in the short term?
This mindset aligns perfectly with the modern world of innovation, where long-term relationships and ecosystem partnerships matter more than short-term deals.
Underpromise, Overdeliver
This is perhaps the oldest rule in the service business and still one of the most violated.
Fox reminds us: Manage expectations carefully. Then exceed them.
When clients feel they are getting more than they expected - better service, faster delivery, higher quality - they become loyal advocates.
Too many professionals, especially in the world of innovation, do the opposite: they overpromise in pitches or grant applications and struggle to deliver. This damages trust.
Rainmakers, by contrast, build trust by consistently delivering more than they promise. This principle builds reputations that last.
Master the Rolodex
In the pre-digital era, a “Rolodex” was a physical directory of business contacts. Fox uses this term broadly: rainmakers understand that their network is their most valuable asset.
Every conversation, every introduction, every LinkedIn connection, every conference interaction is an opportunity to build relationships.
Rainmakers nurture their network continuously, not just when they “need something.” They become known as connectors and trusted resources.
In the innovation space, where funding cycles come and go, and consortium partners are essential, this is a particularly relevant principle. The stronger your network, the more resilient and opportunity-rich your career will be.
How to Become a Rainmaker: Tactics that make a difference
Beyond these big themes, How to Become a Rainmaker is packed with small, actionable rules that you can implement immediately. Here are just a few more gems:
Rule of three: Always have at least three ways to contact a prospect (email, phone, referral, LinkedIn). Don’t rely on a single channel.
First impressions matter: The first 30 seconds of an interaction set the tone. Be prepared and professional.
Follow up religiously: Many opportunities are lost simply because people fail to follow up. Rainmakers never let this happen.
Ask for referrals: Satisfied clients are your best source of new business. But you must ask, graciously and systematically.
Mind your manners: Simple things, saying thank you, remembering names, sending handwritten notes, differentiate rainmakers in a world of transactional behavior.
How to Become a Rainmaker: Who should read this book
You might be thinking: “I’m not in sales, is this book for me?”
The answer is yes: If your work depends in any way on winning clients, funding, partners, or collaborators.
That covers a vast range of roles:
Entrepreneurs and startup founders.
Innovation consultants.
Project coordinators.
University researchers seeking funding.
Business development professionals.
SME owners.
Anyone navigating partnerships, alliances, or client relationships
In short, if your work involves convincing others to work with you, trust you, or fund you, this book is relevant.
Final thoughts
At fewer than 200 pages, How to Become a Rainmaker is a fast read. But do not be fooled by its brevity. This is a book to revisit regularly, especially when your pipeline feels thin or when a big opportunity is at stake.
What I appreciate most about this book is its clarity and timelessness. In a world obsessed with complexity and the latest tools, Fox brings us back to fundamentals that always work:
Serve others.
Move fast.
Deliver more than promised.
Build relationships.
Focus on outcomes.
If you adopt even a handful of the principles in this book, you will likely see measurable results, not just in sales, but in trust, reputation, and long-term success.
And if you are part of the innovation ecosystem, where competition for attention and funding is intense, mastering these rainmaker skills can make all the difference between a great idea that languishes… and one that gets fully supported and brought to life.
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Keep learning. Keep innovating. Keep making it rain.
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