The Rainmaking Podcast

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, host Scott Love speaks with Mark Boundy, sales consultant and author of Radical Value, about how professionals can shift the focus from pricing to outcomes in their client conversations. Mark explains that buyers don’t purchase services—they purchase the results those services deliver. He urges professionals to stop viewing price as just another feature and instead position it as the counterbalance to the outcomes they help clients achieve.Mark emphasizes that the best rainmakers ask insightful, outcome-oriented questions that uncover what clients truly value—whether it’s financial gain, risk reduction, or career protection. He explains how to quantify those outcomes in the client’s own terms, making your fees easier to justify and harder to compare. Professionals who co-create value through deep listening and smart questioning, he argues, can win more business at higher margins without relying on discounts. This episode is packed with strategic insights for anyone who wants to sell on value instead of price.https://therainmakingpodcast.com/-------------------------------------------Boundy has grown businesses in a variety of industries by virtue of his relentless focus on uncovering customer value and delivering high-value results.While at W.L. Gore & Associates, Mark began weaving a focus on customer value into Miller Heiman’s complex selling methodologies. This combination grew one of that company’s most competition-threatened products by twenty percent/year…every year…while increasing margins and profits. At Lucent Technologies, Mark applied his customer-value approach; pivoting the world’s first carrier-class VoIP product away from a cost-saving to a platform for delivering applications which had never existed: virtual call centers, virtual office presence — even the first product roadmap for Unified Communications platforms, and being awarded a patent for a multimedia conferencing. Switching to Commercial Finance, he ultimately found his way to GE Capital. Instead of simply selling money–the ultimate commodity, Mark learned each customer’s businesses, in order to deliver unique value to each, with decidedly non-commodity pricing. Mark’s client portfolio was in the top 5% in top-line revenue, while also in the top 5% for profitability. Links for show notes:www.boundyconsulting.com Mark Boundy’s Youtube video channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5-8m00Dx86FTBu9lTEYIGQ?view_as=subscriber https://www.linkedin.com/in/markboundy/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, host Scott Love speaks with Rich Bontrager—also known as “Trigger”—a veteran broadcaster and virtual presentation coach, about how professionals can improve their presence and communication in virtual settings. With over 30 years of experience in broadcasting and public speaking, Rich helps executives and professionals “rock the virtual stage” by using intentional setup, presentation techniques, and confidence-building strategies that translate well on camera.Rich shares practical tips for lighting, audio, camera angles, and green screen use, emphasizing that even simple upgrades—like raising your webcam to eye level, using natural light, or standing during calls—can dramatically improve engagement. He explains how to create a professional, distraction-free background and how to use voice, body language, and pacing to communicate with clarity and impact. This episode is filled with actionable advice for anyone looking to level up their virtual presentations, webinars, and video meetings.https://therainmakingpodcast.com/---------------------------------------Rich Bontrager should be dead at least three times, and yet he has defied the odds medically since birth, through a severe fire accident, liver failure, and transplant in 2017. "Trigger," as he is known, has enjoyed a 30-year career as a sports broadcaster, talk-show host, and now keynote speaker, despite being born with a horrible stutter.With his expertise, Rich now coaches and equips executives, leaders, speakers, and organizations "How To Rock the Stage." With his coaching and programs, Rich coaches and quips leaders how to more effectively share their message via the Virtual Stage more powerfully and entertainingly. As Rich Bontrager believes, "The Virtual Stage is an ever-expanding platform with limitless potential to impact the world…if, you know how to Rock it." Besides running his speaking and coaching company, Rich is currently an Executive Leader with C-Suite Network created by CEO Jeffrey Hayzlett. Where his “How to Rock The Virtual Show” now airs on C-Suite TV Network. * Weekly live Webinar: How to Rock the Virtual StageWhich includes interviews, insights, and practical tips to enhance a person's efforts on the Virtual Stage* I am also available for a FREE 30 min to consult to how I may help you more effectively Rock the Virtual Stagehttps://www.richbontrager.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, host Scott Love speaks with Steve Bell, senior consultant at LawVision and a pioneer in law firm sales strategy, about how the legal industry is evolving in its approach to business development. As the first person to lead a formal sales function at a U.S. law firm, Steve shares insights from his groundbreaking work at Womble Carlyle and his experience leading sales teams at Pricewaterhouse and Grant Thornton. He explains how the profession’s historical resistance to the word “sales” has shifted, with more firms embracing structured business development strategies and investing in experienced sales professionals.Steve discusses the rise of strategic account management in law firms, modeled after successful practices in the accounting industry, and predicts that law firms will increasingly empower business professionals—potentially even as firm owners—as regulatory environments change. He outlines how firms can stay competitive by studying other industries, hiring the right sales talent, and exploring innovative ownership structures. For firm leaders and professionals looking to modernize their approach to client development, this episode offers valuable perspective and practical next steps.https://therainmakingpodcast.com/---------------------------------------------------Steve Bell is a senior consultant at LawVision. A pioneer of law firm sales and marketing, in 2001 he created the legal profession’s first sales function at Womble Carlyle and continued to lead the team for 18 years. He was a longtime leader and was elected as Chair of Lex Mundi’s Marketing and Business Development Committee. Prior to his successful career at Womble, Steve built and led sales forces at Price Waterhouse and Grant Thornton, where he was a partner. This wealth of innovation and in-house experience renders Steve’s advice as leading-edge, pragmatic, practical and grounded in law firm realities. Steve and co-author Silvia Coulter, a principal at LawVision have written and will soon release a new book: SAM-Legal: From Key Clients to Strategic Accounts, A Guide to Law Firm Strategic Account Management.  “You may read more about Steve’s background and experience at https://lawvision.com/consultants/steven-m-bell/   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, host Scott Love speaks with Ari Galper, world-renowned expert in trust-based selling and author of Unlock the Sales Game, about how professionals can remove pressure from the sales process and instead build trust that leads to deeper client relationships and higher conversion rates. Ari shares the origin story behind his sales philosophy and explains that most salespeople unknowingly sabotage deals by focusing too much on outcomes rather than connection.Ari outlines how trust is built not through relationship-building or pitching, but by letting go of the sale, asking better questions, and creating a pressure-free environment where clients feel safe to tell the truth. He introduces powerful trust-based language—like “Where do you think we should go from here?”—that shifts control to the buyer and removes the need for follow-up calls, sales scripts, and chasing. This episode offers a bold, counterintuitive take on selling that empowers professionals to stop persuading and start earning real trust.https://therainmakingpodcast.com/---------------------------------------Ari Galper is the world's most sought after trust-based selling authority and has been featured in CEO Magazine, SkyNews, Forbes, INC Magazine and the Australian Financial Review. As trust rises to the top of business leaders' agendas, Ari's mission is to share his unique approach to creating deep trust in how people sell, so the dreaded act of "chasing" and the painful experience of rejection is eliminated forever - a feat never thought possible, until now.In his best selling book, "Unlock The Sales Game", he describes his revolutionary sales approach based on getting to the truth and why focusing on creating deep trust is 10 times more profitable than chasing elusive buyers. It is specifically for business owners, consultants and sales professionals, who struggle with converting potential clients into paid clients. Many focus on growing their networks, having more conversations ("numbers game"), but converting them into paying clients, remains an elusive mystery. The Unlock The Sales Game premise, is based on humanizing the sales process, in such an elegant and natural way, that the truth quickly emerges between buyer and seller, so the painful and arduous "chasing" process no longer has to happen to make a sale.www.UnlockTheGame.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, host Scott Love speaks with Mike Lejeune, leadership consultant and former executive search firm owner, about the power of “selling with your ears instead of your mouth.” Drawing on decades of experience in recruiting and consulting, Mike emphasizes that effective business development starts with empathy, relevance, and deep listening. He explains how professionals can shift away from pitch-driven conversations and instead focus on the client’s needs, challenges, and emotions—especially in today’s post-pandemic “reset” environment.Mike encourages listeners to prepare for meetings by crafting thoughtful questions rather than rehearsing sales scripts. He shares techniques like summarizing what clients say to confirm understanding, staying fully present in conversations, and uncovering the deeper personal drivers behind business decisions. This client-first approach builds trust and positions professionals as valued advisors, not vendors. With practical takeaways and heart-centered insights, this episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to deepen relationships and close more business by leading with listening.https://therainmakingpodcast.com/---------------------------------------Mike Lejeune has a passion for developing tomorrow’s leaders. Mike delivers keynote addresses, workshops, courses and retreats designed to enhance leadership effectiveness, emotional intelligence, culture shaping and communications.With over 25 years as a leader in the executive search industry, Mike served as President of Stevenson & Company, one of the top search firms in Texas specializing in accounting finance, corporate administration, and information technology serving Fortune 500 corporations, Big 4 accounting firms, and rapidly emerging privately held companies.Website                              https://lightingthepath.netLinkedIn                              https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikelejeuneVirtual Conference         http://win.mikelejeune.com/2021-recruiter-conference  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, host Scott Love continues his conversation with Deb Zahn, management consultant and host of the Craft of Consulting podcast, on the path to closing a deal. Deb shares actionable strategies for moving from a successful client meeting to a signed agreement. She emphasizes that the end of the meeting must include a clear next step—ideally leading to a proposal—and advises professionals to proactively manage time, identify decision-makers, and keep momentum going while interest is high.Deb also explains her approach to proposal writing, recommending a three-tier pricing structure that emphasizes value and gives clients clear options. She shares how to handle objections with empathy, avoid discussing price prematurely, and reinforce your credibility by restating the client’s goals and aligning your services to their outcomes. By focusing on preparation, thoughtful follow-up, and creating high-value experiences, professionals can turn prospects into long-term clients and referrals.https://therainmakingpodcast.com/-------------------------------------------Deb Zahn is a sought-after consultant with 10 years of successful consulting under her belt. As a go-to source in her market, she routinely brings in 6- and 7-figures a year and has built a steady, reliable pipeline of work. Her consulting methods turn her clients into her biggest fans and best marketers. They come back to her again and again and continually send her new clients.As a consultant, Deb is especially known for her ability to cure “decision-making disorders” with individuals and groups. She also has earned a reputation as “The Closer,” the consultant who can get high-value contracts with hard-to-get clients. Over the last decade, she has coached countless new consultants and helped them fast track their success. Recently, Deb helped a new consultant get their first contract—worth over $100,000—only three weeks after Deb started coaching them.She is the host of the Craft of Consulting podcast, which features other successful consultants who share their strategies and insights about building their consulting businesses and delighting their clients as well as consulting clients who share what makes some consultants rise to the top of their hire list.If you want to know more about how to become a consultant, price your services, and get more clients faster, Deb has a wealth of resources to help you, including tools, webinar trainings, online courses, and coaching with Deb: https://www.craftofconsulting.com. Go to “Start Here” for free tools and “Get Help” to dive in deeper and get more help. Also check out Deb’s podcast, the Craft of Consulting wherever you listen to podcasts or on her site: https://www.craftofconsulting.com/podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, host Scott Love speaks with Deb Zahn, seasoned consultant and host of the Craft of Consulting podcast, about how professionals can improve their business development results by preparing more effectively for client meetings and mastering the early stages of closing a deal. Deb explains that closing doesn’t start with the proposal—it begins long before, with selecting the right prospects and doing meaningful prep work to ensure your conversations are targeted, relevant, and engaging.Deb shares how she researches prospects, anticipates objections, and uses strategic questioning to pivot conversations toward problems she can solve. She emphasizes the importance of making meetings easy and valuable for the client—by being fully prepared, speaking their language, and listening more than you talk. Framing the client’s challenges and offering clarity creates trust and positions the consultant as a problem-solver, not a pitch person. This episode is full of actionable insights for professionals who want to close more deals by making every client interaction count.https://therainmakingpodcast.com/----------------------------------------Deb Zahn is a sought-after consultant with 10 years of successful consulting under her belt. As a go-to source in her market, she routinely brings in 6- and 7-figures a year and has built a steady, reliable pipeline of work. Her consulting methods turn her clients into her biggest fans and best marketers. They come back to her again and again and continually send her new clients.As a consultant, Deb is especially known for her ability to cure “decision-making disorders” with individuals and groups. She also has earned a reputation as “The Closer,” the consultant who can get high-value contracts with hard-to-get clients. Over the last decade, she has coached countless new consultants and helped them fast track their success. Recently, Deb helped a new consultant get their first contract—worth over $100,000—only three weeks after Deb started coaching them.She is the host of the Craft of Consulting podcast, which features other successful consultants who share their strategies and insights about building their consulting businesses and delighting their clients as well as consulting clients who share what makes some consultants rise to the top of their hire list.If you want to know more about how to become a consultant, price your services, and get more clients faster, Deb has a wealth of resources to help you, including tools, webinar trainings, online courses, and coaching with Deb: https://www.craftofconsulting.com. Go to “Start Here” for free tools and “Get Help” to dive in deeper and get more help. Also check out Deb’s podcast, the Craft of Consulting wherever you listen to podcasts or on her site: https://www.craftofconsulting.com/podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, host Scott Love speaks with Felix Cao, neuromarketing expert and founder of Happy Buying Brain, about how professionals can apply brain science to improve their messaging and connect more effectively with clients. Felix explains that neuromarketing is the practice of crafting marketing strategies that appeal to the primal brain—the part responsible for fast, subconscious decision-making—and reveals that up to 95% of our decisions are influenced by this part of the brain.Felix outlines six primitive instincts that drive behavior: survival, reproduction, safety, security, sustenance, and status. He shares how messaging that is novel, visual, simple, fast, concrete, and delivered from a high-status position is most likely to resonate with the primal brain. These insights help professionals go beyond logical arguments and create communication that taps into emotional drivers. From branding to website copy and client conversations, Felix offers practical tools for making marketing more persuasive, trustworthy, and neurologically effective.https://therainmakingpodcast.com/----------------------------------------Felix Cao who is a neuromarketing expert and founder of Happy Buying Brain. Felix helps companies apply brain activity measurement strategies to measure buyer’s response to specific products, packaging, advertising and marketing elements. This way companies can save a lot of money by stopping marketing to the wrong part of their customer’s brain, and start implementing strategies that speak to their primal brain. Felix combines his 15 years of marketing experience with his educational background in biological science and psychology to help businesses truly understand what makes their customer’s brains tick when it comes to betterwww.happybuyingbrain.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, host Scott Love speaks with Carol Kaemmerer, LinkedIn branding expert and author of LinkedIn for the Savvy Executive, about how professionals can use LinkedIn more strategically to build credibility, attract opportunities, and stay relevant. Carol shares insights on why a strong, current profile is essential—not just for job seekers, but also for rainmakers, executives, and firm leaders who want to be seen as modern, trustworthy, and aligned with their firm’s brand.Carol explains that LinkedIn is a search engine, and those with sparse or outdated profiles risk being overlooked by clients, talent, and decision-makers. She recommends focusing on three core attributes you want to be known for and weaving them consistently throughout your profile, especially in the headline, about section, and skills. She also highlights new LinkedIn features like the name pronunciation tool and the “featured” section, and advises professionals to regularly engage on the platform to stay visible and top-of-mind. For those serious about business development and leadership presence, this episode offers clear, actionable guidance on making LinkedIn work for you.https://therainmakingpodcast.com/----------------------------------------Internationally recognized executive branding expert, speaker and author of the award-winning book LinkedIn for the Savvy Executive, Carol Kaemmerer creates powerful brand messaging for senior executives and their companies to increase their visibility, influence, and ability to steer their future. A member of the National Speakers Association and certified as a Virtual Presenter by eSpeakers, Carol presents on communicating personal brand and presence online.Amazon Link to my book: LinkedIn for the Savvy Executive https://amzn.to/3ixvqec Carol’s LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolkaemmerer/ Carol’s LinkedIn Company Page – has all of Carol’s monthly articles and weekly postings: https://www.linkedin.com/company/carolkaemmerer.com Carol’s website http://www.carolkaemmerer.com 30-minute LinkedIn assessment: calendly.com/carolkaemmerer/30min  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, host Scott Love speaks with Brandon Fong, entrepreneur and creator of the Magic Connection Method, about how busy professionals can dramatically improve their productivity while building meaningful connections. Brandon shares practical tips for optimizing time through strategies like batching tasks, implementing two-week “sprint charters” to stay focused on key priorities, and minimizing distractions by blocking off uninterrupted workdays.He also explains how to enhance networking efforts with his Magic Connection Method, which involves crafting personalized, high-value outreach messages using a three-step formula: the hook, the irresistible offer, and the no-oriented question. Brandon emphasizes that genuine relationship-building, rather than generic sales tactics, is the key to opening new opportunities. For professionals looking to work smarter, build authentic connections, and stay focused on their most valuable tasks, this episode offers actionable insights.https://therainmakingpodcast.com/--------------------------------------Brandon HATED growing up on the free lunch program at school... but growing up without financial resources taught him to be resourceful. Before the age of 25, Brandon wrote a book, ran the marketing for an education company with over 250,000 students, traveled to 23 different countries, and even did a $45,000 launch on his first online product. Today, he's on a mission to help 10,000 entrepreneurs build wealth through the power of connection while prioritizing their health and relationships.https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonsfongCheck out my site Brandon-Fong.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices