Mike Schultz

John E. Doerr

How the Best Firms Build Premier Brands, Thriving Lead Generation Engines, and Cultures of Business Development Success

Professional Services Marketing

Erica Schultz

When their five-year-old son fought for his life, business leaders Erica and Mike Schultz learned a new way to live, work, and succeed—discovering how to achieve extreme productivity with heart and purpose. Ari Schultz was an extraordinary baby, beginning life in a pitched battle against heart disease. The same year, his parents launched their business, and they had to keep it going strong, even while living full-time at the hospital for months on end. For the next five years, Erica and Mike Schultz learned how to balance the demands of their jobs, commuting to the hospital, and spending time with their growing family—along the way, noting the tricks and techniques that allowed them to get work done, even while living in the cardiac ICU and later through heartbreaking loss. After reflection and recovery, Mike and Erica codified their method of coping and working, and set out to study the work habits of extremely productive people. They discovered what extremely productive people do differently than everyone else, and went on to create The Productivity Code—a new approach to productivity that has helped tens of thousands of people manage their time for greatest effectiveness, fulfillment, and happiness. Now, Erica and Mike reveal the 9 Habits of Extreme Productivity along with easy-to-apply techniques, including: • How to stay focused—and positive—even in difficult times • Clearly defining your motivations through written goals and four-three-four planning • Helpful hacks to stop procrastinating • How to disrupt unproductive thought cycles and break bad habits for good • Changing your mindset to prioritize time doing things you love • Setting boundaries and saying no to tasks that don't serve you • Tricks to become impossible to distract • Working in powerful planned "sprints" to get in the zone • Finding ways to refuel your mental and physical energy • Resetting and correcting when you've gone off course Interweaving their son's poignant story with effective productivity and happiness strategies, Not Today shows how anyone can better manage their time—while living a more energetic and meaningful life.

The 9 Habits of Extreme Productivity

Not Today

how the best firms build premiere brands, thriving lead generation engines, and cultures of business development success

Professional services marketing

Lee Frederiksen

A proven approach to revenue-generating marketing and client development Professional Services Marketing is a fully field-tested and research-based approach to marketing and client development for professional services firms. The book, now in its Second Edition, covers five key areas that are critical for firms that want to grow and become more profitable: creating a marketing and growth strategy; establishing a brand and reputation; implementing a marketing communications program; executing lead generation strategies; and developing business by winning new clients. You will also read real-world case studies that illustrate major points, as well as quotes and stories from well-respected professionals in the industry. The Second Edition features new research and updates throughout, including new chapters on social media and online marketing, as well as new case studies and interviews Authors Mike Schultz and John E. Doerr are the coauthors of the Wall Street Journal and Inc. Magazine bestseller Rainmaking Conversations and Professional Services Marketing; Lee W. Frederiksen is coauthor of Online Marketing for Professional Services Will be widely promoted via multiple online routes and direct mail marketing Firms of any size can use this proven approach to marketing and client development to attract new clients and grow their professional service businesses.

Conversations make or break everything in sales. Every conversation you have is an opportunity to find new prospects, win new customers, and increase sales. Rainmaking Conversations provides a proven system for leading masterful conversations that fill the pipeline, secure new deals, and maximize the potential of your account. Rainmaking Conversations offers a research-based, field-tested, and practical selling approach that will help you master the art of the sales conversation. This proven system revolves around the acronym RAIN, which stands for Rapport, Aspirations and Afflictions, Impact, and New Reality. You'll learn how to ask your prospects and clients the right questions, and help them set the agenda for success. Armed with the knowledge of the markets you serve, the common needs of prospects, and how your products and services can help, you can become a trusted advisor to your clients during and after the sale. With the RAIN system, you'll be able to: Build rapport and trust from the first contact Create conversations with prospects, referral sources, and clients using the telephone, email, and mail Uncover the real need behind client challenges Make the case for improved business impact and return on investment (ROI) for your prospects Understand and communicate your value proposition Apply the 16 principles of influence in sales Overcome and prevent all types of objections, including money Craft profitable solutions and close the deal The world-class RAIN SellingSM methodology has helped tens of thousands of people lead powerful sales conversations and achieve breakthrough sales performance. Start bridging the gap between "hello" and profitable relationships today.

Influence, Persuade, and Sell in Any Situation

Rainmaking Conversations

Delves into the details and specifics of “Rain Selling,” a strategy for making sales used by the Rain Group that encompasses three levels of contact and follow-up that resulted in over $3.1 billion in annual purchases: Connect, Convince and Collaborate.

Surprising Research on What Sales Winners Do Differently

Insight Selling

What do winners of major sales do differently than the sellerswho almost won, but ultimately came in second place? Mike Schultz and John Doerr, bestselling authors andworld-renowned sales experts, set out to find the answer. Theystudied more than 700 business-to-business purchases made by buyerswho represented a total of $3.1 billion in annual purchasing power.When they compared the winners to the second-place finishers, theyfound surprising results. Not only do sales winners sell differently, they sellradically differently, than the second-place finishers. In recent years, buyers have increasingly seen products andservices as replaceable. You might think this would meanthat the sale goes to the lowest bidder. Not true! A new breed ofseller—the insight seller—is winning the sale withstrong prices and margins even in the face of increasingcompetition and commoditization. In Insight Selling, Schultz and Doerr share thesurprising results of their research on what sales winners dodifferently, and outline exactly what you need to do to transformyourself and your team into insight sellers. They introduce asimple three-level model based on what buyers say tip the scales infavor of the winners: Level 1 "Connect." Winners connect the dots betweencustomer needs and company solutions, while also connecting withbuyers as people. Level 2 "Convince." Winners convince buyers that they canachieve maximum return, that the risks are acceptable, and that theseller is the best choice among all options. Level 3 "Collaborate." Winners collaborate with buyers bybringing new ideas to the table, delivering new ideas and insights,and working with buyers as a team. They also found that much of the popular and current advicegiven to sellers can damage sales results. Insight Sellingis both a strategic and tactical guide that will separate the goodadvice from the bad, and teach you how to put the three levels ofselling to work to inspire buyers, influence their agendas, andmaximize value. If you want to find yourself and your team in thewinner's circle more often, this book is a must-read.

Matt Higgins

A high-octane memoir of unflappable determination from an X-Games and Paralympics champion When "Monster" Mike Schultz won snowboarding gold in Pyeongchang, South Korea, it was the culmination of a decade of reinvention, in every sense of the word. Ten years earlier he'd lain bleeding on the side of a mountain after a devastating snowmobile accident. Now he stood tall on the Paralympic podium, supported by a prosthetic knee and foot of his own creation. Driven to Ride chronicles Schultz's improbable journey following a lifesaving amputation. From a place of debilitating pain and depression, he tapped into the same sense of adventure that had once taken him to the top of competitive snowmobile racing and followed it to the pinnacle of an entirely new sport: adaptive snowboarding. As he launched himself into the world of adaptive sports, Schultz's ambition was only tempered by his need for better equipment—prostheses that could withstand the vibrations of a motocross bike or the impact of rough terrain. His obsessive tinkering, without any formal engineering background, has presented yet another new path designing innovative prostheses for athletes and wounded military veterans. Inspiring and thrilling in equal measure, this is a singular story of uncommon strength, ingenuity, and seizing golden opportunities.

Mike Schultz

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