Customer Reviews

The Reluctant Rainmaker: A Guide for Lawyers Who Hate Selling

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When I practiced law several years ago as a young associate, another associate reeled in a large client and I thought, "How did she do that?!" It seemed like such a mysterious process. Well I recently spoke with her about that and it turns out she too thinks rainmaking is a mysterious process! (She explained that she got that client because a law school roommate served as in-house counsel for the company.)

After reading Julie's book, the rainmaking process will be demystified. You will know exactly what needs to be done, why it needs be done, and how it needs to be done. It's all laid out for you in a step-by-step guide. And most importantly, you will now be motivated to take consistent action.

What makes Julie's book stand out in particular is that she doesn't just throw a bunch of strategies at you. Sure, she shares strategies but first she makes sure that you understand why rainmaking is so important for your career, especially in the tumultuous times in which we live. She explains the importance of having a plan and walks you through how to create one. Then and only then does she dig into strategies, so now you're selecting strategies that will actually help you accomplish your own individualized goals. (As it turns out, the colleague I mentioned above who brought in the big client--staying in touch with law school classmates is one of the strategies in the book, so my colleague was practicing rainmaking without even knowing it. Not all of us are that intuitive; yet another reason we need this book.) The Reluctant Rainmaker would actually serve well as a guide for anyone interested in rainmaking, not just lawyers. So if you're reading these reviews and you're not a lawyer but interested in rainmaking, I recommend you buy a copy.

I also like how skillfully the author navigates between advice for big firm, small and sole practitioners. That could have been a daunting task but she handles it beautifully. There's truly something here for everyone.

Love the humorous elements as well. I actually snorted with laughter when I read "For many reluctant rainmakers, networking conjures an image of a room packed with sweaty people wearing polyester suits..." Sweaty people wearing polyester suits!

This is a fantastic book about strategic business development. Even if you aren't an attorney, this book is filled with great advice on creating a marketing plan and implementing the right tactics based on you goals, strengths, and available time. She covers both offline and online marketing options, with step-by-step guidance including valuable time-saving and results-maximizing tips. If you happen to be working as a lawyer, this book is an absolutely essential must-read - whether you work for a large firm or by yourself, and whether you just passed the bar exam or have been practicing for decades.

The Reluctant Rainmaker contains a practical detailed approach to building relationships with all clients regardless of your business. If you're looking for ways to bring in more clients but hate the thought of selling, this is the book for you! Julie Fleming offers easy steps to make rainmaking simple yet practical.

Ms. Fleming provides a concise format, practical and effective tools,techniques and insights. Ignore this book at your peril. What if your competitors have read it and you haven't?

Well done Ms. Fleming!

Sometimes I see people who are fabulously skilled and passionate about working with their clients suffer because they just don't want to do (or don't know what to do) to get new business. Ouch! The Reluctant Rainmaker can turn that around. The author starts by explaining how rainmaking is an extension of client work (really!) and then she presents everything you need to know to build a plan that will work for you. Everything she suggests revolves around your preferences, and I love it that she shows how you can choose activities that fit well for you instead of doing what worked for somebody else. Great book!!

The Reluctant Rainmaker will teach you the "how" of business development - and you'll like it! Having seen so many people conclude that only extroverts can succeed in landing clients, I especially liked Fleming's tips for introverts. I've passed on what I learned in that chapter to some introverted friends, and it's changed their attitude right away. Better yet, they started to see results! This book is a must-read for anyone who'd like to bring in more business.

So glad this book was recommended to me!

I found this book to be right on point for getting me focused on client development. I have limited time (as we all do) and appreciate the straightforward guidance.

I highly recommend it (but only if you want to have a lot more business).

The Reluctant Rainmaker is a fabulous book for professionals who hate the thought of asking for business. It includes so many suggestions and helpful characterizations of rainmaking activities that are fresh and appealing to professionals, that one must ask ... why ask for business when you can simply reconnect with past clients or old friends? Through reading the book, I realized that rainmaking is about creating and maintaining relationships, about nurturing those relationships and demonstrating that you care about your clients rather than the old "what's in it for me" way of doing business that so many of us were taught. The Reluctant Rainmaker also addresses how to ask for business without jeopardizing the relationships, so you won't end up with lots of great relationships and no business.

This book is packed with immediately usable advice, organized for easy reference. I'm recommending this book to every professional I know, not just to those in the legal profession!

Is it possible for rainmaking to be simple for lawyers? Just ask Julie Fleming - she tells attorneys how in her book, The Reluctant Rainmaker.

This is an incredible gift to the law industry on rainmaking. This stellar book offers many actions that lawyers can take to develop clients, and breaks the actions down into easily understood steps.

This book is a fabulous, straightforward, and practical resource.

"The Reluctant Rainmaker" is one of the best books I have read this year. It's extremely well written, generally balanced and very informative. Julie makes rainmaking so easy. Highly recommended!

Finally an easy-to-read book on business development that provides practical advice and a clear pathway to building a book of business. Kudos to Julie Fleming for this remarkable compilation of business development tools.