The MPF Rainmaking Panel consists of fee earners interested in winning new business and sales specialists employed by professional firms. The Panel's aim is to improve understanding of the sales process and the credibility of the sales function, and to help those new to a sales role to be more effective. Members complete regular surveys on issues that they would like management to focus on. The findings are presented at Panel events in key cities worldwide, and shared widely through this website.
The Rainmaking Panel shares many common members with the Client Service Panel as fee earners typically mix rainmaking and client service. A key difference is that the Client Service Panel includes more external clients in its membership. Membership of either Panel is free for external clients and for anyone working for professional firms with membership of the PM Forum in the relevant country.
WHY HAVE A RAINMAKING PANEL?
- Great marketing may increase the number of profitable opportunities but great rainmaking is still needed to convert them.
- Rainmakers who work for firms where selling is seen as a necessary evil, often have to operate 'outside the box'.
- Rainmakers who work for firms where selling is seen as providing information to enable a client to come to an informed decision, seldom need to operate 'outside the box'.
- Law firms in particular are reticent to hire sales coaches, whilst this is seen as good practice in other sectors.
- The Rainmaking Panel seeks to benchmark and share best practice for free to improve skills and enhance client service. We aim to be especially useful for those new to the role.
KNOWLEDGE
Structured surveys: The Panel committee creates web-based surveys on relevant topics, analyses results and publishes findings for free on the MPF website. Anyone can use the findings as ammunition to make a valued contribution to the client service being provided to or by their own organisation.
Ad hoc: A member sends a question to mpfpulse@pmint.co.uk. HQ canvasses experts and members, and publishes a summary of contributions.
DETAILS OF CURRENT SURVEY
This survey will be closed to responses at 5pm on Wednesday 22 February 2008.
EVENTS
Panel events are open to all MPF and Panel members. Participants can tap into rich case studies and anecdotes - great to supplement dry statistics from surveys. These are intimate peer-group events to discuss issues under the 'Chatham House Rule', governing the confidentiality of the source of information received at a meeting. Much of the benefit comes from people sharing tacit know how on how to use explicit knowledge more widely or effectively in their organisation or externally.
Participants will learn new ideas and approaches, but what they share will be difficult to copy for quick commercial advantage because it will be culture specific - culture being the "deep" differentiator in most excellent knowledge businesses, regardless of sector. So each event will cover not only best practice but also ways participants have found to tackle typical cultural barriers to implementation.
As a membership organisation, all events are member only. However, those interested in joining are welcome to attend one event as our guest in order to 'smell the coffee'.
COMMITTEE
Panel Chair: Richard Sharman - Richard is the partner responsible for KPMG's European Sustainability practice and Carbon Advisory Group. He specialises in evaluating the risk and economic impacts of these issues on the business. He has written for the CBI, Financial Times and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. Richard also currently chairs the European Risk Forum.
Panel Director: Dr Clifford J Ferguson - Cliff is founding partner of Rainmakers UK. Although he has undertaken in-depth academic research into 'rainmakers', he is very much a practitioner working 'hands-on' with a broad cross-section of professional firms (both one-to-one and with small groups) to help them develop more effective ways of developing business.
Panel Director: Keith Binding - Keith is director at Spirit Consulting. A qualified solicitor, he has fifteen years experience of working with professional services firms in developing and implementing business development programmes and in providing bid support and training.
David Eaton-Jones - David is Head of Sales at law firm Osborne Clarke. Previous roles include account director at Ernst & Young managing FTSE 350 and entrepreneurial relationships, and consultant at Mercuri International.
Chris McClure - Chris is a partner in Blake Lapthorn Tarlo Lyons, specialising in Aircraft/rolling stock leasing, IT and outsourcing. His experience includes advising suppliers and end users on licensing, exploitation and disposal of intellectual property, outsourcing and IT procurements. Prior to joining Blake Lapthorn Tarlo Lyons, he worked for a major City firm.
MEMBERSHIP
Two independent referees are required. Panel membership is free for MPF members, PM Forum members and clients, and £487.50 /$887.50 /€707.50 plus admission fee for others. Consultants are only eligible for Panel membership in exceptional circumstances. Membership renews on 1 September with a sliding scale in the first year. If interested, please complete the registration form.