Many professionals put off calling former clients for want of a sufficiently important reason to interrupt them. This is a problem that little bothers a true rainmaker. Rainmakers just pick up their phones and call their contacts, without much bother finding a reason.

Why the big difference? The rainmakers have some advantages: First, they work larger networks and learn things from one contact that they can use as a reason to call others. The more people you call, the more gossip (or industry intelligence, if you will) you pick up and the easier it gets to find a reason to call others.

Second, they are more practiced at recognizing a reason-for-call when they hear one. A client just changed jobs—the rainmaker sees this as a reason for calling several others. A client gets some press in The Wall Street Journal—the rainmaker knows that this is an excuse to call people at that company early in the day, before they learn about it from some other source. A firm runs an event, say a holiday party in December—the rainmaker uses it to call all of her clients to see if they can come. Even if they can’t, the rainmaker gets to have a little chat with many of them.

Rainmakers also set the bar lower when selecting a reason for calling their contacts. They have learned to identify those contacts who find it valuable to talk from time to time, regardless of the reason, and those who only want a call if the professional has something important to impart.

The goal of each call you make should be to provide something of value each time to every contact. But not everyone insists on getting the same kind of value. Some crave industry gossip and some don’t. Some are eager for new ideas and others aren’t. Some want to meet a wide variety of players in their market. Some want technical information related to their business. Some want friendship. Some want a safe place to vent their frustrations with their employers. Rainmakers figure out what their contacts want and give it to them.

But you don’t have to succeed every time, at least with most contacts. The contacts won’t remember every call you make to them, but will remember if, in general, talking with you is helpful. If they consider you helpful, they will take your calls. So, that is the standard you need to meet.