What's Stopping You?

by Brian Peart

There's a new mortgage company in my office complex. They don't own in here, they rent. To my knowledge, they did not even exist a year ago. They are a small mortgage company I have never heard of until about 4 months ago.

Their "marketing" is sticking those little signs on the side of the road with their company name, something like "100% financing" and a number.  They have polluted the area with these signs. I mean every street corner on every little dink side street, not just the major spots. They have been doing it now for 3 months. 

The other day I saw an ad for processors for their company. So I swung by to let them know I do commercial loans and to get their referrals.  They said they are slammed with deals. I personally would not market like that; I think there are much better ways to market. 

But there are 3 things they are doing that everyone else can be doing to and these 3 things will guarantee you more money REGARDLESS of your marketing method:

1. They work hard. Now that I am back in sales I stay late in the office at least twice a week. On the days I stay late, doesn't matter what day, someone is still there almost every time - I leave at 9 on nights I stay late. Now I do beat these guys into the office but they are always there before 9. 

These guys are in the office before 9 and stay there till at least 9 at night, near as I can tell 5 days a week. I think it was Conrad Hilton who said, "I only work ½ days, doesn't matter which ½ of the day you work, the first 12 or the last 12..." these guys put in the hours. The best cure for a lean purse is to work.

2. They are aggressive. Man, these guys must spend hours putting out those dumb signs but they are relentless. Since they are new, they don't know that the market is tough. They are the exact opposite of a Realtor® I met the other day; she told me the market is tough and she is working now as a waitress at Outback. I asked her what marketing she has done in the last two months and she looked at me blank. 

The MARKET BEING TOUGH IS NOT AN EXCUSE TO STOP MARKETING. I shared last week that there are more loans per loan officer right now than a year ago. There is a time for all things under the sun, now is the time to put the year behind you and get aggressive. If you do, you will be shocked at how much business is out there.

3. They are investing in their business. It costs money for those signs, not much but when you put out a thousand of them, it adds up. The other day I saw a billboard with their company on it - they are starting to open up other revenue streams. 

Remember, if all your business comes in from friends and family, just one new marketing method is another stream of income. Think geometrically in your business - not just increasing the number of customers but the number of different marketing methods and more.

These guys are not fancy, but they are attacking the market. They don't know what they don't know - it is beautiful.

They did not have past clients, did not have the knowledge of many of you, but they see the business as a huge opportunity with customers out there who don't know who is in business. They are getting business off of cheesy signs on the sides of roads but they put those signs out every week, month after month. 

You have a huge advantage over these guys in knowledge and past clients and more. But maybe you can learn from them in attitude and effort.  These guys are making it happen out of a tiny office in my little town but they are kicking it. My hat is off to them but it makes you wonder, what is stopping you?

© 2008 Brian Peart. www.askbrianpeart.com

To your continued success,

Ron Reed, "The Mortgage Doc of Music City"