marketing general: Do You Know How To Develop A Business Plan?
- 06/22/07 07:34 AM
Most individuals readily admit THEY SHOULD have a business plan, however once they get down to writing one, they often get overwhelmed. The first mistake many people should realize is that a personal business plan: Does not have to be a huge document. It need only include key components and serve as a guide to building a long-term mortgage practice. It's a flexible document that should change as your business grows or the business environment changes. Consider these simple instructions when writing your own plan. <Click Here To Continue> … (0 comments)
marketing general: Why Metaphors Are Such Powerful Sales Tools
- 06/22/07 03:31 AM
What makes the use of metaphors such a powerful communication tool? In my humble opinion, it's because they simply drive home a point with a short, memorable, and emotional punch that information and logic alone do not have. I have repeatably witnessed the use of metaphors by some of the top superstar Realtors and mortgage professionals as a teaching tool, or to convey difficult concepts to their clients. The flood of information coming at our clients daily is increasing, not decreasing. More information is not the answer. In this environment, we need new tools and strategies to get our messages heard … (5 comments)
marketing general: Adventures in 1st Time Home Buying
- 06/21/07 07:01 AM
As a First Time Homebuyer (FTHB) authority, I have taught and consulted thousands of mortgage professionals across the country about FTHB's. That said, I can sniff out good and bad advice regarding the FTHB process faster than you can blink your eye. To my immense pleasure, I found a series of articles concerning the FTHB experience that's RIGHT ON THE MONEY! This series of posts was penned by one of my favorite bloggers, Rich Jacobson at SoundBiteBlog. Rich has done a masterful job of articulating the FTHB process and I highly recommend consumers, Realtors and mortgage professionals read...you won't be disappointed. At … (4 comments)
marketing general: What Is Mortgage Planning?
- 06/18/07 06:12 PM
Over the last few years, the term or title "mortgage planner" has been growing significantly in its use by mortgage originators. While sounding impressive, what does it really mean? Is it possible for someone to actually plan a mortgage? After all, don't lenders simply establish the terms of various mortgage products and at that point let the consumer merely select the one they figure best suites their needs? For the consumer, where, what and how does the so called mortgage planning actually occur? <Click Here To Continue Reading> … (2 comments)
marketing general: Generating Unending Referrals Through Affinity Marketing
- 06/10/07 05:10 PM
Came across a great article regarding Affinity Marketing at one of my favorite sites; Top Producer Strategies. Affinity marketing simply means forming mutually beneficial business relationships and the continuing process of nurturing and growing the referral trees that stem from them. Affinity marketing relationships could be a relationship between a financial planner and mortgage professional, a Realtor and mortgage professional, a corporation and a mortgage professional and/or Realtor and/or financial planner, etc. A sword has two edges. Just as you will only refer your clients to professionals you know, trust and respect, you will only receive referrals from those who know, trust … (3 comments)
marketing general: Old Time Seller Concessions Making Comeback
- 06/03/07 05:37 AM
No doubt about it, we are definately in a Buyers Market! In today's current market environment, sellers are now willing to provide consessions to sell their properties. This sets up a perfect opportunity for you to contact your Builders/Realtors to promote seller paid buy-downs. This market reminds me SO much of the eighties and early nineties when buydowns were commonly utilized to market slow moving properties. If you have been in the business less than 10-15 years, this market is something you have never seen. However, for us old-timers, we are are starting to see marketing strategies that has not been in vogue … (6 comments)
marketing general: Pre-Approval Letter Defined - Again
- 06/02/07 09:38 PM
I'm starting to see more of a dirty little secret not often discussed in the mortgage and real estate industry. It however is is starting to pop it's ugly head more than usual and I have a feeling our current market environment has something to do with that. I'm talking about "Pre-Approval Letters" and what they REALLY mean. While researching this issue, I came across a post written by Rhonda Porter titled "Pre-Approval Letter Defined." Rhonda is a top mortgage originator in the State of Washington and in her Blog she wrote a very clear and concise article about Pre-Approval Letters. Pre-Approval Letters … (8 comments)
marketing general: Leadership, Respect and Loyalty...a Lesson Learned
- 06/02/07 09:14 PM
During the early spring of 2005, I was leading a national project team that had sixteen incredible people whom I had a tremendous amount of respect for. One night while in a hotel room and thinking about the project, I suddenly realized such and became overwhelmed with appreciation regarding the individuals I was working with. It was at that point I started composing an email in which I wrote a paragraph of what I respected and appreciated about each individual on the team. When completed it ended up being a five page email. After reviewing it, I then hit the send button and … (2 comments)
marketing general: How One Client Turned Into 72 Closed Transactions
- 06/01/07 12:59 AM
We always hear about building a 100% referral based business. While I don't think very many can claim 100% of their business is referral based, I know numerous superstar mortgage and real estate professionals who's business is in fact at least 90 to 95% referral. The Best Time To Get A Referral What do people talk about with their friends when they're buying a new car? About new cars! Better yet, what do people talk about when they are buying a new house or refinancing a mortgage? That's right...houses and mortgages. More importantly, when they talk about mortgages, are your customers talking … (51 comments)
marketing general: Customer Satisfaction versus Loyalty - Mining Your Acres of Diamonds
- 05/30/07 04:42 PM
Jeffrey Gitomer makes a very interesting distintiction between "Satisfaction" and "Loyalty." In fact he will ask salespeople if they would rather have their spouse be "Satisfied" or "Loyal?" Think about the question and turn it around from a client standpoint. Now the million dollar question is how to build customer loyalty? How can you be assured of the best possibility of capturing those repeat and referral customers? Research has shown that 85 to 90 percent of mortgage customers are "very satisfied" with the service they received. However, only 10 to 15 percent of past customers are typically loyal and come back or give … (2 comments)
marketing general: Turning Lemonade Into Mortgage Leads
- 05/28/07 09:26 AM
Just read a post that had a great marketing idea for originators calling on Open Houses. When I was starting out, one of the most effective ways I found to get Realtor business was calling on open houses. Recently I was speaking to a gentleman who started in the business thirty short months ago and last year he funded $40,000,000 (80% Realtor referred) with an average loan amount of $209,000...now that's a lot of loans for someone who just recently started in the business. When I asked him how he had build his Realtor based business so fast, he told me … (2 comments)
marketing general: The Option ARM Is Akin To OxyContin
- 05/24/07 02:00 AM
First, the Option ARM IS NOT an inherently evil or bad mortgage product. In fact, for a select group of financially sophisticated borrowers the Option ARM is a great fit, however for the average consumer it is not the appropriate financing vehicle for them to utilize. One of the best metaphors I have ever heard regarding the Option ARM product comes from America's Most Opinionated Mortgage Broker, Brian Brady. This is what Brian has to say: "The option ARM can be likened to OxyContin; very powerful and effective when used as directed. The problem is that it was dispensed like aspirin; often, … (6 comments)
marketing general: Is The Customer Always Right?
- 05/22/07 03:59 AM
Is the customer always right...no matter what? My first years in the mortgage business, I believed the answer was emphatically yes. After all, that's what my business professors taught me in college. However, after a few years of dealing with more than a few difficult customers, I seriously began re-thinking the customer service mantra "the customer is always right." Have you ever had a customer who was impossible to please? No matter what you did, nothing made them happy? I have and below are a few other facts I realized: They were typically my lowest profit loans (if they closed at all) Allocated three … (8 comments)
Most individuals readily admit THEY SHOULD have a business plan, however once they get down to writing one, they often get overwhelmed. 
;)
;)
