Can You Pick Me Out Of This Crowd?
When I first entered the biz, one of my mentors took me out to lunch with a gentlemen who also worked in the industry on the banking side of things. Eventually, the conversation turned to generating business for whatever firm you are working with. They both told me the same thing. That was, in their over 30 years of experience, generally speaking, mortgage guys and gals developed business 1 of 2 ways. They either hit the streets (Realtor Calls, Bank Calls, Etc) or dialed for dollars. They said that they very rarely saw individuals who were good at both. This crushed me because I didn't have a car at the time and am not a big fan of driving....people are maniacs out there! It also crushed me because I hated talking on the phone. I sipped my glass of water and figured I was destined for doom, time to find another line of work.
My mother's ethnic back-round is German so I guess that's where my form of stubbornness comes from. That form of stubbornness has me in the same industry over 6 years later. It wasn't a choice for me....as far as earning business. I had no car. So, I had to do it via phone and a little thing they (my mentors & firm) were baffled at......email!
As I started to close deals for people I never met face to face, their wonder wasn't how I was doing it, but the level of trust and loyalty these individuals had for me considering a somewhat non-traditional way to do business. That's probably another post entirely, and over a year ago I recalled that conversation and thought to myself, "Self, what if you could become a master of doing business both ways?!?" Heck, it would increase business & diversify it, I'd had a car for awhile (even though people are still maniacs out there). and I like to shake the proverbial tree of what people think can be done.
I've had mild success with it to this point, yet quite frankly, still do business the way I started out. It's a comfort zone I suppose. But I got a knock on my door at 9:00 A.M. this morning that made me ask the question I titled this post with, of myself. I heard the doorbell and was generally annoyed and irritated that someone would have the gull to ring my bell so to speak, so early on a Saturday morning when I wasn't expecting a soul. I ran down the stairs in nothing but boxers and a face that hadn't been shaved for days. When I opened the door, there stood a man from a religious organization who gave me a brief dialogue and flier and then went on meandering to the next home. As I was about to close the door, I looked down at the flier and then at the man walking away....and I became curious.
"Excuse me Sir, Sir?"
He stopped and looked back, he looked kind of perplexed, if not totally scared. I sat on the step (being very aware of making sure my package wasn't showing through the boxers:-) and said, "Can I ask you a question?"
The gentlemen responded, "Yes, of course."
"Listen man, I don't mean to be wasting your time because quite frankly I may never join this particular religious organization. But, I gotta say, it's impressive to me that here you are going door to door so early on a weekend in your little shirt and tie talking to people who may or may not have any interest in what you have to say. Not to mention, though I guess I am mentioning, it's pretty early and you know, some of you guys get joked about and have a bad rap. I'm not asking why you do it, but I am interested in how you do it?"
He looked into my eyes and said, "I'll tell you why. I believe. As far as how, same answer young man."
I watched him turn around, walk away, and sat on my staircase for a solid five minutes staring at a flier of an organization I really don't buy into. Gosh, I love life and people are so interesting and maniacs when driving! To date, I remain in person...mostly to myself. But what may happen if I had his gull to go out in person to attest to what I believe, in this business at least.
Hmmmmm.....something to ponder
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