You’ve done your due diligence and put together a great list of 50, or 100, or maybe even 500 contacts in your database. Now it’s time to keep your name in-front of these folks so that they’ll think of you when it comes time for them to make a mortgage decision.
Remember, about 1 in 6 contacts on your list will be making either a purchase and mortgage decision, or a refinance mortgage decision this coming year…and, every year there after. Even with a list of 50 contacts, that’s about 8 mortgage opportunities for you in the months ahead.
What’s the most effective way to do that? The answer: Set up your own unique postcard marketing system. Here are 10 reasons why you should be using postcards to originate mortgages:
1. Postcard marketing is very affordable. A year-long postcard marketing campaign to each name on your mailing list costs about $6.00 per contact per month.
2. Postcards are inexpensive to print. Use an Avery perforated postcard stock and print four cards from each 81/2″ X 11″ sheet. Each postcard will be 51/2″ by 41/4.”
3. Postcards are extremely effective. Because there’s no envelope to open, your message is almost certainly read.
4. Postcard marketing is flexible. Send one type of postcard to your mortgage customer list, another to your professional list such as Attorneys, and another to your new contact list
5. Postcard marketing enhances your branding. A continuous postcard mailing campaign will effectively build your reputation and status as an expert in both mortgage and credit matters.
6. Postcard results are easy to track. Just send your postcard to a small group of people on your list, follow-up with them, and see how they respond. If you’re satisfied with your results, then go for the larger mailing.
7. Postcard marketing is secretive. Unless you added the mortgage company next door to your contact list, your competition doesn’t have a clue about the details of your marketing program.
8. Postcards are saved. Yes, many postcards do end up in the ultimate place of honor…the refrigerator door. Certainly a very fitting end to your well designed, colorful, and informative postcard.
9. Postcards can be redeemable. Promote a mortgage guarantee or a certificate towards either an appraisal or closing costs…and, have them return the postcard to you for redemption. The whole idea is to give people an incentive to save the postcard and do business with you.
10. Postcards are versatile. Postcards don’t always have to be mailed. Use them as handouts, mini-information sheets, publication and book inserts, bulletin board items, and a host of other ways that promote your mortgage business.
Postcards can be a strategic tool to help grow your mortgage business. Design and implement your marketing program to include postcard marketing, and you’ll forever reap the rewards.
Tom Domin is the author of “101 Ways to Originate Mortgages” and publisher of “Tom’s Mortgage Tips” a twice monthly Mortgage Newsletter geared for Mortgage Professionals. Increase your pipeline and put your mortgage career on the fast track and sign-up for FREE at http://www.MortgageMarketingToolKit.com.
Whether you’re new to the mortgage business or been sitting on the sidelines for a while, this is a great time to get involved and jump-start your mortgage business.
The U.S. housing market is still encouragingly active…thirty year interest rates although fluctuating are still well below 7.00%…home equity interest rates have risen enough to force many folks to refinance and eliminate the higher rate line of credit…and, over 21 trillion dollars in adjustable-rate mortgages are ripe for conversion in the months ahead, to other mortgage products.
Here’s what you need to do:
1. Make a list. Yes…you need to make a list of everyone you know. You’ve heard this before…the moneys in the list…and it’s absolutely true. Make sure that you have their address, phone number, and email address if possible, plus and any other information you may have about them.
2. Send a personal letter to each of them. Tell them that you are now in the mortgage business and you are ready to help them any way that you can. Automate your list on your computer to make this function as easy as possible.
3. Follow-up a few days later with a phone call. Re-introduce yourself and your business. Ask if they have any questions about credit and/or mortgages. Ask questions that help you fill-in the blanks and take lots of notes. Offer your private number (cell phone number) in case they have any questions.
4. Send a hand written “Thank You” note expressing your gratitude for the time they spent with you and the information they provided. Very dew people use “Thank You” cards today…you’ll be remembered for using them.
5. Send holiday cards, birthday cards, postcards, articles and informative industry information each and every month there after. You’ll eventually be accepted as an expert and trusted advisor, because of the valuable information that you continue to provide.
6. Never stop building your list. Set a personal goal of adding new contacts each day and then follow the same steps for each addition to your list.
This is the beginning of your database and your new mortgage business. Maintain your list, up-date it, and continually add to it. Handled correctly your database will result in mortgage referrals every month. The larger your database, the more referrals you’ll receive.
By effectively using your database, maintaining an exceptional service level, and keeping your name in the forefront of your contacts mind…you have a great chance of generating business right away.
Tom Domin is the author of “101 Ways to Originate Mortgages” and publisher of “Tom’s Mortgage Tips” a twice monthly Mortgage Newsletter geared for Mortgage Professionals. Increase your pipeline and put your mortgage career on the fast track and sign-up for FREE at http://www.MortgageMarketingToolKit.com.
Today, the designing and printing of advertising signs has never been easier and the cost has never been cheaper. In my community, code enforcement keeps both the mortgage and the mattress sale signs off of the street corners and fines the perpetrators. That shouldn’t be a problem using these two sign ideas.
1. Use empty shopping center store fronts to promote your mortgage business. Offer the property manager a great alternative to sometimes months of a vacant, ugly, and unsightly store front windows. Now…we don’t want to rent the store…we just want to use the windows while the store is vacant.
In order for this to work for you, your signs must be professional, high quality, easy to understand, contain your contact information, and available immediately. When you get a “Yes” you want to be able to place the signs immediately before someone changes their mind.
Obviously, if another mortgage company is in the complex it’s unlikely you’ll be able to get approval and put your display in. Even if the store is under contract to be leased, the tenant is not moving in immediately. In this case, ask the new tenant for permission.
One loan officer I know sometimes pays a very nominal fee or rent to place his signs. His logic: Where else could he pay such low advertising space cost with such high traffic? Best of all…he gets results. This is another situation where it doesn’t hurt to ask…many times you’ll be surprised with the answer that you get.
2. After closing a home purchase or a refinance transaction, place a sign in the front yard that actually advertises the fact that you and your company handled the transaction.
Realtors/Agents love to leave their listing signs marked “SOLD” as long as possible for the free
advertising and exposure that it brings. We can certainly do the same thing.
Purchase a few inexpensive two-sided yard signs that say: Successfully Financed by ABC Mortgage, Inc. Joe Smith Loan Officer (123)456-7890.
Use the same color scheme that FSBOs use in your area. In my neighborhood the traditional red and white (for high visibility) signs are used. Place your signs so they can be seen from each end of the street just like “For Sale by Owner” signs. Leave your sign in place for as long as your homeowner will allow it.
Why would you use the FSBO red and white motif for your signs? Answer: To attract from afar, potential home buyers that happen to be scouting the neighborhood and to then to promote your name and contact information. Don’t knock this idea until you’ve tried it…it’s a good one!
Tom Domin is the author of “101 Ways to Originate Mortgages” and publisher of “Tom’s Mortgage Tips” a twice monthly Mortgage Newsletter geared for Mortgage Professionals. Increase your pipeline and put your mortgage career on the fast track and sign-up for FREE at http://www.MortgageMarketingToolKit.com.
One year from now, many of you will be in exactly the same position as you are now. You’ll have the same or similar job…you’ll have the same friends…and, you’ll have the same income.
Nothing will have changed for you at all. And, assuming you want things to change and want to improve, that’s really a shame.
How can I make this disturbing prediction?
My experience with my mortgage mentoring students and the mortgage people I have trained has shown me this simple truth: Most folks in the mortgage business get stuck in a rut and are reluctant to invest money in their personal training and improvement, their marketing skills, and the tools to help them originate more loans.
They will spend hundreds and even thousands of dollars on advertising campaigns and yet balk at spending the dollars that are necessary to make those campaigns a success.
The mortgage business for the most part, is what I call, a self-help industry. In other words, there are very few mortgage companies that will assist you in improving and honing your sales skills, or sponsor your attendance at self-improvement courses and seminars, or recommend and then subsidize the purchase of your professional library, or provide you the necessary marketing tools and technology to implement your marketing programs successfully.
What you see offered in this industry, is what you get. Nothing!
In order to survive in the mortgage business, you need to take a lesson from the retailers at the corner of your street. They will re-invest a portion of their sales and purchase inventory so that the store remains well stocked. Or, the large manufacturer across town that takes a chunk of their sale dollars and re-invests in additional raw material and equipment to expand and grow their business. You need to make that kind of commitment as well. You need to take every opportunity to invest in improving yourself and your mortgage business.
Most mortgage professionals forget they are “building a business.” We don’t us words like “creating” a business, “producing” a business, or “constructing” a business. We are “building” a business because it’s really a step by step process.
You are taking individual pieces and assembling them over time, to produce a successful final product. Building takes time. It takes patience. It takes commitment. It also takes a monetary investment. Keep your goal in front of you…you are building your business.
Take the following personal quiz and find out exactly where you stand. You’re the only one that is keeping score:
( ) Yes, I subscribe and read at least two mortgage newsletters.
( ) Yes, I subscribe and actively participate in at least two on-line mortgage forums.
( ) Yes, I purchase and read either a bound book or an electronic book each month that helps
me and my mortgage business.
( ) Yes, I’m usually involved in an evening or weekend course covering finance, credit, or
self-improvement such as public speaking, memory improvement, etc.
( ) Yes, I review news sources daily to keep a breast of world affairs, current affairs and
economic happenings.
( ) Yes, I purchase tools, programs, reports and information that can help me in my mortgage
business.
( ) Yes, I have attended at least two mortgage seminars in the last twelve months.
( ) Yes, I work weekends on many occasions.
( ) Yes, I maintain a database of customers, contacts, and prospects and contact them on
average, once a month.
( ) Yes, I originate mortgages full time.
( ) Yes, I have a personal home computer with mortgage origination software installed.
( ) Yes, I love the mortgage industry and want to improve my business.
If you placed 10 to 12 checks - Congratulations…you’re on your way to being successful.
If you placed 7 to 9 checks - Good for you…you have a way to go. You can build your business faster by adding the areas you’re missing.
If you placed 4 to 6 checks - You’re falling behind others in the business and need to either re-commit or move on to another profession.
If you placed 0 to 3 checks - You’re beyond help. You’re not serious about the mortgage business. Please don’t even subscribe to my newsletter.
Remember, you are building your business. That means you’re taking individual pieces and assembling them, over time, to produce a successful final product. Those who see the process through to completion will reap amazing rewards.
Tom Domin is the author of “101 Ways to Originate Mortgages” and publisher of “Tom’s Mortgage Tips” a twice monthly Mortgage Newsletter geared for Mortgage Professionals. Increase your pipeline and put your mortgage career on the fast track and sign-up for FREE at http://www.MortgageMarketingToolKit.com.
It’s time to “Google” yourself. Go to google.com right now and type in your name. Click “Enter” on your keyboard or “Google Search” on your screen. The result that is displayed is your online identity or profile.
If you don’t believe some of your mortgage prospects are checking you out using Google…think again! Thanks to Google, it’s become ridiculously easy for prospects and customers to find out more about you as a mortgage professional, just by typing your name into the Google search engine.
Here’s the thing…they’re looking for search results of you on the internet, to see what third party references will reveal about your mortgage business. Essentially, they are “checking you out.” They are looking to evaluate your “online identity or profile” which is a collection of all of the information about you on the Internet, and whether that information is mostly positive, or negative.
Here’s a quick review of what a prospect might find when they “Google” you, and what impact that information might have on their decision to do business with you.
1. Positive identity/profile. Your prospect finds numerous mentions of you online including the website you set up using your name.com as your mortgage site. They find articles you may have written about mortgage and credit issues. They may also find your name associated with the city they live in, local newspapers, as well as any professional associations you may be connected with.
Congratulations, your prospect found you. This goes a long way in establishing credibility and trust in their eyes. I’m sure they won’t hesitate contacting you and discussing their mortgage requirements with you.
2. Negative identity/profile. Your prospect found negative comments or testimonials about you from previous customers, or your name was found associated with a negative website or negative group or association.
This one is trouble…your prospect can form a pre-conceived opinion of you and may then pass you by and contact another mortgage professional.
3. Neutral identity/profile. Your prospect can’t find any information about you.
Neutral is not good…Despite your attempt to make your mortgage business look successful, your prospects may decide that since they couldn’t find any record of you…you are a very small cog in the big mortgage wheel…and may decide to go elsewhere. Warning…In the months and years ahead, your desire to remain anonymous on the internet will cost you and your mortgage business big bucks.
The chances are good you need to establish and/or improve your online identity/profile. The best way to do this is to focus your efforts and some time on actually building that positive online identity/profile. Here are a few ways to do that…
1. Reserve a domain name for your personal mortgage website and use your personal name. The search engines will find you in short order. When someone does Google your name, your website will come up first in the findings.
2. Write a few good mortgage and credit articles for homebuyers and homeowners and submit them to article directories, local newspapers, and community websites. Use a reference box at the end of your article which identifies both you and your mortgage website. Google will find your articles and they will eventually be listed when someone does Google your name.
3. Sponsor or help with a community event. Ask the organization you are supporting if they post information about the event online, including the names of the sponsors. A Google search that associates you with a major local charity would be viewed very positively by your mortgage prospects.
4. Start a “blog” (short for web logs). This one requires some research and a little learning curve on your part…that’s why we left it for last. However, once set-up, your investment of time each week is really minimal. Search engines like Google love blogs, readily index them, and then show the results, when someone Googles your name.
OK, there you have it. Remember, it will become increasingly important for you to manage and control your online identity/profile. By increasing the positive search results of your name online, you’ll give added confidence to your Google savvy prospects and customers and increase your mortgage business as a result. Your mortgage prospects and customers are definitely working smarter…so should you!
Tom Domin is the author of “101 Ways to Originate Mortgages” and publisher of “Tom’s Mortgage Tips” a twice monthly Mortgage Newsletter geared for Mortgage Professionals. Increase your pipeline and put your mortgage career on the fast track and sign-up for FREE at http://www.MortgageMarketingToolKit.com.
The numbers are absolutely staggering. Every single day millions of pages are added to the internet and new users are hopping online for the first time in unthinkable numbers. We’re still along way from living in a world where everyone and every location is “wired,” but the net’s growth is nothing short of incredible.
So, what does that have to do with your mortgage business? Everything! That rapid growth of the internet is a boon for those of you who want to do business online. For years, you’ve heard that the future of business is online and you are now seeing that prediction coming true. Online Mortgage Businesses can be uniquely positioned to reach a constantly growing pool of potential customers efficiently and with laser-targeted precision. That should be exciting for you.
If you don’t think being online is important to your mortgage business, consider this fact; between 75% and 85% of all of the folks you talk to about a mortgage have already spent time on the internet researching mortgage rates, mortgage programs, mortgage terminology, credit, and other home finance tips. Not that this makes them a mortgage expert…far from it. We know that mortgages can be a difficult subject.
But, the point to remember is that there are very few “newbies” or “novices” to the internet today. Your customers, prospects, and contacts are more informed and more knowledgeable than ever before. They pay their bills on the internet, shop on the internet, do research on the internet, visit forums and blogs on the internet, and visit auction sites on the internet, just to name a few.
Many of these folks are “wired” and receive immediate news, email, stock notices, and a host of other services and information via their cell phones, and other mobile devices.
Just so you know, there is a flipside to this internet growth. As the number of internet users increases, so does the number of people vying for their mortgage business. In other words, you already have a lot of competition, and you’re going to have even more.
That makes it important for you to do a couple of things. First, you need to stay on your toes in terms of uncovering and then communicating with your mortgage prospects, customers, and customers. Those who can find and effectively reach this growing pool will reap the benefits.Your very own website is an integral part of that process.
Second, you need to make sure your message and your offerings stand out from the rest of the competition. The days of just “tossing up” a page on the internet and automatically getting results are gone. Today, you need to be smart and work smart. You need to effectively brand and distinguish yourself from all of the other mortgage competition with quality, style, and intelligence. Your website must reflect this concept and provide the timely and necessary information to help those that use it.
As Mortgage Professionals, the growth of the internet and its services provides those who are willing to work hard and smart with a tremendous once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. As the numbers continue to grow astronomically, the chances for healthy opportunities in the mortgage business also increase.
Remember that people want good, solid, honest information that helps them make a wise mortgage decision. And because we have entered a world of instant information and instant gratification, these people want that information quickly and efficiently. It’s your job to provide it.
Tom Domin is the author of “101 Ways to Originate Mortgages” and publisher of “Tom’s Mortgage Tips” a twice monthly Mortgage Newsletter geared for Mortgage Professionals. Increase your pipeline and put your mortgage career on the fast track and sign-up for FREE at http://www.MortgageMarketingToolKit.com.
I love sales training. I also love listening to sales trainers speak. They radiate enthusiasm and motivation that ignites passion for excellence. The methods they teach are often of the highest quality, however, they are usually no longer in the business of sales. Their marketing methods tend to be old, and old marketing styles are as useful as an airplane with no wings.
That doesn’t mean the airplane wouldn’t work if it had wings. We can give wings to old methods by integrating new twists and spins on classic marketing. Successful businesses, however, learn to recognize several common myths that some sales training continues to teach.
Some sales training teaches that you just have to “get more people in front of your offer” or “make twice as many calls and you’ll double the results” or even “just pump up the numbers.”
All of these sayings are catch-phrases for “work harder”, and nobody likes to do that. These three phrases are circulated everywhere and it really makes me sad to see so many people working so hard and then even harder but still getting weak results. This is how people burn out and give up on sales and marketing.
There is a better way. Instead of increasing the number of people who see your offer, how about pre-qualifying the people who see your offer? I choose only to work with highly-qualified prospects. Time is too valuable to spend with somebody who has little or no interest in your widget or service. Make people qualify themselves to be worthy of your attention.
You need to become an expert, and ultimately a mentor. If you aren’t able to bring real value and additional benefits to your prospects honestly, then you may be better off running a casino where people expect to be cheated. To be successful in sales, you are the most important asset. You need to become the gold mine of benefits to your prospects so they will buy more often and at higher prices.
Prospects aren’t going to give you a big wad of cash for a little list of benefits. Price needs to be just and fair, but your prospect needs to understand the full benefits before price is even mentioned. You should compare your benefits to others who charge more for less. At that point your prospect cannot complain about price because your offer is clearly superior to the competition and they will not only buy from you but refer their associates who also want that same stack of benefits.
Sales and marketing is simply a battle of perceptions in the mind of your prospects. Become the best in your field, and the best prospects will come to you without your cold calls, direct mail, newspaper ads, or pay-per-click ads. They will seek you out, and all you have to do is be available and be honest. Your karma will shoot through the roof (on the positive side) and you will have everything you wanted because you helped others get what they wanted.
Tyler Ellison teaches how to make money online marketing legally using automated systems and guerilla techniques to promote businesses.
You may have missed the news like me…but, the web just passed a mammoth milestone. “There are now 100 million Web sites with domain names and content on them,” according to Rich Miller of Netcraft, an Internet monitoring company.
Netcraft uses the domain name system to identify Web sites, check how many of them are in a particular location, which operating system and Web server software they’re running, and then publishes its information in a monthly report. There were just 18,000 Web sites when Netcraft, began keeping track in August of 1995. It took until May of 2004 to reach the 50 million milestone; then only 30 more months to hit 100 million, late in the month of October 2006.
The top five nations with the most web sites are: (1) United States: 54,641,322, (2) Germany: 15,029,978, (3) United Kingdom: 6,189,578, (4) Canada: 2,812,669, and (5) France: 2,550,717. The United States, Germany, China, South Korea and Japan show the greatest Web site growth.
Why this tremendous growth? “There have been price wars going on in both the domain name and Web hosting industries for some time now, and as a result it’s very affordable to create your own Web site, and the tools, the software being offered by these companies are much better,” said Miller.
But most importantly is the realization that the Internet now provides new and interesting ways of socially bonding and belonging to a group…something that all of us need. Today, you can share a photo, or a video, or a story, or a joke, or an auction, and even find a mate, by belonging to a group. And, the sharing can take place across vast oceans and large continents in a matter of moments. You don’t have to be next door or down the street any longer.
It’s way too early to tell if your personal URL will replace your Social Security Number and your legal name, but some celebrities are already planning for the new future. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have already registered domains for all three of their children.
Fueling this change is the use of broadband and the information that it can bring. Now, the computer is always on and the information is always there. Ten short years ago you had to call the bank to get your checking account balance, or visit the bank in person, or wait for your statement to arrive in the mail. Ten years ago baseball box scores and weather forecasts were found in the newspaper or on TV. Now, information is updated and delivered immediately to your computer or a myriad of other hand-held devices of your choosing.
It’s just not box scores and weather that people want. People are becoming familiar with the availability of good content and information that they can readily access, consume online, and respond to immediately. They are now having more of their needs filled, whether it’s travel, shopping, or all of the other activities that didn’t exist to the same degree in the early days of the Web.
Today, individuals and businesses are beginning to recognize that a Web site is the ultimate identifier. As a Mortgage Professional you need to realize quickly the importance of this revelation and set-up your own personal Web site. It isn’t good enough to ride in on the coat tails of your employer, or your mortgage broker. You need to establish your personal identity and do it now.
Your personal Web site will give you an opportunity to showcase both your mortgage information and your expertise. It is the perfect platform to express your views, take-a-stand, and state your opinion. It will also be your guarantee that you’ll still be participating in the Mortgage Business in the years to come.
Tom Domin is the author of “101 Ways to Originate Mortgages” and publisher of “Tom’s Mortgage Tips” a twice monthly Mortgage Newsletter geared for Mortgage Professionals. Increase your pipeline and put your mortgage career on the fast track and sign-up for FREE at http://www.MortgageMarketingToolKit.com.
We all carry them…at least we should. And, we all try to have them available for the right occasion…at least we try. We collect them so they can be used for future reference…which is good. But, are we really using them effectively?
I’m referring of course, to the “business card.” Now, don’t bail out on me here and click away…this is really good stuff!
Your business card can be one of most powerful forms of marketing available to you. Now, as you know, it’s not meant to be the only form of marketing you use…but, as the old saying goes: If you’ve got it…use it! Actually, that’s not quite right.
Any way, here’s my list of highly effective ways to use your business card to help you originate more mortgages:
1. Add value to your business card. Here’s a sobering fact: More times than not, your customers and prospects currently throw away your business cards.
This is their logic: I just met this person or I just purchased or refinanced my home and I won’t need a mortgage for a long time…so I’ll just throw the card away. Six months from now, when their brother-in-law needs to refinance, not only will they have forgotten your telephone number, but your name as well.
So how do you add value to your cards? The answer is simple…laminate them. I know…what a pain! But, the fact is…people just don’t throw things away that are laminated. Your laminated business card has perceived value, and isn’t that exactly what we want?
We want them to keep those cards for not only their personal use…but for their brother-in-law too. We want them to keep those cards forever?
I have to tell you, I’ve been laminating my cards for years. A few months back, one of my cards surfaced that was about six years old. How did I know that? Stay tuned for the answer…its coming up next.
2. Use the back of your business card. I’m not kidding folks…this is great space…use it. As you know, mortgage money is readily available today and with it comes some very low “Start Rate” adjustable rate mortgages.
That’s what I promote on the back of my business card today. The back of my card looks something like this:
Ask me about the
1.00%*
Mortgage
*The 1.00% Start Rate is based on the fully indexed MTA with an APR (etc., etc.) All loans are subject to credit approval. Rates and programs may change without notice.
The 1.00% is in huge bold red print. “Ask me about the,” and the word “mortgage” are smaller in bold blue print. The disclaimer is very small in black print. So, how do I use my double sided card? This is what I say to my contact:
“Here’s my card…if you even hear the word mortgage mentioned…please give them my card…that’s how I make my living. And, by the way, we have a great mortgage with a 1.00% start rate” and there’s a reminder of that on the back.”
That little statement is a great conversation starter as it always seems to get a response.
I hear things like this all the time:
“Wow, that’s a great rate! I refinanced last year at 6.25%…can I get that Rate?” or “You’re kidding…what’s the catch?”
My response to the first:
“You probably can! We should take a look at it. When can we get together? Is tomorrow OK, or should we do it Saturday?
My response to the second:
“No catch…it’s the hottest mortgage product on the market today and it can save you a ton of money! We should get together and talk about it…etc.
I’m amazed that with all the advertising and hype these low start rate programs have experienced…there are still tons of people out there that don’t know anything about them… these programs are super HOT!
If you’re sitting on the side lines and watching, and not generating mortgages…you are missing out on the greatest financing opportunity available ever. I keep saying to myself…”This can’t last too much longer, the price of money has to go up!” And yes…I’m glad it hasn’t!
Everyone that originates mortgages has a low start rate adjustable available to them. Now, you may have a 1.00%, or 1.25%, or 1.50%, or 1.95%. The point here is…learn it, promote it…and you’ll make a bunch of money with it.
Remember that lost business card that came back after some six years? Although I’ve worked for multiple lenders over the years, and laminated my cards for many years…my card back changes with the times.
At that point, I was printing a small amortization table on the back, so that someone could reference it and with one calculation, come up with a principle and interest payment knowing their mortgage amount. Interest rates were quite different back then.
My contact said he saved that card because it was laminated…now he needed my services…and he called! Just as side note: That same contact is now the proud owner of a low start rate mortgage.
I know what you’re thinking at this point…in my case the company I worked for printed all of their business cards in-house…so I could use both sides of the card.
If your company has cards prepared for you by a printer, you can still do it. Design a card back, print it on card stock, put the two together back to back, and then…laminate it!
Tom Domin is the author of “101 Ways to Originate Mortgages” and publisher of “Tom’s Mortgage Tips” a twice monthly Mortgage Newsletter geared for Mortgage Professionals. Increase your pipeline and put your mortgage career on the fast track and sign-up for FREE at http://www.MortgageMarketingToolKit.com.
Being a better salesperson is more than learning new skills and techniques. Here are my top ten ways to become a better salesperson.
1. Smile and Walk Tall
Changing your physiology is a great way to feel better about everything going around you.
I want you to try an experiment. I want you to think and act as if you are totally depressed. Come on do this with me. Stand up and act like you’re totally depressed. Notice how you are standing. Your shoulders are slumped. Your head is down. Your face is sad and your breathing is shallow.
Feels pretty awful doesn’t it?
Okay, Now I want you to imagine a time when you felt on top of the world, when everything was going your way, you couldn’t lose. How are you standing? Your shoulders are back, head is up, your breathing is deep and you’ve got a big smile on your face.
Feel the difference?
2. Surround Yourself With People Who Support You
One of the most important steps you can take in your life is to build relationships with people who genuinely care about you and will support you as you go through life.
I’m talking about people who will love you during hard times and celebrate with you during the good times. People who will be painfully honest and compassionately sympathetic. People who will make you laugh and motivate you and encourage you to be that person you were meant to be
3. Read Positive Books at Least 15 Minutes Every Day
There’s a wealth of information that has been written for you to absorb. What goes in your mind is what will come out. So fill it with good, positive information and good, positive things will happen in your life.
I suggest you start your own library. Go buy a book shelve and set a goal to fill it with books you’ve read. Set up an account at Amazon or Barnes and Noble and invest in your education.
The UPS truck shows up regularly at my house with deliveries from Amazon.
If you don’t want to buy them, get a library card. There free!
What books should you read? Start with Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, and How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie.
4. Post Your Goals and Read Them Twice a Day
Post your goals where you’ll see them at different times during your day. Put them on the bathroom mirror, in your car, your office, near your computer. Write them on a 3 x 5 card and pull out the card every chance you get and read them.
Make two specific times when you take them out and read them. One is first thing in the morning before you do anything else. This will start your day focused on your goals and their achievement.
The second is right before you go to bed. This practice will give your subconscious mind something positive to work on during the night.
5. Be Grateful For The Little Things
Find time every day to be grateful for all you have. We all have something we can be grateful for. Some of these are little things that we take for granted like our health, our home, our friends, the food in the refrigerator. Focusing on what you’re grateful for will bring more of it in to your life.
I’m grateful every day when I wake up and my feet hit the floor.
6. Spend Time Doing What Matter Most
We waste too much time on things that bring little enjoyment into our lives. It’s time to spend our time doing the things that matter most.
Have dinner with your family. Attend your child’s play or baseball game. Help an elderly person cross the street. Take a walk and enjoy the view.
Some things are more important than money, status, power and prestige. Invest some of your time into those activities and see if it doesn’t change the way you feel.
7. Treat Stumbling Blocks as Stepping Stones
So what if you didn’t make that big sale, your girlfriend left you, your boss chewed you out or you made a big mistake.
Your life isn’t over. So keep your eyes on your goals.
What did you do right? What did you learn? How can you use this to make yourself better or stronger? What will you do different the next time?
Use it as a stepping stone to take you to the next level.
I’ve had some of my biggest periods of growth after major setbacks.
8. Help others to succeed
When you’re gone, nobody will be talking about how much money you made or how many awards you won, they will be talking about the lives you touched and the difference you made.
Success is so sweet when you can share your knowledge and caring with others. Give of yourself. It will make the people you touch feel good and I know how it will make you feel.
The sad part is when people come to the end of their lives and think about all the things they wish they’d done.
9. Reward yourself
When you sell that big account or reach a goal you set, reward yourself. Go buy something you’ve always wanted, take a trip, go out for an expensive dinner. Do something nice for you. You deserve it.
10. Tomorrow is a New Day
No matter what happened today, good or bad. You can go to sleep tonight knowing that tomorrow the slate is wiped clean. You get a fresh new 24 hours to accomplish any thing you want.
Jim Klein helps sales people open doors and close sales. Get free sales training by subscribing to our newsletter “The Sales Advisor”. Read more sales articles at http://www.fromtheheartsalestraining.com/free-sales-training.html