Begging for business

Anytime I hear “stop begging for business” or “stop chasing business” or “stop chasing Realtors” I know that 1 of two things are true, and maybe both, or either

1. They are getting ready to sell me some magic fairy dust on how I can make sales by doing nothing, or..

2. They are a bad salesperson. 

Let me explain…

I was talking with an LO at an event and he said he didn’t want to beg for business.  I asked him what does begging look like.  He said, you know, asking somebody for a referral, them not sending you any, then asking them again for a referral.

Does McDonalds advertise to you once and then never again.  Does Ford or Chevy show you one of their cars one time on one ad, then never again?

They know that they have to offer you a new car when you need one.  They just don’t know when you need it.

When we ask for referrals, we need to ask when something has gone wrong with their current relationship. 

It’s been my experience that sometimes this “something wrong” can be something as simple as their current loan officer not asking for the business and taking everything for granted. 

We just don’t know when that moment of opportunity is going to exist with that particular agent, so we ask for the business often.

Asking for business; asking for referrals isn’t begging.  That’s salesmanship.  That’s what sales people do, or at least the good ones. 

Again… good sales people think selling is a good thing.  Bad sales people think sales is a bad thing.

Now if the reason I don’t want to ask for the business is because all their loans close late, or they have no help and they’re already working till 9pm every night, well, those things need to be fixed first.

You see, if I know that somebody is better off working with me, than it is likely with most of my competitors, I’ve always thought it’s my moral obligation to offer them my services because I’m helping them.

I put it in my mind that if I don’t ask for the business, don’t ask for the referral, then that home buyer is going to be using another lender, and with that lender closing on time, well, all bets are off. 

Perhaps that other lender will not close on time, causing stress to that family, perhaps the deal will fall through because a backup contract comes into play now, and they lose their dream home… all this because the loan officer that lost the deal simply didn’t ask for the business to help them avoid working with a less capable lender. 

It’s our moral obligation to ask for the business. 

Begging is on your hands and knees with your face at that ankles pleading as if for your life. 
Asking for business with every conversation is just good salesmanship that is practiced by top producers and it is not to be confused with “begging”….   Trust me, any time you hear “begging for business”, hold on to your wallet.

If you need help with scripting, just let me know.  I got your back, and I’ll help you for free.