Sometimes the biggest lessons come from the most surprising sources.

Dan Marino was the quarterback for the Miami Dolphins back in the 1980s & 90s.  He is regarded as one of the greatest of all time. 

He was famous for his “golden arm” of being able to throw the ball so accurately. 

But you see, he had an unfair advantage…

…His protective linemen (the guys that separated him from the other team members trying to get to him and tackle him), absolutely LOVED him and protected him like their lives depended on it.

You see, Dan was famous for thanking his protected lineman before and after every game.

Some of you may remember TV ads where Dan would tell the story that every year he bought his linemen very nice dress winter gloves.

His tagline on the ad:  Take care of the hands that take care of you.

Absolutely BRILLIANT!!!

So where’s the specific lesson for us today, almost 40 years later?

Your processor, your loan partner, your underwriter, perhaps your branch manager, these are all people that can make you or absolutely break you.

How you treat them, how you talk to them, and how often you thank them, both in the good times and challenging times matters more than most people likely realize.

Anytime I need a “rush job”, a favor, or some extra consideration on a file, I assure you I get special attention.  Why?  Because I give them special attention on a daily basis.

I send thank you cards, I call them up with no agenda other than to simply tell them how much I appreciate them.

I call the owners of the mortgage company that I work for and tell them how about I appreciate them.  I thank them for giving me a very stable place to work when so many companies are being sold or shut down.

I tell my assistant how much I appreciate her.  The Lovely Mrs. White and I send her tickets to concerts and shows.
I take care of the hands that take care of me!  And I do it in the good times and the challenging times.

Now, of course, if I have somebody on my team that is substandard and causing late closings or unhappy borrowers or referral partners, or if a processor is “stirring the pot” with my other team members, I don’t thank those people, I replace them.

So those that are left are very very worthy of my thanks, which is foremost the right thing to do, and as a bonus, positions me to be in their favor.

So go make some deposits by thanking those that surround you.  And not just when you need something, but on an ongoing basis even when things aren’t going your way.

Make it part of your daily routine.

Take care of the hands that take care of you.

Oh, and thank you so much for allowing me into your life and being a part of your day today.  I’m forever grateful.   Really.

I got your back because I know you have mine. Let me know how we can help you – click here to talk to my team.

I just saw a report that 48% of online mortgage loan applications don’t get completed.

Holy “Losing a bunch of deals” Batman…

I’m often asked, “is it better to send the lead to a website or just take the mortgage loan application over the phone?”

And I get it, we’re in the digital age – online seems like the way to go. But knowing that about 48% of all those online applications, well, they don’t cross the finish line.

Now, I’ve been in the game long enough to know that we can’t ignore numbers like that. So, you gotta ask yourself, why are folks dropping out of the race halfway through?

A lot of it comes down to that good ol’ human connection.

Some folks appreciate a voice on the other end of the line, someone who can answer their questions right then and there, someone who can nudge them towards the ‘submit’ button.

The trust, the rapport, all of that jazz – that’s crucial in this mortgage rodeo.

And look, I’m not blind to the fact that online’s got its perks.

It’s often more efficient when it comes to data entry, but with nearly half of them not getting completed, you gotta ask yourself, is it really more efficient overall?

One big thing I can tell you, from all my years in the business, is that relationships are king.

That phone call, that personal touch, it lets you really dig into what the client needs and give them advice that hits the bullseye.
And listen, I’m not saying to slam the door on online applications. Heck no! There are plenty of tech-savvy cats out there who would rather go online at 2 a.m. than pick up a phone. But given the abandonment rate, maybe it’s time to consider a phone-first approach.

My own personal approach is to get them on the phone, using the phone number the referring agent or past database client gives me, and tell them “…I can take the application one of two ways, I can give you a website to go to so you can fill it out on-line, or what most people do, I can take the application right here over the phone in just a few minutes.  Which is best for you?”

Here’s a look at our Four-Step Process for building a profit-driven plan and attracting top-performing LOs to grow your business.

Here at Mortgage Marketing Animals loan officer training, we offer a highly sought-after coaching level called Leadership Academy, where we have several members that are managers and business owners and have successfully built their teams of quality loan officers. 

Kirk in San Diego has hired over 10 top-performing loan officers in just the last 45 days, without paying any upfront bonuses or ridiculous compensation plans. 

And how about Josh in Central Texas who has added enough loan officers in the last year to keep their production at almost current levels.

So, what’s the secret to their success? It’s our simple four-step process that has proven to work for dozens of our leaders.

Step one is all about finding the right candidates that fit your culture. We teach you how to identify ideal candidates and get in front of them so they want to talk to you.

Step two is about discovering if they’re a good fit for your team and how to wow them. We show you how to demonstrate why your team is the best choice for your career.

Step three is all about successfully following up with them, building the relationship, and getting them to want to onboard.

And finally, step four is where the money is – we teach you how to successfully follow up and get them to join your team.

If you want to learn more about how to recruit and build your business, along with other leadership strategies that we teach, then reach out to us today. 

Remember, the only limit to your success is the one you set for yourself. Schedule your call today and let’s create a Profit Driven Plan for your business.