Mortgage Loan Officer Blog | Loan Officer Freedom

160 Hours to Completion

November 29, 2021November 30, 2018 by Carl White, Mortgage Marketing Animals

I don’t want to throw you into a panic but, as of December 1, you have just 160 working hours to finish everything on your 2018 to do list. Here’s how to know what you should work on to finish 2018 like a champ and be ready for 2019.

1. Does the task make you feel bad to look at or think about if you don’t get it done?

The number one best thing you can do for your business is to feel good – physically, emotionally, energetically. If something is dragging you down, get it handled pronto. Getting it handled might mean delegating it. You don’t need to do everything, but you are responsible for making sure things get done. And if they’re not really helpful, delete it from your list.

2. Will the task help you, your customers, family or friends?

If there’s something you have on your list that has the power to really help either you or the people in your world, get it done. There’s no need to procrastinate on helping others get what they want, which just makes you feel good (see #1 above).

3. Do you have tasks that are easy wins if you did them?

Sometimes it’s a matter of putting things into motion or supplying your team with what they need or taking 30 minutes to get something sorted out – those all count for easy wins. Just suck it up and get ‘em done (see #1 above).

4. Do you have tasks that are half-started?

If yes, pick one and finish it – then pick the next one and finish that one. I’m going to be talking more about this concept in 2019 but, for now, work the task or project through to get it done, then move on to the next one. Start with the one that is furthest along, so it can be done sooner, then pick up on the next most “closer-to-being-finished” one and get that one done.

One of the tricks to getting things done is to write them on a list. From what I hear, Richard Branson does his daily list in three’s – and I think we can agree that he’s cracked the code on success. Once you have them written, you are committed – get them done THAT DAY, preferably before you do anything else. When you do, make sure you cross them out on your list because experts say the psychological reward of doing that is very satisfying (see #1 above).

(Notice how #1 really is #1? Just pointing that out… you gotta feel good to create what you want in life and business.)

Now, if one of the things on your list was to be healthier (which is pretty much everyone I know), then good on you – get that going! There is no better time to give yourself the gift of more energy with better food intake, more water, more sleep and better habits. When you are in a race to beat the end of the year clock, it’s the best time to take really good care of yourself so you can get everything done while setting yourself up to start 2019 strong.

Believe me when I say that sharing this with you reinforces it all for me too. If we all do it, we can get some pretty good synergy going. There’s a proverb that says “If you want to travel fast, go alone. If you want to travel far, go with companions.” Let’s travel together to make the most of these 160 (or less if you’re taking vacation) so we end 2018 on a high note.

Experts say that naming it claims it so let me know in a comment below what you are committed to getting done in 2018. Let’s do this thing!!!

Carl White, Chief Officer of Coolness

Article Originally Posted on LinkedIn

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Gratitude is Always Good

November 29, 2021November 28, 2018 by Carl White, Mortgage Marketing Animals

This time of year, people feel the spirit of gratitude – for their loved ones, health, lifestyle, for our servicemen and women, and so much more. We really do face first-world problems when something goes sideways. Living in the U.S. gives us opportunities that are easy to take for granted. But we can make up for that by being grateful for what we have and what we know is coming – always.

Being grateful isn’t a new message from me, especially if you’ve attended The Freedom Club. You will hear me talk about it now, and again, and again. There is power in gratitude because it keeps us humble. It reminds us that others need us to be successful, so we can help them with our resources. It connects us to our community and the world at large through humanity. Life is just better when you’re grateful.

So take this time, and then every day after, to appreciate what you have in your life. For a short list, think about your family, friends, clients, community, home, church. Think about what you know and how you’re using it to make your business and the world around you better. Think about your health, your creativity, your mentors and give thanks.

Consider how people perceive you and say thank you in your mind or even right to them because what they think of you is a reflection of what you’re putting out – whether it’s what you want or not, their perceptions are the golden path to acknowledging what you’re doing right and / or making you a better version of yourself.

Give thanks for your challenges and having problems to solve because each of them is helping you build strength, use your resources and capabilities creatively and showing you next-level growth for yourself and your business.

And, because I believe that we have a lot to do with creating our reality, give thanks for what you know is coming. When you work hard and smart in your business using the systems that I and the Marketing Animals coaches teach, there is no other option than experiencing success on your terms. In that case, the business targets and achievement goals you have for your business, and the lifestyle you want to live, are coming – it’s only a matter of time. When you know that like you know you are breathing, you give yourself tremendous power through unshakable faith in yourself and your Higher Power (whatever that means to you).

Speaking of which, I want to take a moment here to thank God for all who are in my life, especially my family. I am a man blessed beyond measure to have met Maria what is long ago and feels like yesterday at the same time. Together, we can handle just about anything. And don’t even get me started on how proud I am as a father – my kids just keep growing into better and better people by the day.

I also want to give thanks for the connection you and I have because you invite me to be my best self. I need to show up with my best to help you and your business grow faster, smarter, easier. I’ve made all the mistakes so that I can save you the time and trouble. I’ve also done really well in my business and it would be pretty damn selfish of me to not share how I did it and what I’m doing that works today in my business. (Leave me a comment below to let me know what you want to learn, by the way – that will help me deliver even more value through the Marketing Animals curriculum and events.)

And you know… leave me a comment below about what you are grateful for too. I want to know that because I want to celebrate with you. You feeling good and sharing shout-outs for who and what matters in your life with gratitude lights me up too.

Be well this holiday season, my friend… gratitude is always good.

Carl White, Chief Officer of Coolness
Article Originally Posted on LinkedIn

If you have questions about this topic, you can set up a Free Strategy Call with one of our coaches at LoanOfficerStrategyCall.com

Your Business is an Ecosystem

November 29, 2021November 21, 2018 by Carl White, Mortgage Marketing Animals

It’s really easy to get insulated in your perspective about your business, like it’s only a numbers game. The truth of it is that your business is an ecosystem, or a system (a network), formed by individual parts through interaction to form a community. This community – your business ecosystem – is interdependent on each of its’ parts.

For example, a community has homes, schools, grocery stores, churches, restaurants, boutique stores, auto supply stores, shopping malls, parks, all fueled by the electric company, water company, internet provider, cable companies… you get the point. Each part of the community has its purpose; each part depends on the other to be successful.

Likewise, your business is an ecosystem. You have an agent network, referrals, client leads and the deals that come from them, the commissions that are facilitated by marketing activities, relationship building and your team. Your team works with systems and technology to handle phone calls, track the progression of deals in the works, stay in touch with your clients, send out holiday cards and much more. You have to know your lenders and have a Rolodex of professionals to share with your clients when they need good contacts. Obviously, this is just a short list of what goes into making just one deal work… it’s mind-boggling what we do for a living!

So here’s the thing… you have to think about supporting all parts of your ecosystem to make sure everything is working right. That means everything from Thor’s Hammer to knowing the signals and timing of a deal to paying your team what they deserve (and which can never be enough, really… because, without them, you can’t do what you do, right?). Every part of your ecosystem has to be healthy and connect seamlessly to the other parts of the ecosystem.

I guess you could think about that in terms of technology too because your smartphone has to connect to the internet and have the right apps and sync with your computer for email and calendar. If any one of those things doesn’t work right – with just your smartphone!, your business will pay the price – you could miss an important call or update, unintentionally blow off a meeting, or miss a referral.

In case it isn’t clear yet why this is important, your business ecosystem influences how your clients and employees experience your business and the expectations they have of it. How all the parts of your business connect, and how effectively you streamline your operations, will determine the success (or not) of your business. The natural law of business is to deliver better experiences for more perceived value through efficiency – or your competitor will.

Now, one last factor in understanding ecosystems… your clients have their own ecosystems going too. Their ecosystems orient around their priorities – booking a pet sitter, scheduling travel, buying insurance, hiring movers, getting laundry done, going to the grocery store. You and your business are, ideally, one element of their ecosystem. However, if your client has a negative, or even just marginal, experience or, worst of all, their trust is broken about what they expected from your business, they will vote with their deals (and future referrals).

Clients are now more knowledgeable and empowered than ever. The last best experience they had with any business is how they will evaluate and set expectations with yours. If they call in, they expect you to know who they are, where their deal is and what’s next to get it done. Why? Because Amazon knows them and if Amazon can figure out what’s going on, you should be able to as well. The not-so-secret secret to that is having a good, healthy ecosystem in place.

The point is that your business needs a health check on every part of the system regularly. If you haven’t done an audit on your business ecosystem in a while, now is a good time to make that happen. Make sure you have the right people, the right technology, the right systems and protocols, the right hardware… otherwise, you’re fighting uphill to just get things done and you’re working too hard to overcome the kinks in your ecosystem.

Here’s the problem, we can’t read our own label when we are inside the jar. It takes somebody outside our jar to help us take an honest look at best practices / most results from activities.

If you would like myself, Scotty, or Ralph to look at what you are doing to see what tweaks could be done to get even more results with even less effort, you can reach out to us at www.LoanOfficerStrategyCall.com

See ya there.

Carl White, Chief Officer of Coolness
Article Originally posted on LinkedIn

Which Is Better to Build Your Business– (K)new or New?

November 29, 2021November 14, 2018 by Carl White, Mortgage Marketing Animals

Like you, I watch our industry to see what’s going on… one of the most interesting things I find is the emphasis on using ‘new’ technologies or ‘new’ strategies or ‘new’ methods to build business. Why? Because I have always found that the ‘(K)NEW’ – with the silent K – always wins more business.

I’m a guy who likes all the newest whiz-bang toys and all that comes with shiny new technologies… I can’t lie about that. Just check out my 3-wheeling car to know that’s the truth!

But here’s the thing – in every business situation, it wasn’t the shiny new thing or the latest and greatest tech that got me business. Yes, those can help generate leads and give my business visibility. But, when it comes down to it, what has gotten me business every time is when I did what I knew to do – treat someone right and get the deal done, call my “warm” database – that got me business.

If you aren’t up on current lender rates and options, if you don’t have your act together to help your client get pre-qualified, if you don’t have a team backing you to process loans and help your clients, if you aren’t leveraging technology in the right ways, that’s going to hurt your business in some way. (You know it too – I’m just calling it out here.)

But all that stuff pales in comparison to knowing how to treat people right and getting the deal done. It’s not what’s ‘new’ that brings you business but what you (k)new about your client, your agent and your lender, and how to work the process, that brings you business and gets deals done.

Now I’m happy to go through the latest stats and powerhouse strategies and tell you what’s working right now to build your business, I actually use most of them myself. Don’t get me wrong! But there is a more important foundation that, if you don’t have it, all the ‘new’ ways in the world can’t help you.

The foundation under all that other business-building stuff is what you know in your gut is the right thing to do about how to treat people and then to follow-through to help them get what they want. And that’s not really something anybody can teach you. You have to feel that in your belly. It has to be part of who you are or your business doesn’t have a solid base to build from, no matter what innovative marketing strategies or lender ratios or cool website or fancy technologies you use in it.

So pay attention to what’s happening ‘out there’, for sure, to help you build your business. But know that all that ‘new’ stuff doesn’t mean squat if you don’t use what you (k)new going into any deal about how to treat people right and commit to helping them get their deal done.

Somehow, I just ‘knew’ you needed this little reminder. (And yes, that was a totally shameless pun – just because I could!)

Carl White, Chief Officer of Coolness
Article Originally posted on LinkedIn

If you have questions about this topic, set up a free strategy call with one of our coaches at loanofficerfreedom.com/strategycallrequest

The 7 Core Beliefs of Very Successful Loan Officers

November 29, 2021October 31, 2018 by Carl White, Mortgage Marketing Animals

So often business success doesn’t come down to tactics and strategies but, instead, rides on one fundamental basis on which everything depends – your core beliefs.

Having worked with elite producers from all over the U.S., I have learned that there are some core beliefs that these very successful loan officers hold that make the difference in their performance and productivity every day.

First, they believe success comes from service. Service is about keeping your clients and agents informed, in a timely way, about what’s going on and what they can do to help expedite the loan process. It means being available when needed, even if it’s not during banker’s hours (there are systems that we have in place so it doesn’t have to be “you” that is available after hours or weekends). It means making sure your clients have what they need and want throughout the deal, which may include having one of your team assigned to handle their file so it’s not only you personally providing stellar service. It means having a person answer your office phone every time it rings. It means no unwanted surprises in the deal – communicate, communicate, communicate.

Second, elite producers are generally willing to do what others are unwilling or unable to do. For example, they find a way to make more connections, have more face-to-face meetings, attend more local networking events and cultivate more relationships and referrals every week. Whether that’s through a marketing strategy that opens the doors or sitting down and making the calls or using social marketing creatively or something else, these loan officers go above and beyond to create the results they want in their business. There is a level of humility in that these are also the people who will empty the wastebasket and put on the office coffee in the morning.

Third, the depth of their network is more important than the breadth of it. That might sound like the exact opposite of what I just said but read both these points carefully. They do what it takes to meet people AND they go deep in those relationships vs. just having a large superficial network based on business cards. People have to know you care before they care about doing business with you.

Fourth, they know that leadership is, in a sense, ordained by others. Leaders do not stand up, proclaim themselves a leader and that’s it – they need followers. Without followers, without a team, without a tribe, a leader does not exist. Leaders earn their title every day. Smart loan officers build their teams and communities successfully when they remember this fact.

Fifth, elite loan officers pay it forward. When they get a referral, or get handed a great opportunity, they acknowledge where it came from and pay it forward in some way. When they participate in their community, they get the gift of feeling good about what they do and who they help. Generous people generate.

Sixth, no conformist has ever made history. Very successful loan officers push the edges of the status quo to do what’s needed vs. what’s expected or even what others think is right. They follow their nose to go outside the box and do the right thing for their clients to get the deal done the right way.

Lastly, they choose themselves first. This is not about being selfish! Instead, this about not waiting for anyone’s permission to be successful or take right action for their team, their clients, their business, and their families. Wealth is a by-product of doing the right things in the right order based on the right mindset. By knowing that they deserve the rewards of their hard work, they experience them.

Look, I don’t pretend to know all the answers. But having been in the business and being good at it, and then having had the chance to meet, work with and hang out with these super producers, I have picked up a thing or two. These are just some of the things I’ve observed over time and that I think make a big huge difference. Beliefs create action and action creates results, so if you want different results, check your beliefs. Get your beliefs lined up and your business should flourish.

Carl White, Chief Officer of Coolness
Article Originally posted on LinkedIn

If you have questions about this topic, set up a free strategy call with one of our coaches at loanofficerfreedom.com/strategycallrequest