It's the last week of the year and you probably don't have a lot of loan apps coming in. Many loan officers take this week off (I'm in Mexico as you read this with Builders without Borders) because in our job, it's nice to go away when we know the phone won't be ringing quite as much.
But if you are in the office, then here's my task list for you. Pick at least three things, eat a few carrot sticks to counter all that sugar and get to work.
- Analyze 2013. I did this and was inspired to do things a little differently/better/more in 2014. Here's what looked at: Number of referrals and where those referrals came from. (If you didn't track your referrals in 2013, then this is your No. 1 goal for 2014.) Number of closings and where those came from. Business and marketing expenses. I chose to stop a few things that did not have a positive return on investment.
- Work up your 2014 sales plan. Write a draft one day, go back the next day and finalize. Calendar a “review and revise” appointment with yourself once a month. Or if you want to be fabulous, do this once a week.
- Call all your agents. Let them know you are in town, working and available to help them or their clients with any questions they might have, even if they are out of town. They may get a call on one of their listings or a new buyer and your phone call may be just what they need to deepen that referral relationship.
- Call all prospects from 2013 that did not turn into a loan. Reconnect and check up on them. How's the house-hunting? How's your credit repair coming? Etc., etc., etc.
- Clean your space. The desk, drawers, computer files, knicknacks etc. Sit on the other side of your desk and look at things with eyes of a new customer. Is your office clean? Uncluttered? Professional looking?
- Read a new sales or marketing book. Jeffrey Gitomer, Keith Farrazzi, Gary Vaynerchuk, Chet Holmes, etc. Get inspired and motivated to work on your business.
- Look for a few articles or ideas for Facebook so that you are have "random and sporadic" work-related posts to put out there. Facebook can be a great tool to generate more business from your sphere of influence, but you have to make sure you do it right.
- Work on your database. Clean it up, increase it and get your 2014 database marketing plan put into place.
- Send out Settlement Statement letters to your 2013 closed loans.
