I'm from the 80's: Big hair, bad clothing choices and great movies.
As I have talked with loan officers recently, many are busy with purchase and refinance business. That is a good thing but does not guarantee you will have loans when the market slows down. They are struggling to do their marketing and stay in front of referral partners. Part of that is time, but another part is that we tend to get burnt out when things are busy and marketing is usually the first thing to get pushed to the bottom of the task list, or even gets deleted altogether.
I suggest you get "Back to the Future". Rather than just focusing on the deals that are in front of you (loans in process, prequalifications, etc.) take time each day to work on business you want in six to 12 months; even looking as far forward as three to five years.
It is the small and simple things you consistently do today, tomorrow and next week that will determine the level of your production in the future. Read that sentence once more time. Maybe even frame it or add it to your tattoo list. It's that important.
What kind of small and simple things? Here's my top ten list:
1) Attend a monthly Realtor event: Women's Council of Realtors, Board of Realtor luncheon, etc.
2) Handwritten notes.
3) Make phone calls or texts out on Friday letting your core group of real estate agents know you are available over the weekend to help their clients or on Monday giving them a rate update and letting them know you are available all week.
4) Lunch with a real estate agent once a week.
5) Send annual "Happy House Anniversary!" emails to past clients.
6) Birthday notes out to past clients and real estate agents. I send mine with a cupcake coupon.
7) Get on a weekly conference call (Mortgage Coach Edge has a one that is fabulous).
8) Get a daily dose of info. I use
9) Sponsoring Realtor continuing education classes once a month; teach a CE class two or three times a year.
10) Phone calls to older prospects to touch base and reconnect.
Most of these items take very little time but you have to plan and execute, even when you are busy.
Most likely, you know what you should be doing. You even put it on your to-do list and talk to your coach about it. The problem is they don't get done. Good intentions are like crying babies. They should be carried out.
