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Tips, Tools & Tricks of the Trade
Doug Smith

Doug Smith, founder of Douglas Smith & Associates, is a 24-year industry veteran. His career spans the areas of loan origination, sales training, management development, marketing, personal coaching and corporate sales. Doug’s columns appear in Mortgage Originator, Mortgage Planner, The Mortgage Record and Mortgage Broker magazines. He publishes a monthly newsletter, Power Selling, and authored Climbing the Ladder of Success. For more information, visit http://www.dougsmithonline.com/

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Get the Right Message Across

In sales, we all have a message to present.  Some present the message of experience, some sell speed, others promote convenience, and still others tout their variety of products available.  The message we sell creates the impression that customers have about us.  What is your message?  More importantly, is it the right message?

FIND OUT WHAT THE CUSTOMER NEEDS
The easiest and best way to create the right message is to first find out what the customer needs (sales training 101.)  Although elementary, it is often missed.  Many mortgage salespeople are so busy delivering their message, they don’t stop to think: “Is this what the customer really wants to hear?” In creating your message, consider two things.

First: What does the customer feel is important?  What are his/her    concerns?  What do they want? 

Second: What do I offer that makes me superior?  What is different   about us (or me)?

The right message is a perfect combination of the customer’s needs and your unique solutions.

RIGHT QUESTIONS LEAD TO THE RIGHT MESSAGE

We all know that good questions lead you to customer needs.  But once you locate those needs, it is equally important to present the right message in the right way.  Lengthy product sales pitches and gloating documentaries about your expertise rarely impress a customer.  Customers are impressed by sincere, honest, genuine people who have the customer’s best interests in mind and great solutions to fulfill their needs.  For example:

“Ken, it sounds like you’ve had a few bad experiences in the past with lenders who don’t follow through, don’t call you back right away and miss your closing dates.  It is hard for you to run a good business and maintain your reputation with that kind of service from a lender.

I’m not perfect, but I can tell you that you won’t hear comments like that from the people I work with.  My business model is built on consistency.  We have a weekly proactive status reporting system, so you always know where a loan stands.  I answer my phone and I return calls as fast as I can.  As a matter of fact, I block out 15 minutes of every hour to return messages.  And as far as meeting closing deadlines, I think I missed one closing in the last six months.  I extended the lock-in and paid the difference out of my pocket.

I want you to know that I value my relationships and I understand how this business works.  I want to work with you.”

DELIVER SOLUTIONS SINCERELY
Be sincere, be genuine, but most importantly, be a solution to your customer’s needs.  How you deliver that message can make the difference.

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