If you’ve been a loan officer for long enough, you’ve no doubt picked up some sales techniques and found effective ways of getting things done. But if you want to take your business to the next level, having a clear sales strategy can increase your efficiency and success exponentially. Think about your overall goals for your business and brand, and then use that vision to shape a strategy that supports those goals. If the goal is to deliver top-notch service to every client (it should be), then you want them to leave feeling confident in their decisions and satisfied with the process. Here are some ideas to help develop (or sharpen) a sales strategy:
Provide Value
I’m sure you’ve heard the term ‘value-added selling’, and it’s about making your communications with prospects substantial, from the first interaction. You’re not just selling your lending services, and providing something of value to prospects and clients as often as appropriate will help them to see a fuller picture of you and what you have to offer. This begins with really getting to know your prospects and their unique situations. When you take the time to understand the issues your prospects are facing, along with their concerns and needs, it becomes apparent very quickly how you can help them. With prospects, sharing useful content is a terrific way to offer assistance before they start the process. With clients, making sure to listen actively to their questions and concerns, and working with them to find the best possible solutions will elevate their experience.
Relationship Selling
A successful sales strategy should be about making connections. This is often called relationship selling. Focus on forming a bond with every prospect and client. When you take the time to get to know them, you’ll have all the ammunition you need to deliver the best service possible. Ask more questions, offer extended hours for calls, work with their schedules for in-person meetings. This is how we make prospects and clients feel like a top priority. More on building stronger relationships with prospects and clients, here.
Stand Apart from the Competition
The mortgage is industry is fiercely competitive. One of the best ways to stand out from that competition is to differentiate yourself. Who would you rather work with, someone that does their job reasonably well or an expert? Helping your prospects learn about your expertise and qualifications builds trust faster, and it makes them feel secure in their decision to work with you. Highlight the features of your services that are most important to you in all of your marketing and branding. For instance, if your accessibility and long office hours or your commitment to speedy service sets you apart, you need to make sure you’re clearly communicating that to prospects and then delivering on it every time.
Customize the Experience
Personalizing the client experience is another key component in a strong sales strategy. Every client has slightly different concerns, values and needs. And when you address those things specifically, your clients see that they are important to you. The same is true for prospects. Take notes and reference what you’ve learned about them in future conversations. It makes a strong impression and shows that you’ve been paying attention. It helps them to feel heard, and not just another sales call that you’re trying to close.
Implementing the right sales strategy for you will require some experimentation, time, and effort to develop. But once you get there and you’re working with a strategy that you continue to refine, you’ll see that it was worth every bit of the effort you put in.
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