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Success with Subprime
by Brian
Sacks
Do you have a question for Mr. Sacks? E-mail
it to brian@loanofficersuccess.com.
Click here
for more articles by Mr. Sacks.
Your Reputation Precedes You, Whether You're Going Uphill or Downhill
This may sound corny, but I believe the most critical factor in marketing yourself
successfully is establishing and maintaining a sterling reputation. You can gain expertise through training, put
out top-quality marketing materials, and put in long, hard hours, but if you're known as someone who "talks
out of both sides of his mouth" or who "doesn't deliver the goods," you're sunk.
Sustained, long-term success depends on a positive image. People need to see you
as someone who is honest, trustworthy, diligent, and communicative- in short, someone
they can count on.
I'll give you a "for instance." Early in my career I developed a
relationship with a builder who brought me a lot of business, maybe twenty loans a month for several years. This
was when I was stretching my monthly goal from $1 million to $2 million, and he was a huge factor in helping me
achieve my new goal consistently. About ten years ago he just fell off the face of the earth - had nothing for
me. He had changed his whole business model, and I wasn't a part of it.
Recently I received a call from him - after ten years! - because the lender
he has been working with just isn't cutting it, and he wants me to take over three developments for him. During
the course of our discussion he told me that over the years I was the only loan officer who stuck by him and consistently
did what I said I was going to do . He knows he can trust me.
What I'm saying here is that as you map out your marketing plan, yes, it's important
to outline what you are going to do, but it is equally important to commit to how you are going to do it. This
relates to what I spoke of earlier about recognizing that you're selling a service, not a product. the power to
create whatever image you want!
Put some thought toward how you want to be perceived. This will help you develop
guidelines to live by as you interact with people and develop relationships. When I started out, I built a reputation
as someone who is up-front and honest - who communicates - who stays on top of things - who does what he says he's
going to do when he says he's going to do it. That image grew out of my actions and my dealings with people.
Now don't misunderstand me - my behavior is also governed by my belief that you
should treat others the way you want to be treated. In a business sense, however, I decided how I wanted to be
seen, and then I was careful to act in a way that projected that image. If you are true to yourself when you set
your goals and design your business plan, then the business image you project will never conflict with who you
really are.
If hearing the words, "I've heard about you" makes you feel uneasy, you
need to make some changes. If, on the other hand you feel good when someone says that, then you're on the right
track.
"Brianism" |
We're touching here on that old saying, "Honesty is always the best policy,"
and in business that is so true. Two of my General Guidelines for Success are "Always tell the truth"
and "Always follow through on your commitments." In other words, always keep the promises you make. This
sounds so simple, but it can easily get away from you in this business when you are juggling who-knows-how-many
balls. This is the only way.
Next article will give you a great tool that will help you be a great juggler.
Click here
for more articles by Mr. Sacks.
Visit Brian Sacks's web site at www.loanofficersuccess.com.
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