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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.
Become Known As The Expert and Your Phones will Ring off the Hook
What You Can Do To Become Known as the Expert
As I said earlier, it wouldn't make much sense to put a lot of time and energy
into becoming an expert and then keeping it a secret. You can't be shy about tooting your own horn if you want
to be highly successful in this business. I certainly am not suggesting that you become a braggart.
However, you must find pleasant, inoffensive, effective ways to let people know
that you are indeed the "king of the hill," the "top dog" in your niche, so that those who
need your expertise can find you and come to you for service. You must carry yourself in such a way that people
want to hear what you have to say. You may recall the television commercials for E.F. Hutton a few years back:
"When E.F. Hutton talks, people listen." This is exactly the situation you want to create for yourself,
and to get there, you have to act the part.
Keep an Expert's Hours
An important aspect of acting the part is keeping an expert's hours. By this I
mean setting reasonable business hours and sticking to them. Those in the medical professions are recognized and
treated as professionals. People wouldn't dream of saying to their dentist, "You know, I work all day; could
you see me in the evening?" Why should expert loan officers be treated any differently?
If you have truly worked hard to become the expert in your niche, then your wisdom
and knowledge are valuable, and, consequently, so is your time. Can you think of anything of high value that is
widely and easily available? Of course not! If it is, I can guarantee you that its value is declining.
Now, on the surface it may seem that being available to your clients 24 hours
a day (okay- realistically, maybe 14 to 18 hours a day), seven days a week is the ultimate in service. Think about
that for a minute, though. How can anyone operate at peak performance for 100 hours or more each week? You can't
- it's impossible! Anyone who tries to keep a schedule like that is obviously operating out of the "commodity"
mentality, afraid that they might miss a sales opportunity. (Why am I envisioning the cereal aisle at an around-the-clock
grocery store?) If, on the other hand, you operate out of a "service" mentality, you know that the time
spent away from your job is crucial for helping you stay balanced and be your best when you are "clocked in."
This has been a hard lesson for me to learn, and I still occasionally find myself
asking a client, "When is a good time for you?" before I have set the parameters. What I try to do now
is check my calendar and tell people, "I have several times available in the next couple of days - which ones
work better for you?" Sometimes people will try to push it and say, "Well, I'm only available in the
evening." To this I respond, "Unfortunately all my evenings are booked this week, and I know we need
to do this quickly. Is there any possibility you could go into work a little late, take off a little early, or
come see me on your lunch hour?" And when someone asks if I work weekends, I say, "Absolutely - and I'm
booked." Here again, this is all part of protecting your image as the expert. Your time is precious. If they
want to tap into your expertise, they must fit their schedule to yours, not the other way around.
Establish Media Contacts
You shouldn't have to think too long and hard about how to become known as the
expert before media exposure comes to mind. It is absolutely essential that you make good use of as much of the
media as you possibly can. Ideally, you want your name in the paper, your voice on radio, and your face on TV.
I do a short, live, call-in show on the local television news show every Sunday morning. This minimal time commitment
gives me tremendous community recognition.
| You want your name in the paper, your voice on radio, and your face on TV. |
If getting on TV is not a viable option because of your location, then the newspaper
and radio become all the more important for you. You must actively court them initially to establish a relationship,
but once the connection is made, it can be relatively self-sustaining. In other words, once they recognize you
as the expert in your field, they will come to you when they have questions that involve your area of expertise.
So, an important part of your overall marketing plan should be "breaking through with the media."
If you aren't sure how you would perform on television or radio, enlist the help
of some friends or office staff and practice. That's right - get yourself a video camera or tape recorder and a
helper to be the "interviewer" and have your own mock television or radio interview. You'll look and
sound differently than you think you will. Be a stern critic of your performance and work on improving any areas
that aren't strong. If you aren't sure how to fix what needs improving, there are consultants who can help you
improve your presentation skills. You might also want to consider joining your local chapter of the Toastmasters
Club. They have helped many a budding public speaker become a polished speaker.
The "Media Contact Worksheet" can help you plan which media to contact.
Develop a Media Kit
To help you get in with the media, you first have to develop a media kit. This
should include a current resume, highlights of your career achievements (honors and rewards received, offices held,
etc.), and a professionally taken photograph. In addition, you should list any "hooks" - topics that
you can speak on, speeches you've given, and seminars you've conducted. You need to provide them with every piece
of information you have that qualifies you as an expert or testifies to your expertise in your field.
Next article will give you several more tips on becoming known as the expert.
Click here
for more articles by Mr. Sacks.
Visit Brian Sacks's web site at www.loanofficersuccess.com.
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