Bliss Sawyer's Marketing Blog

Creative ways to say Happy Birthday

One of the things I recommend originators do is find out birthdays for all their core Realtors, then choose something to do on each birthday.  We all still have a bit of the little kid inside of us and like to be remembered.  Click here to see how I track my core group of Realtors and their birthdays, this form is just one part of my Realtor Marketing Program.

It doesn't need to be fancy or expensive.  Creative is always more effective and memorable.  Here are a few ideas:

• Birthday card with $1 scratch-off lottery ticket
• One LO calls and sings happy birthday (I would probably lose business this way - but it might be fun if you have a talent.  Just keep it short!)
• Tie 3 helium balloons to a plate of goodies or small gift (consider ordering balloons with your company logo and use them for marketing events, birthdays or take them when you are doing refreshments, etc.  The height and motion of balloons always gets noticed)
• Take them to lunch
• Simply call and say Happy Birthday
• Send a Hallmark e-card.  Funny is best
• Does your Realtor have a favorite treat, drink, etc?  For example, if they love coke, drop off a 12-pack with a note that says "Happy Birthday!  Here's something to help you get through the day!" 
• Small candle for her, small cake for him
• Sales/marketing book.  (Jeffrey Gitomer, Brian Tracy, Jack Canfield etc.)

Relationship marketing is all about continually coming up with creative ways to stay in touch, be remembered and build those friendships.  There are opportunities all around you and birthdays are just one event where you can make your point that you value your relationship with them and that you care.

Gung Ho!

If you are finding it a struggle to keep your team motivated and focused on succeeding (or even yourself!) then this is a great book to read and reread.  Gung Ho! is written by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles, creators of Raving Fans and is specifically designed to help you "Increase productivity, profits, and your own prosperity".  As well as "Turn on the people in your organization."

Many in our industry are frustrated with all the changes, overworked trying to find quality loans and then stressed get the deals put together in a decent amount of time.  This combination has resulted in a rapid decrease in job satisfaction and an increase in stress levels.   I see the antidote as doing what you can to get your office moving with motivation and rekindling the desire to work hard for success.

Gung Ho! is told in story format and is full of wonderfully powerful ideas.  Even if this is just for you as an individual originator... don't miss the opportunity to get your business running on high energy and high profits.  There are still loans to be done.  And you deserve to be the one doing them.  Take your business in your own hands and strive to compete at the highest level possible.

Staying in touch with Send Out Cards

I have been asked quite a few times what I think about Send Out Cards, so I decided to take it for a test run... and I loved it!  This is a great system to stay in touch with everyone.  I'm a huge believer in using good old snail mail to maintain and strengthen relationships.  This is a simple on-line resource that makes you look like a star.

Here's what you can do with this program:

• create your own personalized greeting card using your own pictures, borders and captions (the possibilities are endless)
• the Campaign Feature allows you to send out pre-determined cards at specific dates. This feature allows complete automation
• the ability to insert gift cards from your favorite places such as Starbucks, Barnes and Noble and Walmart
• the ability to send gifts such as gourmet chocolates or motivational books such as Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
• access to over 12,000 greeting cards

To send a FREE greeting card and test drive The Send Out Cards system please go to the following web page www.sendoutcards.com/coriell

Please contact Robert Coriell @ 614-209-7252 or robcoriell@gmail.comto ask any questions regarding Send Out Cards or to learn more about becoming a Send Out Cards Member.

Work and Play

Summer is here and it can be a challenge to balance work, vacations and time with the family.  I'm a big advocate of time away from the office.. I love vacations and spending time with family.  But how do you balance that with the need to keep loans coming in?   Here are a few tips that I found to work in my  business...

Carving out time during the week:

1.  Come in early one or two days a week.  I found I get more done from 6 am -1 pm than 9 am - 5 pm.  Focus your time on looking for opportunities to market, staying in touch with your database and being in control of your pipeline.  End your work day with a referral partner lunch then go hang with your kids at the pool.

2.  Be accessible... to a point.  If you are taking time off during the day, be available by phone/email.  But don't let it control you.  It's ok to have the phone/email off for periods of time.  Especially if you were in the office earlier.  If there were a messages during the day, return them later.  Nothing wrong with going back to work at 7 pm for a bit.

3.  Offer your staff the chance to work early/leave early once in a while.  Let them enjoy the summer as well.

Enjoying your vacations:

We've all done it... gone on vacation, but then continued to stress about loans and situations back at the office.  Not so great for your vacation partners.  Try these things...

1.  Inform your clients and referral partners (see post on creative ideas) that you will be out of town.  Give the the name/phone/email of the person covering for you.

2.  Let your office know you will be checking in once each day (or every other day).  Ask that they try to handle things as best as possible.  Then have faith that they will!

3.  You certainly don't want a prospect to go somewhere else just because you are out of the office for a few days.  Contact all prospects that you are aware of.  Ask how their house hunting, etc. is going and give them an update on rates or other pertinent information.  Then introduce them to the person that will be covering for you (even if it is just giving them the name and phone number).  Making this effort will strengthen your relationship with each prospect and they will be less likely to go down the street.

4.  Just let go.  I know it's easier said than done.  (my husband would probably love to share a few horror stories with you)  But I love vacations and part of the reason I think this is such a great job is that we can set our own hours... as long as the loans are still coming in. 

It is definitely a balancing act.  But trust me... your sanity, your relationships and even your health will benefit from time away from the office.  You may even be surprised and feel more energized with your marketing, which will result in more loans!

Seminar Replay: Top 11 Things You NEED TO KNOW About Doing FHA Loans

Learn from Leslie Petersen, the nation's most well known “FHA guru”.  Leslie is a nationally acclaimed trainer and she’s passionate about FHA loans.  She will tell you exactly what’s going on and she’s not afraid to challenge the status quo.  SPECIAL BONUS DURING THIS REPLAY:  At the end of this training session we drilled Leslie with 25 questions submitted by participants about FHA issues and she gave expert answers to each of them.

HOW TO VIEW THE WEBINAR REPLAY:

Non-MyMortgageCommunity.com Members may access this member only webinar recording for 30 days for only $1 (save $58) as well as over 100 more Member Only seminars on a variety of hot topics.  Plus, as a member you'll also gain access to step by step originator coaching, over 500 downloadable marketing tools, 300+ lead generation strategies, referral partnership tactics and follow up marketing kit, sales training presentations, done-4-u newsletters you can personalize, and much, much more!  To access this member only webinar for only $1 use the webinar discount coupon code "Sawyer50" (see registration link below).  

Non-Members Click here to access the member only webinar or copy and paste the link below into your web browser:

https://web.memberclicks.com/mc/quickForm/viewForm.do?orgId=oc&formId=40346

MyMortgageCommunity.com Members may view this replay at no charge.  This webinar has been posted inside the Member Only section under Originator Coaching > Originator Seminars.

Click here to login to access this member only section or copy and paste the following link into your web browser:

http://web.memberclicks.com/mc/prelogin.do?orgId=oc 

 

Bonus! Keeping the Faith by Doug Smith

Bonus article from the 6/10/08 issue of Competitive Edge Newsletter.  Don't miss any of the other great pieces from Bliss Sawyer and Doug Smith.  Only $36 for 24 issues!

 

Keeping the faith by Doug Smith

I get the opportunity to attend and speak at a number of conferences and conventions around the country.  I enjoy hearing other presenters and learning from their expertise.  As I listen today to economists and heads of our industry, the common message is that we are in nothing less than a “crisis” and that it will be another nine to twelve months before we will see positive signs of recovery.  Banks are still posting billion dollar losses, servicing giants are still selling off thousands of loans, and hundreds of brokers are still closing their doors every day.  In short; it’s not a pretty picture and it’s far from over.

The last “mortgage meltdown” I experienced was in the mid-1980s.  In the midst of a recession we saw interest rates climb to over 20%, builders go bankrupt from coast to coast, mortgage companies fold and Savings & Loans literally get wiped out.  What can we learn from history to help us this time?  Here is what I would suggest from what I saw the survivors do last time:

1. Take a proactive approach.  Instead of the “wait and see what happens” attitude that exists with many lenders today, get busy and get to work.  Make more contacts and do more marketing.  This thing isn’t going to be over soon.  Stay busy and you’ll find some business.  Sit back and wait and you’ll soon fade away into oblivion.
2. Work with clients who are working.  Many Realtors, builders and others have pulled back and are suffering now.  You need to make sure you are targeting and spending time with Realtors and builders who are working hard, staying busy, and have buyers to refer.  They are your lifeline.
3. Try new products.  FHA could be your meal ticket for the next twelve months.  Learn the product.  It could fill a void left behind by the disappearance of the sub-prime loans.  If you are not in a FHA market, identify other loan programs to sell.  Times have changed.  Buyers have changed.  You need to change as well.
4. Stay away from the naysayers.  If there are people in your office or company that are totally negative, avoid them at all costs.  Their attitude will have an impact on your emotions.  Walk away from pity parties.  Hang out with busy people who are working hard and making things happen.
5. Pace yourself financially.  You may be earning 20 percent to 50 percent less than you were making just a year ago.  No matter how hard you work, there are simply fewer loan opportunities out there today.  Curtail unnecessary personal spending ($5 coffees, eating lunch out every day, new suits, etc.) and save some money to get you through this slowdown.

The industry will survive, that’s a fact.  The market will rebound and we’ll get back to making money and having fun.  The question is: Will you be around to see it?  The answer to that question all depends on what you are doing today to give yourself a tomorrow.  Believe in yourself and what you are doing.  Believe in this great industry and what it stands for.  Take action and make the effort.  Most important, have faith.  Without faith all hope is lost.  As Abe Lincoln said: “Without hope the people perish.”

Need some new ideas on where to market?

I recently received an email asking me to repost the list I provided some time ago titled "Sample sales and marketing activities by target."  This was originally provided by David Bush of My Mortgage Community and is a great resource if you are considering stepping up your business.

Utilize in the following way:

First:  Check off everything you are currently doing.  Look closely at those items and make sure you are doing them to the best of your ability.  If not, schedule time to work on improving.

Second:  Star items you aren't doing but appeal to you and are a possibility to add to your business.  It doesn't matter how many there are.  In fact, it's probably good to have quite a few stars.

Third:  Narrow down the starred list to 3-4 items.  These are the things you will begin working on immediately. 

Fourth:  Keep this list for future reference.  When you are ready to add in something new, glance at the list and pick another starred item.

Happy Marketing!

Giving more than mortgage information

Why not offer your sphere of influence and referral partners more than just mortgage information?  I recently found a great resource available in most areas called freecycle.org.  This is an online place to give away and find things for free.  With the struggles many are facing financially and the desire to consume less, this "give and take" philosophy has become increasingly popular. 

We all have things to get rid of or things we need, but don't necessarily want to spend money on.  Sellers are often cleaning out and then there are buyers that need things for their new home.  Your Realtors may find this useful to pass along to their database as well. 

Send an email out to your database giving them a link to freecyle.org and strengthen your image as a resource.  Many originators are finding that their mass e-mails are not getting opened.  This is most likely because of the sheer number of non-essential e-mails most people receive each day.  If you keep your emails short, informative and interesting they will continue to get read.  And you will continue to build your reputation and referrals.

This is just one example of information you can pass along that doesn't cost you anything, many will find interesting and as an added bonus, you are helping others in the process.  Sounds like a marketing opportunity to me.

Going on vacation?

Why not use your vacation as a reason to do some Realtor Marketing?  Let your Realtors know that you will be out of town in a fun and creative way.  Here are some ideas on HOW to inform them.

• Going on a fishing trip?  Attach a note to a package of Swedish Fish
• On a cruise?  A funky pair of sunglasses or sunscreen.
• Camping?  How about a can of bug spray with a creative note saying "Don't let things bug you while I'm gone, call my assistant with any questions or concerns."
• Taking the kids Disneyland?  Attach a note to fake money that says "Me, my kids and my money will be at Disneyland the week of _____.
• Going on a road trip?  Get a $5 gift certificate for a local gas station and give it with a note that says:  "Since I'm spending my kids college fund (or my retirement fund) on my road trip... I'd thought I might as well share.  Thanks for all the support you give to me and my business.

Add in details about your trip, how and when you can be reached and alternative contacts for your loans and any new prospects.  Make it fun and create another reason to be in front of your Realtor partners.

Offering Value to Attorney's, CPAs and Financial Advisers

We hear it constantly:  "Get involved with other referral partners besides Realtors.  Attorney's, CPA's, Financial Advisers can all refer you business."  But HOW do you get them to send you referrals?  Especially if you don't currently send them business.

Offer value first!  Easy Street Designs, with the help of originators just like you, has developed brochures for each of these referral partners.  Then,  you are bringing your knowledge and expertise to the relationship in a way that immediately helps their clients. And if you have purchased my Breaking the 40 Million Dollar Marketing Binder - check out page 110 for a $10 off coupon for Easy Street Designs.

Attorney brochure:  Divorce and Your Home

 

CPA brochure:  Making Sense of the Mortgage Interest Deduction

Financial Adviser brochure: Financial Strategies and Your Home