Nationwide Mortgage 3-12-17

NATIONWIDE MORTGAGE EDITION

STEPHANIE ADAMS

JULIA BELL

TODD FEAGER

BRIAN TAYLOR

NATIONWIDE MORTGAGE EDITION

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TODD FEAGER

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STEPHANIE ADAMS

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JULIA BELL

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BRIAN TAYLOR

CONTENTS 4) EVERY PLAYER IS VALUABLE: HOW TO BOOST YOUR TEAM'S MORALE 8) TRY VS. DO

13) SIX POWERFUL PROSPECTING TIPS TO BUILD YOUR BUSINESS 18) 3 TIPS FOR MASTERFUL TO-DO LISTS 22) HOW TO SEND SMARTER EMAILS

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Every Player is Valuable: How to Boost Your Team’s Morale In the fast-paced world of real estate, it can be easy to overlook the contributions of those lower-level employees who are instrumental in our success, yet are overlooked when it comes to recognizing the important roles they play in keeping our business operating smoothly.

Even a task that seems simple, such as answering phones, can be overwhelming at 4

times. Letting these employees know that they are appreciated is something that often goes overlooked at busier companies, and can often result in impaired morale overall, as employee dissatisfaction tends to be contagious.

Here are some things that you can do to increase morale and productivity in your workplace: Top Agent Magazine

While it’s important to point out when an employee is doing something wrong, it is equally – if not more – important to acknowledge when that employee is doing something right.

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While it’s important to point out when an employee is doing something wrong, and sometimes to reprimand, it is equally – if not more – important to acknowledge when that employee is doing something right. Even a simple compliment can go a long, long way towards building that employee’s morale, and therefore their willingness to go the extra mile for your team.

An example: “Sally, I just heard you on the phone with that client. You sounded very professional and I really appreciate your representing our business that way.”

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Determine what all of your employee’s goals are, and what their expectations for growth might be. There may be lower level employees who are perfectly content doing what they’re doing, and who have absolutely no expectations for growth in your business. Others, however, may have an interest in moving up the ladder. Make it your business to determine this early on, and try to take a personal interest in your employee’s growth with your company. Knowing there is room to grow is an important factor in employee satisfaction, and knowing who wants to grow and who

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doesn’t is something you should be aware of. Groom from within, and your employees will be grateful and work harder.

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If your workplace is highly stratified, with multiple levels of employees (agents, senior agents, loan processers, assistants, etc.,) make an effort to ensure that everyone feels valued as part of the team regardless of what they earn. Various team building exercises that encourage trust and a sense of familiarity can go a long way towards fostering an environment that is less unnecessarily competitive and more productive and cooperative. A quick web search for “Trust Building Exercises” will help you locate many good ways to achieve a newfound level of camaraderie amongst your team. Many of them are quite a bit of fun, too.

Hopefully these tips will assist you in creating a better-functioning, higher-achieving team of motivated, caring employees.

Remember, a chain is only as strong as the weakest link, so be sure to keep everyone feeling appreciated, supported and valued, and your company will only benefit.

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TODD FEAGER | NMLS# 293451

“Underwriting is a crucial part of any mortgage operation and instead of trying to find a way to turn loans down, they truly put their efforts into finding solutions and getting deals done.”

At a mere 21-years-old, Todd Feager was thrown into the deep end of the mortgage industry upon his first position, when he was handed a stack of loan applications and instructed to get to work. While others might’ve balked at the prospect, Todd took on the challenge. Almost fourteen years later, Todd and his partner Dave Bray have built a thriving branch of Top Flite Financial in St. Louis, along with a tightknit team of mortgage professionals. Additionally, Todd praises Matt Cornett, Top Flite’s National Sales Manager, along with Tim and Tracie Baise, the owners of Top Flite Financial.

“They’re great people who’ve supported us since day one,” Todd says. “Trying to build a platform like ours isn’t easy. We wouldn’t be where we are without the support of those three.”

One of the hallmarks of Todd’s work is his comprehensive yet commonsense approach. While his office provides a variety of loan products—reverse mortgages, jumbo programs, VA loans, lending on manufactured homes, and more—his methodology is refreshingly straightforward. “Our corporate underwriting staff, led by Brenda Cox-Nelson, is exceptional,” Todd says. “Underwriting is a crucial part of any mortgage operation and instead of trying to find a way to turn loans down, they truly put their efforts into finding solutions and getting deals done.”

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What’s more, Todd’s office doesn’t compromise on quality, digging in to their due diligence so that they stand behind every deal they close. “When we pre-approve someone, it’s a well-thought-out, legitimate process,” Todd explains. “We make 100% sure that we have all the information up front. We work consciously that way.”

Part of that conscientious approach involves the team of professionals Todd has curated, along with his business partner Dave Bray, whom Todd holds in high regard. “He is the smartest guy I’ve ever worked with. He’s a huge part of the current success we’re having and a crucial piece of the puzzle for the future,” Todd says. With an eye for recruiting ambitious millennials and cultivating talent from within, Todd oversees four processors, fourteen loan officers and nine mortgage coordinators. “We’re big believers in building our team from the bottom up,” he reflects. “It’s not just about the number of people you work with; we focus on building a business with the right people, so that everyone involved is enjoying success.”

Todd’s foresight and equitable approach also informs his network of clients and referral partners. “Anybody who’s enjoyed success in this business works hard to maintain relationships,” he says. “Working alongside others is about communicating, being thorough, and keeping all involved Copyright Top Agent Magazine

parties up to speed.” Todd counts financial planners, manufactured home developers, leading St. Louis real estate agents, and others among his impressive referral network. With marketing among Todd’s passions, he’s built a model around considered outreach. “My partner and I believe that a hybrid branch model—focusing on driving leads to your loan officers while helping them build relationships—is the path to success,” he says.

Monika and their two-year-old daughter Ali—whom he describes as already ruling the roost. As for the future of his business, Todd has plans toward quality-controlled growth. “We want to grow the right way,” Todd emphasizes, “building relationships with the right people, working intelligently within a structured system.” While his introduction to the industry over a decade ago was something of a whirlwind, the same tenacious and meticulous spirit that propelled Todd to his current success will surely carry him far into the bright future ahead.

Personally, Todd derives much of his inspiration from his borrowers, especially those whose hopes aren’t high when it comes to homeownership possibilities. “One of the most rewarding aspects of my job is working with people who feel down-and-out, who believe that homeownership won’t be possible,” Todd says. “Finding a solution, making it happen for those people—it’s something I really love.” To maintain those interpersonal connections, Todd doesn’t shirk the details.

Through e-mails, calls, automated systems providing updates to clients, and excellent use of social media’s far reach, Todd prioritizes communication and transparency.

“We try to give the clients and referral partners we work with a sense of who we are. We introduce them to our entire operations team – essentially the people behind your deal who’re working hard to ensure To learn more about Todd Feager NMLS# 293451 everything is moving along smoothly.”

visit topflitefinancial.com, email tfeager@topflitefinancial.com, or call 314-748-1290 www.

In his free hours, Todd counts himself a major Cardinals baseball fan, and spends his leisure time with family and friends at sporting events, or with his future wife Top Agent Magazine

Top Flite Financial, Inc. NMLS# 4181 • Branch NMLS# 103759 Copyright Top Agent Magazine 7

Try vs Do

By Barry Eisen

“Do or do not. There is no try.” – Yoda (1977) The day is done. It seems you’ve done a million things. Everything went well. You had loads of energy and you’re stoked. Clients listened to you and acknowledged the clarity and wisdom of your suggestions. Your kids paid attention. Even the dog obeyed. Great feelings!

Dawns a new day... You wake up groggy, you become a magnet for clients’ frustrations, you feel invisible, the dog spits up on the thick white rug, an associate points out a huge stain on your shirt, a selling appointment cancels and it’s not even 10:00 AM. Know what you are? Normal. Look around and you will find a lot of normal. Stuff happens to us all. To some, who seem to attract more stuff than the rest (something to be said about selffulfilling prophecies) the distractions feel overwhelming and continuous.

Some try their best to turn the tide. Trying doesn’t work. Doing does.

Effort is appreciated, but accomplishment creates the lifestyle and is a lot more satisfying.

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We use the word often and teach our kids to try hard. Think of what the concept of “trying” implies. We are telling ourselves to make the effort.

But how often do we confuse effort and activity with accomplishment? Is it not our egos protecting ourselves from the perceived agony of failure by saying...you don’t have to do what it takes, just appreciate the effort.

It’s kinda like the controversy raging on today about all kids getting trophies for participating in a competition, even if they came in last place. Maybe rewards for the little ones keep them engaged, but the reality of life for most adults is about accomplishing, not efforting.

Some try their best to turn the tide. One of the surest ways to become a victim is to try.

Trying doesn’t When we commit to trying something and fall short work. Doing oftoadosuccess, we can always claim “ I tried.” Even in failure does. we can claim victory as we achieved what we committed to... I tried! Be careful of the words you use as they become converted into action. As in sports, good effort is appreciated, but the ones who want it more generally prevail. They call it Scoreboard.

The “doer” is the person who takes the bigger risk of making the extra effort. Without the risk to continue and create a victory, you create “normal.” It’s safe but unsatisfying. And worse yet, this settling for the lazy way out develops into whining, excuse making, low energy, irritability and much more. Do what’s right, not what’s easy. The best of your intentions won’t create a better relationship, clean up the planet or make you more money.

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7 DO’s to make a difference:

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Leave every part of your day with a positive accomplishment (even a small one).

In every endeavor, act AS IF you were already successful and capable. Show yourself what you CAN DO.

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Do what’s right, not what’s easy.

Read or listen to positive books or recordings at least 30 minutes each day-spend as much time with personal development as you do growing your business. Look for and apply the lessons that feel right.

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Write out your to-do list every night before you go to sleep, whether you feel like it or not and prioritize it. Let it guide you to better decisions during your day.

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Create a Value Added mindset that allows you to under promise and over deliver. That unexpected extra personal touch, that personalized attention, that piece of humanity, the extra door you knock, the thank you, please, your welcome can put you over the top. It is usually the little things that make a difference.

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Develop strong enough “whys” and the “hows” answer themselves.

Dig deeper than just an amount of money. Money doesn’t motivate.

Figure out what moves you and your focus will become laser-like.

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Follow through and do it not because you “have to,” but because you “get to.” Play, have fun, lighten up and shine.

Barry Eisen teaches personal development seminars and coaches Southern California top producing REALTORS®. “Your business will never grow more than you do” is the theme; self hypnosis and behavior modification are the tools for playing a bigger game. barryeisen.com, barryeisen@LA.twcbc.com 818-769-4300 Copyright©, 2016 Barry Eisen. All rights reserved.

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STEPHANIE ADAMS Stephanie Adams, Branch Manager of 1st Financial Inc. in Tampa, Florida, understands that knowledge equals power, and works hard to educate her clients in the ways of real estate. “I’m always surprised that people aren’t taught about mortgages in college, or even in high school,” she says.

While studying for a Doctorate in Conflict Analysis and Resolution, Stephanie attended a job fair and was recruited by Residential Finance, where she quickly warmed to her new career and set about educating herself on the ins and outs of the mortgage industry. “I just started to learn everything that I could. I started out on the refinance side, but after about three years of that I saw the purchase market coming back.

I didn’t know much about that, but I jumped right in and began to learn everything I could about the process: How do I make sure it’s a good loan? How do I inform my buyers as to whether they’ll qualify and that they’re in a good financial position as they move through the process?” Dealing with many first-time home buyers, Stephanie is in a unique position to share her knowledge with clients. “It’s been a really fun learning process for myself, but the really important part is educating my borrowers, helping them through the entire process, and just helping them with life lessons they can carry into the future about credit, or about income.”

Stephanie’s connection with her clients, and her eagerness to go the extra mile for them has translated into a business that is based nearly one hundred percent on referrals from realtors and past clients. Another factor is her dedication to thoroughness and detail. “I think the main reason my agents are happy with my work is that anytime I pre-qualify a client, I don’t just

do a once-over. I’m reviewing bank statements, reviewing everything, looking for potential issues. The worst thing you can ever do as a loan officer is to not close. I make sure we close.” Through the entire process she makes sure her clients are informed, pre-pared for next steps, and told the do’s and don’ts of homebuying this ensures a smooth loan process. She also has an array of traditional and non-traditional mortgage products available at her branch with expanded guidelines.

This allows her to be able to qualify borrowers that may have been turned away by other lenders.

Despite her vast array of industry knowledge and experience, it’s the personal side of the business that Stephanie finds most appealing. “I know it sounds cheesy,” she says, “but helping people is what I like most about what I do. The main thing is that I get to help people move forward into the future and have an understanding of where they are now, and where they can potentially get to.” It is her continued desire to help others that makes her stand out in the mortgage industry.

When not assisting clients, Stephanie enjoys reading, traveling and spending time with her cat. “If I can take a few days, I enjoy going to New York for a visit,” Despite her love of travel, her clients can always reach her, even when she’s out of state.

Stephanie is looking forward to 2017. “I feel like it’s going to be an amazing year. I’ve set a goal to increase my business relationships further, as well as help as many new clients as possible with their home purchase or refinance. And because education continues to be a primary focus, she plans on finishing her doctorate, despite the amount of work this will entail.

But as with everything else in her life, Stephanie is more than up for the challenge.

For more information about Stephanie Adams, call 678-296-2488 or email stephanie.adams@1stFinancialinc.com Top Agent Magazine

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Six Powerful Prospecting Tips to Build Your Business

By John Boe Why is it that some sales reps consistently earn a six-figure annual income while other reps, putting in the same hours, selling the same products, and trained by the same sales manager struggle each month financially to make ends meet? The answer to this question is painfully simple; the six-figure sales reps understand the importance of business development and never forget to ask for referrals.

Top producing sales reps set high standards for themselves and spend the majority of their time either actively prospecting for new business or closing sales. Successful sales reps set productivity goals, establish priorities, and don’t waste their precious time hanging out in the break room or taking twohour lunch breaks.

Top producers don’t need to be reminded to ask for referrals on a daily basis or follow-up on hot leads, because they understand that prospecting for new business is a necessity and not just an activity. The good news is that prospecting for new business, like any other learned skill set, can be trained and developed into a habit.

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Tip One: Don’t Forget to Ask for Referrals.

When it comes to asking for referrals, timing is everything. Research indicates that the most effective time to ask for referrals is right after you’ve made the sale or provided a valuable service for your customer. Asking for referrals prior to closing the sale is a big mistake and may even jeopardize the sale itself. Once the sale has been completed, your customer will be on an “emotional high” and far more receptive to the idea of providing you referrals. When you ask for referrals, your goal is to get as many names written down as you can. Just keep asking... Who else? Once your advocate has given you all of his or her referrals, then go back over the list of names to get details on each prospect.

Tip Two: Train and Reward Your Advocates.

An advocate is a person who’s willing to go out of his or her way to recommend you to a friend or associate. Most customers are initially reluctant to provide referrals without some basic training and motivation.

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Once you’re given a prospect, Asking for it’s a good idea to take the time to role-play with your advocate referrals prior to to demonstrate how to approach and talk to their referral. A brief closing the sale is a role-playing exercise will build your advocate’s confidence and big mistake and keep them from over-educating may even jeopardize their referrals. During your roleplay session, be sure to prepare the sale itself. your advocate to expect some initial resistance. This training will pay big dividends by making your advocate more effective and less likely to become discouraged when faced with rejection. Always take the time to thank your advocates and give them feedback on the status of their referrals. I recommend that you call them and then follow up by sending a thank you card and or gift.

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Tip Three: Strike While the Iron is HOT. Prospects, like food in your refrigerator, are perishable and therefore need to be contacted quickly. Each day you let slip by without making initial contact with your referral dramatically reduces the probability of you making the sale. Develop the habit of contacting your referrals within two-business days or sooner. Have a system to keep track of your referrals so they don’t end up falling through the cracks. It’s critical to have a computerized client contact management system to record your remarks and track future contacts and appointments. Relying on your memory alone is a very poor business decision that will cost you dearly.

Tip Four: Schedule a Minimum of Two-Hours a Day for Phone Calling.

Make your phone calls in the morning while you and your referrals are both fresh and alert. Treat your prospecting time with the same respect you would give to any other important appointment. This Treat your prospecting is not the time to check your e-mails, play solitaire on the time with the same computer, make personal phone calls or chat with your respect you would give associates.

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to any other important appointment.

Avoid the temptation to try and sell your product or service over the phone. Your objective for every phone call is to create interest, gather information and make an appointment. If your prospect asks you a question, get in the habit of going for an appointment rather than giving a quick response.

Don’t shoot from the hip use a script. It’s important to use a phone script when you contact your prospect so you don’t leave out any key information.

It’s a good idea to role-play your script over the phone with your sales manager until he or she feels you sound confident and professional.

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Tip Five: Qualify Your Prospect at Maximum Range.

Unfortunately, not every prospect will be interested or qualified financially to purchase your products or services. Successful sales reps don’t waste time chasing after low-probability prospects and know when it’s time to cut their losses and move on.

Tip Six: Don’t Take Rejection Personally.

Selling, like baseball, is a numbers game pure and simple. Rejection is to be anticipated as a natural aspect of the qualification process, so don’t take it personally. Learn from rejection by using it as a valuable feedback mechanism. Salespeople who take rejection personally lack perseverance Salespeople and seldom make the sale.

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who take rejection personally lack perseverance and seldom make the sale.

For the majority of salespeople, prospecting for new business is without a doubt the most challenging and stressful aspect of the selling process.

Selling is a contact sport and daily prospecting for new business is the key to every salesperson’s long-term financial success. By integrating these six powerful prospecting tips into your daily business routine, you’ll be able to keep your appointment calendar packed with qualified prospects!

“Sales are contingent upon the attitude of the salesman, not the attitude of the prospect.”

– W. Clement Stone Copyright ©, 2016 John Boe. All rights reserved.

John Boe presents a wide variety of motivational and sales-oriented keynotes and seminar programs for sales meetings and conventions. John is a nationally recognized sales trainer and business motivational speaker with an impeccable track record in the meeting industry. To have John speak at your next event, visit www.johnboe.com or call 937-299-9001. Free Newsletter available on website.

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JULIA BELL Top Mortgage Lender and Branch Manager Julia Bell of Movement Mortgage in Oviedo, Florida, has been a leader in her industry right out of the gate, winning Rookie of the Year in her first year in the loan business.

Seemingly born to her career, she is the daughter of a top lending professional who spent her childhood listening to her mother speaking to her clients on the phone. In 2000, she followed in her mom’s footsteps and signed on as her assistant at Wells Fargo. Eventually, Julia joined forces with direct lender Movement and has only seen her star continue to ascend over the past seventeen years, and she now manages a team of nine loan officers and three loan officer assistants.

Julia has nothing but praise for Movement and its business philosophy: we exist to love and value people by offering a movement of change in the mortgage industry. “It’s a really cool company,” she enthuses. Cool, yes, but also efficient and highly respected in the often complicated world of mortgage lending. Offering virtually every type of loan available, Movement is truly a onestop shopping experience where consumers benefit from the wealth of expertise Julia and her team provide. “At Movement,” she says, “our process has been streamlined to the point where we actually have loan commitments before a realtor even finds a property for their client.

We’re doing the legwork upfront. So, by far, the reason people enjoy working with us is because of our process.

We have a loan commitment before anyone else even thinks of submitting to an underwriter.” This efficiency and speed of transaction guarantees an almost unprecedented rate of almost 100% referral and repeat business.

“They come back to me,” says Julia, “because time and

time again I’ve earned their trust. I follow through and I communicate.”

Staying in touch with her past clients has also been beneficial in generating repeat business from grateful clients. “I call my realtor partners every single week,” she says, “and I have five face-to-face meetings every week with realtors and past clients.” Whether it’s these phone calls, meetings, or even texts, Julia utilizes effective systems to keep herself front and center in her client’s minds.

It’s more than just business for Julia, however, and when asked, she is quick to name her favorite part of her chosen career: “There is nothing more rewarding than seeing that single mom at the closing table, someone who never thought they could achieve the American dream, with the keys to their new home in their hands.”

An avid participant in her community, Julia is very active in the local Chamber of Commerce, the Women’s Council of Realtors, and the local Hope Foundation. Involved with multiple charity events, her team at Movement is committed to giving back, and to that end has participated in activities ranging from an Autism Walk to delivering coats to a local homeless organization. During the rare times when she is not servicing her grateful clientele, Julia can be found at the beach, reading, or shopping. First and foremost, however, she loves to spend time with her amazing husband and her sweet boys Trevor and Travis.

When asked about the future of her business, Julia is unguarded in her answer: “I want to continue growing my business, to help more clients get into their homes.”

But there’s a selfless side of her plans, as well. “I want to continue to help others to grow,” she says.

For more information about JULIA BELL, call 321-303-1737 or email Julia.Bell@movement.com Top Agent Magazine

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3 Tips For Masterful To-Do Lists

by Rob Flitton

Here are three masterful tips to easyto-prepare and easy-to-perform todo lists.

1-Important v. Urgent.

Always prepare your lists based on what is important, not what is urgent. Why? Let’s define our terms.

“Important” in this context is about what matters to you. “Urgent” in this context is about what matters to others.

People have a tendency to not only assemble their lists based on the needs of other people, they get derailed by interruptions and distractions from the pressing needs of others—they get on phone calls, discussions, text-threads, or emailexchanges that take away their focus.

The corollary tricks here are to (i) negotiate for time and space in advance, and (ii) learn to say “no.”

Since you want to focus on what’s important and not on what’s urgent, it causes you much less friction to negotiate ahead of time with those who matter to you for the time and space you need to be able to focus.

This keeps you from worrying about family matters when at work, and work matters when enjoying your family or leisure time.

When we are afraid in life to politely say “no” to the wrong thing, we makes ourselves unavailable to say “yes” to the right things. Those who appreciate and understand you will cooperate—those who do not will simply have to adjust.

2-Obey The Crow.

Sometimes these urgency-intruders There should never be more than 7 can be close to you and hard to say items on your to-do list. No one no to—your spouse, boss, children, can concentrate on too many things at once. customers, or strangers.

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To be able to focus, a person needs to be able to discern which activities or ideas are most important to him at that moment, and at any given moment a person is only able to hold, focus on, or visualize perhaps somewhere between 4 and 7.

This limitation was understood from an experiment observing a flock of crows gathered in a clearing. When various groups of men would cross the clearing and then enter the nearby woods, the crows would flee to the Top Agent Magazine

treetops only to return when the full number of men could be accounted for—i.e., when they felt safe.

If one man went in and then came back they would return to the clearing. If three men went into the woods and only two returned, they wouldn’t. If five men went into the woods and only four returned, they felt safe to return to the clearing.

This means that the crows could only hold 3 or 4 units of the men in their focus.

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Focusing on where the money comes from strips away all of the non-essentials.

For humans, the same is true but may be slightly higher. Look at a forest—you can perceive and focus on and count about 6 or 7 trees at one time, but you can never focus on or count an entire forest.

being the most important, and 1 dollar sign being the least important—like movie, book or restaurant ratings.

At the end of the to-do list period— whether it is a daily, weekly, monthly or annual list—you need not have completed every item, but you need to have entirely completed or accomplished the 4- and 5-star items. You would rather fully complete three 5star items than partially complete all seven items on your list.

The powerful piece of knowledge here is that by using unit economy— by limiting your ideas and activities into manageable groups—you can greatly overcome these limitations and leverage your means to tackle more and more work. By breaking lists down into groups of 4 to 7 Money is a measuring stick for how units, you can accomplish hundreds, effective you are at conducting your if not thousands, of important jobs business—it is really the only objective means of measuring your and tasks annually. effectiveness. Yes, there are plenty of non-monetary goals and outcomes 3-Dollar Signs.

The matter of deciding what should we all want to achieve, but I assert be at the top of your list should that being profitable matters the come down to the money. Money is most, and your to-do lists need to best barometer of what you should establish the mental attitude required spend your time on. Bookkeeping is to achieve maximum profitability. an important task in business, but Focusing on where the money comes closing sales is significantly more from strips away all of the nonimportant—no sales adds up to no essentials. need for bookkeeping.

Rob Flitton is a Seattle Real Estate MarAssign everything on your to do list a number of dollar signs, 5 dollar signs 20

keting specialist helping independent agents to increase their income. Email Rob robflitton@gmail.com at any time or call/ text him at 206-612-2314.

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BRIAN TAYLOR Driven by a desire to help and a passion for shared success, Brian Taylor’s two-decade career in various areas of the mortgage industry has spanned Wall Street’s capital markets, mortgage backed securities and a mortgage arbitrage desk. But after leading a capital markets group for a Connecticut based mortgage company, Brian decided it was time to focus on helping individuals and families build wealth through smart decisions about home loans. “We opened New England Home Mortgage 10 years ago this March,” says Brian. “We’re a small shop of about eight loan officers and processors. We view ourselves as a more personal option than the large lenders.”

Offering a full suite of loans, the brokerage relies on its reputation. “Referrals are everything,” says Brian. “We generate more than half our business from past clients and the rest from REALTOR®, attorney and other business referrals.” The loyalty of those clients and partners stems directly from the communication and attention to detail on which the team has built its reputation.

“Everyone involved in a transaction knows where things stand at all times,” he says. “And we answer our phones, which seems to be unique in this industry.” They are not only responsive, but they know their business thoroughly and keep clients’ interests at the forefront. “We’ll never put someone into a loan that wouldn’t make sense for them.” As a result, they have a very high close rate. “I really enjoy working with people who might be unfamiliar with mortgages and getting to teach them and provide a roadmap for them,” says Brian, who finds immense pleasure in shepherding clients from a lack of knowledge into full understanding of their financial picture, credit scores, different types of loans, payment options and how a mortgage can impact their future. “And of course seeing the clients at the closings is the best part,” he adds.

Successful, on-time closings and empowered borrowers lead to win-win relationships for Brian’s team, their REALTOR®

partners and the buyers and sellers they all represent. “We go in with a value proposition,” Brian says of his approach to building his referral partner network. “A relationship has to be mutually beneficial. We wouldn’t expect REALTORS® to send us business just because we asked them to.” Instead, Brian and team get creative, customizing ways to make the partnership beneficial for each REALTOR®’s business. “If we do that correctly, they become interested,” he says, adding that once given an opportunity to perform for a new REALTOR® partner, referrals continue.

The enjoyment of helping others is no cliché for Brian, who also expends great time and energy giving back to the community in various ways, including serving as president of a community-based, 501(c)(3) organization, The Mill Foundation for Kids. “We raise money for various causes aimed at supporting children with cancer or other pediatric illness.”

The foundation also funds the purchase of toys for medical facilities such as Yale New Haven Hospital, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, Boston Children’s Hospital and The Jimmy Fund at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. “They call us and say we need toys, TVs, or whatever they are lacking and we get it and ship it to them.” The group also creates care packages for sick children and their families.

Brian expects 2017 to usher a period of unprecedented growth for New England Home Mortgage. “We’ll be adding even more quality loan officers to the team, enhancing our reputation, and letting people know more about who we are, what we do and the different loans we offer,” says Brian. In addition to conventional loans, the team offers a variety of government loans including FHA, VA and USDA, as well as Rehab and reverse mortgages, working with various lenders to ensure the best rates and program guidelines. “We’re doing a great job with the full suite of products we offer and we really can be the one-stop shop for borrowers across the state.”

Most important to Brian, however, is that all partners and borrowers know they’re working with someone honest and ethical. “We’re driven only by what’s best for the client,” he says.

To learn more about Brian Taylor and New England Home Mortgage, visit nehmloans.com, email brian@brianct.com or call 860.426.2447 www.

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How To Send

SMARTER EMAILS

Email is a great tool for agents to use when trying to stay in touch with their past clients, as well as for reaching out to prospective clients. However, used incorrectly it can make your attempts to reach out seem like spam. The secret to using email effectively is making sure that everything you send out does one thing: ensure that you remain relevant to your contacts. To do this you have to get personal. Personalization will go far to ensure that your contacts are actually clicking on your emails. This means that if you do reply on an automated drip email campaign to build business, you need to customize your content so that it delivers something meaningful to each individual recipient. Here are some steps that will help you do exactly that:

1. SEND A WELCOME EMAIL TO

NEW CLIENTS AND PROSPECTS Rather than simply add new contacts to your automated email drip campaign, make sure to send each new contact receives a warm welcome as well. Sending a welcome email along with adding new contacts to your drip campaign is proven to be 86 percent more effective at catching your contact’s attention. Let them know they are welcome and that you appreciate their interest.

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2. NURTURE YOUR RELATIONSHIP

THROUGH YOUR EMAIL To let your potential client know that you are thinking about them by sending them useful content that relates to the process of buying or selling a house. Some great topics include credit score information, ways to save money, regular market updates, what buying in your market is like, information about the neighborhood, tips on how they can prepare their home for sale, and other relevant information. A great way to

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add to these emails’ punch is to time them so that they coincide with what that individual is going through and dealing with at that time on their path through the buying or selling process.

3. CELEBRATE IMPORTANT DATES

Everyone loves to be noticed and appreciated.

Schedule emails to go to each client that celebrate their purchase anniversary or birthday.

Make sure you include a personal note and your own wishes that the year ahead goes well for them. If you’ve been a bit out of touch with your contacts, you might want to send them a friendly hello.

4.

MOBILE-FRIENDLY EMAILS With our phones being akin to mini computers, most people read their emails on their phone these days. So, it is particularly important to make sure that your emails are rendering well on the smaller screens. If you want to make any kind of impact, you have to run a mobile-friendly email campaign in today’s world. You are going to lose a lot of your audience if they can’t read your email on their phones.

5.

TRACK THE PERFORMANCE OF YOUR EMAILS AND ALTER ACCORDINGLY The best way to make sure your emails are being read and making the kind of impact you desire is to consistently monitor the analytics,

and see what your readers are actually clicking on and what elements are most popular with your contacts. Going forward you can alter different elements of your email campaign such as content, images, graphics, and even smaller elements like your subject line to draw in more clicks from your readers, and cater to what grabs their attention.

You also want to follow a targeted email strategy. The best way to do this is segment your email list based on the data from your CRM and the demographics of your contacts. Different clients are going to be interested in different content. Long-time clients looking to buy a second home or possibly downsize are going to be interested in completely different content than your first-time buyers. A good way to filter your contacts is by looking at which ones are looking to buy or sell, how far along in the process they are, as well as other important information about them.

6.

DON’T SPAM UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES You probably already know that flooding your clients’ emails is big no-no. However, different people have different ideas about what is too much contact. One great way to approach this problem is to ask your clients whether they would prefer weekly, monthly, or occasional emails from you. This way you can cater to each client’s preference.

The emails you send your clients can often be a double-edged sword when it comes to how well they work to bring in business. Following these simple rules will help your emails be as successful as they can possibly be, and will make your contacts much happier with you. So, don’t just send out emails without doing your homework about how to do it right. Your email campaigns can be a powerful tool if you know how to create and utilize them in the right manner.

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