The recent economic environment has put pressure on the real estate and mortgage industries, with a downturn in inventory and an increase in interest rates. We know it’s a normal part of an ever-changing business cycle. And we know that, ultimately, the pendulum will swing back to a state of equilibrium.
In addition to the current market conditions, we all face the ongoing challenge of protecting and promoting our relevance as sales professionals in the digital world. We share the critical need to develop meaningful customer relationships by delivering more personal value than online transactions alone can deliver.
In response to these challenges, I invite you to develop and lean on the relationships you have with your lending contacts. Since real estate agents and mortgage lenders share the same pain points, it just makes sense to tackle them together in a spirit of cooperation and creativity.
When was the last time you talked shop?
Ask yourself, when was the last time you had an in-depth conversation with your lending contacts about how to address market challenges and build business? Together, we need to become problem solvers and change agents, looking for innovative ways to reach and help our customers. Our relationships and coordinated efforts can be our keys to success right now.
We know that building the repeat business and referrals we seek takes time and effort. And it requires a customer-centric approach.
Try these steps to forge a customer-centric relationship with a lender:
- Reach out and get to know your lending contacts.
- Find those peers who share your same drive and fire.
- Become unofficial teammates with each other.
- Determine common standards you can agree on.
- Decide together how you will deliver a flawless customer experience. (From contract signing, through the application, title, inspections, closing and beyond.)
Our current sales challenges make it more important than ever that we don’t stay siloed in our professional bunkers. Instead, real estate and mortgage professionals can team up and forge a legacy-building unit. Together you can create the flawless customer experience that fuels the flow of repeat business and referrals.
Reach out to an Arvest mortgage lender and talk shop today!
Carter Maxey: Business Coach for Arvest Mortgage, 37-year veteran of real estate and mortgage sales, and author of How To Avoid The Commodity Paradox in Real Estate and Mortgage Sales.