Selling Mortgages Ain't Rocket Science: Get Things Done Quicker-Speed Will Be The Key To Success In The FutureDave HershmanInternet Originations, Streamlining operations, Speed
We can speculate
for days regarding how the future of the business world will affect
our lives and our opportunities for success. We know that
computers, especially the Internet, are going to dominate many
industries. With every new business medium, there are going to be
new challenges and new opportunities.
There is one
constant that permeates the progress of modern industry. No matter
what advances shape business, the basis for this advancement will
be speed. Yes, every move forward seems geared to allow us
to react more quickly in the business world.
Through the
Internet, we now have access to information which would have taken
days, weeks, or even years to previously obtain. E-mail allows for
instant communication and response, as do cell phones, digital
pagers, broadcast faxes, and video-conferencing units.
Each year, we seem
to obtain more time-saving devices, but each of these seem to rob
us of time. For example, cell phones allow us to react to calls
from anywhere. They also tie us to a phone on a constant basis.
Anyone ever feel like they can't seem to get away from their
work?
Speed
Each year seems to
resemble a treadmill that goes faster and faster. One thing is
certain-the future is not for those who don't react quickly. The
consumers of the future will demand instantaneous access to
information, quick decisions, and instant gratification for their
desires.
Take a look at the
stock market for a confirmation of these trends. The exchanges are
looking at trading hours that are open basically 24 hours a day.
The new stock market leaders are companies that did not even exist
a few short years ago.
Are you prepared
for the speed of the 21st Century? Sometimes it is hard to
extrapolate from where one is now standing to the speed of the next
century. You may look at yourself and see someone who is prone to
procrastination, a technical neophyte, and unable to get their
hands around the simplest tasks of today, let alone the challenges
of the future.
Take heart, these
characteristics we have described are typical of most sales forces
entering the Year 2000, but they will not sit well with the
advances of the future. You must spend some time now in preparation
for success in the speed zone of tomorrow.
Ask yourself, Can
I react quickly to the demands of today's customers? Find out what
advances might change these demands, forcing you to react even more
quickly.
When you get a
call from a prospect, how quickly can you react? A quick reaction
in the future will be more than just returning a phone call. It
will be the provision of information and services that instantly
bond you to a customer. It may have been enough to return a phone
call 10 years ago, but with the consumers of tomorrow receiving a
barrage of valuable offers on a steady basis, the response will
have to be right on target in order for prospects to stop in their
tracks and tune out other stimuli.
What would happen
if a completely new avenue of competition entered your target
market instantaneously? Not just another salesperson, but a
Microsoft or equivalent guerrilla. Are you prepared to react
quickly and decisively to protect your livelihood? It is certainly
hard to protect yourself when there is no telling from which
direction the attack will be coming.
Sound ominous?
Absolutely, but remember, with every challenge there is an
opportunity. The average salesperson will not be prepared to react
to tomorrow's challenges. For those who can react, there will be
greater levels of success available. This covenant is exactly why
20% of the sales force accomplishes 80% of the production in almost
every industry. The law of evolution assures a high turnover rate
for those who cannot meet the demands of the open markets.
Now is the time
for you to decide what your strategies will be for tomorrow. Spend
some time studying industry trends and the movements of your
competition. Stand ready to move quickly-speed will be
essential.
Dave Hershman
is a leading author and top speaker for the mortgage industry with
six books-including two best sellers for the Mortgage Bankers
Association of America. His newsletters are used by Mortgage
Brokers to provide value to previous customers, financial planners,
Realtors and more. For newsletter samples, call (800) 581-5678 or
visit on the Web at www.hershmangroup.com.
