Developing a bond with clients at more than face value
BY ERICA LACENTRA
Image captions
In the fast-paced mortgage world, it can be easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of day-to-day originations and trying to meet sales goals; so easy, in fact, that customer interactions can start to blur together.
Losing sense of your customers as real people and seeing them only as their current deal can harm your ability to develop long-term client relationships and hurt your business in the long run. However, being too chummy and sharing too much with your clients can also cause issues; there is still a need for a certain level of professionalism. So, when you are trying to connect with customers beyond a transactional level to develop long-term client relationships, how can you authentically forge those bonds?
Developing your company stories
Have you ever met someone and felt an instant connection based on shared backgrounds, values, or experiences? The same can ring true for clients choosing to work with a specific company because they feel a connection based on the brand, the company’s story and values, their specific point of contact at the organization, or some combination of the three. If your company doesn’t currently have an established brand story which includes your core values, mission statement, and origin story, these can be great items to develop. Done well, these narratives will allow your customers to feel connected with you and your company before they even start working with you.
Start with your company’s origin story and build from there. Think about why your company was started, what inspired you to focus on the products or services that you do, and what sets you apart from competitors. From there you can develop your core values and mission statement. These items share the deeper purpose of why your company does what it does and what you stand for besides just originating loans or providing services in the mortgage industry.
"82% of shoppers want a brand’s values to align with their own”
When customers see the values your company holds and the real purpose behind why you do what you do, you enable them to view their work with you as more than just a transaction. According to a recent Harris Poll, “a staggering 82% of shoppers want a brand’s values to align with their own” and more surprisingly, “three-quarters of shoppers surveyed said they had parted ways with a brand over a conflict in values.”
The key takeaway: customers want to work with companies whose values align with theirs. With every deal they do with your company or every service they purchase, they are buying into, and ultimately contributing to, your overall mission.
Become an integral part of your customers’ story
There is a hiring practice that’s known as the beer test. Essentially it asks hiring managers to think about hiring candidates that they could imagine the team going out with for a drink. Somewhere along the line, asking, “Is that someone I’d like to grab a beer with?” became a gauge of a person’s likeability. The reasoning behind this has nothing to do with drinking the beer itself but what grabbing a beer with someone often entails. Usually, you’d want to go with someone you can talk with and feel comfortable around.
Does that mean you need to get to a place with every client where you invite them out for a brew on a Friday night? Absolutely not, but you should be thinking about the extent to which you are trying to connect with your clients in a way that develops comfort and rapport outside of the usual work talk. Get to know your clients on a more personal level and discover what their motivations are beyond the transaction.
For example, if you originate investor loans, is a potential client just starting on their investment journey? Are they growing their portfolio to try to build long-term wealth and security for their family? If you sell loan origination software, what is your potential client hoping to achieve by making this purchase? What positive impact would this have on their business and their staff? Understanding what motivates your clients can allow you to personalize their experience from start to finish, improving it in authentic and substantive ways. It can also help you identify future opportunities to work with a client so that a single transaction can turn into a fruitful long-term relationship.
As you continue to nurture your ongoing client relationships, you and your products or services become engrained in your clients’ own stories. How has your company helped them achieve their goals? How has their experience with your company hopefully made that journey better? When you take the time to connect with your clients, they can become living testimonials for your business, which in turn can also attract other like-minded clients looking to accomplish similar goals or have a comparable experience with your business.
Focus on connection to achieve future success
Building stronger client relationships all starts with the right stories. Take the time to look at your company as more than the loans you originate or the services you provide and view your customers as more than just their next deal. By highlighting the story behind your company and understanding your own customers' stories, you can set your business up for long-term relationships and ongoing success.