The Power Of ‘I Don’t Know’

Embracing learning — and the unknown — in mortgage marketing is scary, but it’s also a journey of self-discovery

Insider

Senior Event Marketing Specialist

“I don’t know.”

It’s a valid statement and don’t let people convince you otherwise.

In a rapidly changing industry, driven by an ever-changing market and an ever-evolving technological age, there is no way to know everything. Saying “I don’t know” too often feels like an admission of defeat. However, if given the proper attention this statement can be reframed into an opportunity. By acknowledging areas or subject matters that fall outside your existing knowledge, you have unlocked an uncharted territory — a chance to learn something new and empower yourself through education.

For folks who are just entering or new to the professional marketing sphere particularly, it can be overwhelming. Not only do we have to be experts on all things marketing, but we also must become experts in our given industry, which is quite a tall order. That’s a lot of learning to be done. For this reason, it is important to first take the steps to advance your expertise in both domains and early on.

The Good News

The good news: there are plenty of resources available! First, let’s acknowledge you’ve already started the work. By diving into Mortgage Women Magazine, a reputable publication, focused on empowering women in this space, congratulations that you’ve started your self-education journey. Finding publications and written works that are not only informative but also spoken from the perspective of someone who has a similar background to yours is a great way to start. Gaining insight from a female perspective or someone who has a career path or philosophy you’d like to emulate is invaluable, and often a source of encouragement, if not anything else. They listened, they learned, and now they’re sharing their insight so you can too.

Explore Podcasts

We’re fortunate enough to be in an industry where these educational tools are not only extensively available but often free and extremely accessible. If reading isn’t your niche, tap into the world of podcasts! There are so many podcasts streaming that provide insight into the world of marketing, real estate investing, entrepreneurship, and more! Podcasts are an excellent resource, too, because here you can find the people who fit your learning style and match your desired tone. Podcasts such as “The Marketing Millennials” and “The Marketing Meetup” provide intel from a broader marketing perspective with episode titles that can lead you to your answers instantaneously. Meanwhile, podcasts like “Uncontested Investing” and “The Lender Lounge” feature hosts with experience in the real estate industry that cover a range of topics such as investing tips, market updates, relationship management, and more.

Embrace In-Person Learning

If you find yourself craving more of the typical classroom environment of learning, you are not alone! With a little research, you’d be surprised how many in-person educational opportunities there are for both the realm of marketing and the real estate industry. Of course, there are the more obvious speaking sessions at trade shows about the state of the market, incoming technological advancements, and other real estate-related insights. But did you know there are entire conferences focused on furthering your marketing education? (If you didn’t know, remember that’s okay!)

Marketing Conferences

Marketing conferences such as Exhibitor Live! and INBOUND are perfect events to explore to meet like-minded lifelong learners eager to solidify their knowledge of their craft in marketing. Within these exhibition halls, you have the rare opportunity to meet people in your field from various industries and find commonalities in your pain points, successes, and more, which is arguably sometimes the most valuable sources of education. Many of these conferences end up serving two purposes — immersing attendees in a world of the extensive potential of marketing as well as providing classroom-like sessions that ultimately earn you credit for a certification. In the case of Exhibitor Live! for example, audiences are surrounded by diverse industries of event marketing, and ultimately, given the opportunity to work towards a certificate in trade show management. And if a certification or a degree is what motivates you more to embrace your empowering path to self-education, then so be it! Sometimes we all deserve a gold star for going above and beyond on our voyage of deeper learning.

Listen and Learn

Now, you’ve done the reading, found your podcast, and signed up for a few webinars to continue your quest for knowledge! What more could one possibly do? This question has an easy answer: Listen. Soaking up all the readily available knowledge within your internal and external workday cannot be underestimated. You may be surprised at the sources of knowledge one can find on a given person’s team or just in a department next door. For instance, you might find yourself one day struggling to properly market a new appraisal offer due to a lack of comprehensive understanding of the standard appraisal process, hindering your ability to begin crafting material for the new promotion. This provides the perfect time to pursue some intel from a trusted and experienced source and all you needed to do was ask.

Bravery in Learning

However, no matter how accessible the knowledge within your work environment may be, this is typically the time and place where shame makes its grand entrance. Yet, this is where the most important skill of a person in their pursuit of knowledge comes into play: Bravery. As you are seeking this educational growth, it is crucial to never be afraid to ask questions. When you hear something unfamiliar or particularly confusing, it’s time to be bold, ignore any self-doubt, and ask for further information. Of course, there are instances that would register as not the time or place to dive in on a particular subject, but just be sure to jot the question down. You’d be surprised to see how many professionals in this space have a list on their Notes app comprised of questions and vocabulary entitled “Things to Look Up Later.” There is no shame in not knowing something, but there is a major disadvantage presented when you don’t investigate further.

The Lifelong Learner

If there’s one takeaway from this that you should add to your belt of newfound knowledge, it’s this: Step into the role of a life-long learner and bravely do so! There are always more questions to answer and ways to broaden your expertise, but they rely on an enduring passion for seeking out new knowledge and opportunities for growth. Now, we’ve covered a lot of resources and avenues to empower ourselves in solidifying our expertise. But where does one begin? A good place to start: “I don’t know.”