5 Sales Techniques Great Loan Officers Use

Demonstrate Your Expertise. While you can show evidence of your skill set in personal interactions with your customers, you’ll want to bolster this in one powerful way: your online presence. Social media is the price of entry these days. You’ll want to have profiles across all the platforms, but there’s one important tool that will help shore up your reputation: video. This is so easy to do. Record messages on your smartphone and create a steady stream of content about what’s happening in the market, education on terminology, and more. Then parse it out across your platforms on a regular basis. This way, you’ll not only be assuring your current clients that you know what’s what, you’ll also be establishing yourself as a go-to, trusted leader.

Be Transparent. We’re talking about honesty. All the time. And you might think this is a given, which it is, but be sure to take extra steps to explain the little things, facts you might assume they know. Or if you have any hesitations about any aspects of their deal, let them know. Without this critical dynamic, you won’t be able to build trust, which is what all successful business relationships are built upon.

Ask for the Sale. You might think that this is obvious, but for many, it’s not. Yes, you have to gather all the paperwork and then present the options to your customer via email or in person. But you must ask them, “Are you ready to take this loan?” Of course, you give them time to consider, but at some point, you must be direct. If they decline, the next thing to do is be gracious, but immediately ask them to get in touch if anything changes. After that, ask if it’s okay to touch base in a few weeks/months - whenever it works for your client. This way, you never lose momentum.

Be Fast. Put yourself in your customers’ shoes. They’ve just found their dream house and want to move in yesterday. It’s your job to get them their loan as soon as humanly possible. Quick responses and short approval times are key. But here’s where video or pre-written texts or emails come into play. No doubt your customers will have questions. By preparing some basic instructions about what to expect and what they need to come to the table with, you can save time, keep your customers’ comfort level high, while taking care of all your other clients. 

Extend Your Business Hours. Being available, no matter what time of day or night, shows that you’re on top of your game, but most importantly, care for your customers. This is not to say that you won’t have boundaries, but showing your flexibility, being willing to respond to your customers or meet them on days and times that are outside the norm will win big points in the long run.