by Brian Brady
Commercial Real Estate Finance Expert
Structured Debt and Equity
Licensed Real Estate Broker in AL, CA, and FL
The mortgage business is pretty cut-and-dry today. Historically low interest rates, a whole lot less people in the industry, and five screwed-up banks are making it easy for originators to pick the “low-hanging fruit” today. I’m not so naive to think that the Garden of Eden will be as lush as it is today. I know we are going to have to return (once again) to the basic building blocks of business generation when rates rise (my guess for the inevitable rise is sometime after the New Year).
A lot of things have changed in the past two years, especially the way we find loans which can be funded. Some of the ideas I think make sense include:
- an automatic CRM, like Top Of Mind manages for you
- video email marketing, like I have been exploring
- Continuing education for REALTORS, like Educate2Earn is doing
- Old-fashioned blogging for mortgages
- Even older-fashioned but proven systems, as offered by Loan Toolbox
- Some of the many ideas offered by Mortgage Marketing Animals
Are you doing something differently to get the telephone to ring? Is there anything you might have heard, which allegedly works, which you would like to learn?
I’m interested in your feedback.
Mike Mullin says:
Brian, I have to give a shout out for Mark Green and the crew at Top of Mind. Their Surefire system is the ONLY one in my 21 years of origination that has made me money without me doing anything!
We just turned on their automated emailing system in Jan and I’ve banked $10k in net commissions so far. All I had to do was call the client upon receiving an email saying they wanted a loan. In all cases they had received an email from the Surefire system I wasn’t even aware went out! 🙂
Don’t focus on the only “10k” part. The important part is that the commission resulted from an automated system. And I only have about 150 people in the database. I can only imagine what happens with a bigger database. 🙂
For the record – I do not receive any compensation for pitching Top of Mind. I praise them every chance I get because they’ve put food on my table!
October 6, 2011 — 3:04 pm
Brian Brady says:
Thanks, Mike. I’ve seen that system and it’s great. Mark, as you might know, contributes here at BHB and really understands CRM.
Are you trying anything else or are there any systems about which you are curious?
October 6, 2011 — 5:09 pm
Mark Ciochon says:
Wowee is really cool. I set up a video email in five minutes the second time around shoot take maybe a minute to do. I have been looking for something like this and it is Awesome! (insert higher pitch) Very cool product thanks Brian for sharing.
October 7, 2011 — 5:10 pm
Mark Green says:
Wow, thanks for the shout outs guys. I am just catching up on some reading and apologize for the delayed response.
October 11, 2011 — 3:34 pm
Dan Chapman says:
I agree, the database works great, and so does old fashion pressin the flesh. Went to a golf tourney last Friday and left with 3 refi’s. Well worth the sponsorship and 5 hours of playing golf (yes, 5 hrs… slow players….)
October 11, 2011 — 11:24 pm
Jonathan says:
Yeah, second Top of Mind.
Also applying good old internet marketing tactics from Copyblogger, SEOmoz and Wordtracker will help you generate more traffic and more business.
October 15, 2011 — 8:40 pm