Please take a minute to just re-read the title to this article. I am betting that it made you stop didn’t it? In fact , I know it did since you are actually reading this.
This is a very important lesson. In order to stand out and get noticed you MUST be different. Not just different in your approach but different in your messaging. The truth is that we all look alike, sound alike and act alike.

Much of this has to do with the DODD FRANK and CFPB rules, but this has been going on for the past 31 years that I have been in the industry. It is so prevelant that I actually created a name for it.

WEST VIRGINIA MARKETING
I hope no one from West Virginia takes offense because none is intended. But think about it for a minute. When you started in this business you probably looked around at what everyone else was doing and you started doing the same things. Saying the same things and then it becomes a matter of who can spend the most or scream the loudest.

– We Have Great Rates.
– We can close your loan in 3 seconds.
– We provide great service.
– We have great programs.

DOES ANY OF THIS SOUND FAMILIAR?
Now take a minute and think about WHY a client should use you? If the answers you have are the only ones in your arsenal you will not be having a great 2017?
WHY?
This year will likely prove to be a bit more challenging then 2016 was. The day of refis being plentiful and rates cooperating are pretty much over.

2017 WILL BE A PURCHASE YEAR.
This will the transition year back to a regular business based on purchases instead of refinances. That means if you were doing a great job in 2016 and were 70% purchase and only 30% refinances, your income will drop by 30% if you are not able to replace it.

HOW DO YOU REPLACE IT?
Going back to the title of this article you need to stop sounding, looking and acting like everyone else. Stop telling people how great your rates are and what a good job you do. I am going to share a real plan with you so grab a highlighter.

THE STEP BY STEP PROCESS FOR A GREAT 2017.
1. You MUST Create a Plan.
As I travel around the country I hear loan officers telling me how they want to be successful. But success differs for each of us and ONLY you can define what success means for you.
Now let’s pick a figure and figure out how to get there. Suppose you want make 100,000 and you earn 50 basis points on a loan and your average loan is 250,000.
The simple math is that you need to close 80 loans in 2017 or about 7 loans a month. How are you going to do that.
Here’s how my very own plan looks:
– 3 loans from Direct Marketing to Renters
– 7 loans From Realtors/Builders
– 2 loans from past clients/ referral sources ( CPA/ATTORNEY/PLANNER)
– 3 loans from Direct Marketing to Boomerang Buyers
Now you have a plan and an firm idea on the income you want and how it will happen. But wait, we’re not done just yet. Each and every month you need to look at this list and see if it all turned out the way you planned?
Was it better or worse? Why and what do you need to work on this coming month?

2. You MUST Control the Buyers.
If you have read any of my articles you realize how these 5 words are. If you are going out begging Realtors and others for business and telling them how great your service and rates are you simply will NOT succeed.
The truth is that whoever controls the buyer , controls the transaction and the income of everyone in the transaction.

Think about that and let it sink in. Why do you chase Realtors and others? Because they have buyers and you want business. But what if you flip that on it’s head and YOU (the originator) controlled the buyer. You would now have Realtors, Insurance agents , and title companies chasing you .
This is exactly what I do every month and show my members how to use this exact system in the RentersIntoLoans.com system. Life becomes fun again when you have a predictable system for generating new business and have others soliciting you. Sure as heck beats begging doesn’t it?

3. You MUST Be An Expert In A Niche That Is In Demand.
We are truly one of the few industries that doesn’t grasp this concept. Therefore we all look-sound – and act alike. Do you hate rate shoppers? We all do but the only reason a client asks your rate is because they have no other way to distinguish us from the others.
But when you are an expert that whole situation changes.
Think about what happens when you go to a doctor because you have a problem that needs a specialist. You don’t question their advice. You don’
Question their prices? You don’t ask them to meet you in the evening or on a weekend?
Best of all once you have seen a medical specialist for your problem you generally do exactly what they say. It’s no different in our industry.

HERE’S MY SUCCESS RECIPE.
Pick A Niche
Become The Expert
Let Everyone Know About It.
One of the biggest niches in 2017 will be the Boomerang Buyers who had a credit challenge during the “meltdown.” There are now 7.3 million of them ready and able to buy again.
Best of all there are very few originators going after them so very little competition. In fact I created the whole BoomerangExpert.com system to show my members the step by step way to do this too.
Then you can take these buyers and give them to realtors as you see in the plan above. You could also go to Builders, Realty Companies, Credit Unions, and other loan officers to generate new deals. Most of these companies will not deal with Boomerang Buyers but they are an excellent source for you to establish yourself as the local Boomerang Expert.
HERE IS SPECIAL REPLAY ON HOW YOU CAN BE A BOOMERANG EXPERT TOO- http://boomerangexpert.com/replay/

4. You MUST EXECUTE.
This should go without saying but all the plans in the world are worthless if you don’t execute. It all starts with the plan so you know where you are headed, and then monitoring your progress on the way.
Never let any minor setback throw you off. Just stick to your plan and adjust as is needed. Now stop reading and get to work and my best wishes for a prosperous 2017.

2 MORE IMPORTANT POINTS BEFORE WE START THE NEW YEAR —
One of the best ways I have found to actually find Realtors and Referral Sources is linked in

Here’s the exact linked in training I learned from.
https://johnnemo.samcart.com/referral/mSaDYuEH/998805

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED THE “UNDER THE RADAR” PSYCHOLOGY OF WHAT ATTRACTS OR REPELS CLIENTS AND REFERRAL SOURCES? WHY DO PEOPLE CHOOSE YOU OR DECIDE TO USE SOMEONE ELSE?
CHECK THIS OUT-
THIS TRULY GIVES LOAN OFFICERS AN “UNFAIR EDGE”
http://lounfairedge.com/now/

Brian Sacks is a nationally-renowned mortgage expert who has career closing of more than 5,924 transactions for more than $1 billion. He has trained, consulted and coached, tens of thousands of loan officers and company owners over the past 31 years on how to close more loans, make more money, and still have a life. Brian is the host of “Top Originator Secrets,” which can be seen weekly on Mortgage News Network and on his blog. You can get more information and grab your free report on “How to Get Agents Chasing You” at TopOriginatorSecrets.com