How to become a successful sales person

If you have ever wondered how to become successful as a sales person, then this is for you.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. 

   Customer Service - I believe that this is the first and foremost of all traits of being a great loan officer. You can close 15 files a month and if you do not handle your customers with the best in service, you will never get repeat business.

2. 

   Follow-up skills - In my 15+ years of customer service, I have seen more laziness than what I would care to mention. Bottom line is, when you tell a customer that you will call them back in a timely manner, then do it. And this does not just stop with the customer. If you are dealing with an issue for a customer, then don't allow that issue to fall to the wayside because of neglect. Do not expect what you do not inspect.

3. 

   Product Knowledge - most loan officer can get a file through because they do not know their own products. When you get to where you are done with learning, you might as well find another profession.

4. 

   Time Management - too many loan officers do not now how to manage their own day. To many times have I seen loan officers that try to manage their day without a To Do List. If you are not making a plan, you are planning to fail.

5. 

   Listening skills - when I mention this to new loan officers, I always get a weird look out of them. It is plan and simple, if you do not listen to your customer, how do you know what their needs are?

6. 

   Management of a pipeline - I have seen so many loan officers lose a customer in the cracks because they can not manage more than a few files at a time. This is bad. I always have told my staff to have 20 files working and know each and everyone of them. It use to amazing some of my staff that as a manager of a branch and having over 100 files in the pipeline working and another 100 being solicited, that when a customers name was mentioned, I could tell you the entire file.

7. 

   Honesty - this is something that I think all loan officer possess but do not always use. Here it is in a nutshell. If you are honest to a customer, in the long run, it will benefit you and them. More over, you, because the customer will trust you and refer you to people they know.

Tips & Warnings

• Now, just because these are laid out in steps, there is really no order to how important either of these are.

[MIghtyDreamer]

on 9/20/2008 If a person or client doesn't get it that these are skills that should be utilized and commended, they never will. Great job.

[Danniboi33]

on 7/29/2008 chrisfisher, you and me both. Feel free to share it around with your friends.

[chrisfisher]

on 6/17/2008 Very good advice. Wish everyone would read this one!

[Danniboi33]

on 5/9/2008 Rich, I am glad that you follow some of the key points here. it is important to stay on top of each client.

[richd]

on 5/9/2008 Customer Service and Product Knowledge are the two main key points for me. I try to stay apprised of changes in the market as well as changes in the guidelines. I also keep my clients who are looking for a home in the loop when it comes to market changes and trends that may effect them if they have elected not to lock their loan while they look for a home. These are all good points you make!