The 7 Core Beliefs of Very Successful Loan Officers

So often business success doesn’t come down to tactics and strategies but, instead, rides on one fundamental basis on which everything depends – your core beliefs.

Having worked with elite producers from all over the U.S., I have learned that there are some core beliefs that these very successful loan officers hold that make the difference in their performance and productivity every day.

First, they believe success comes from service. Service is about keeping your clients and agents informed, in a timely way, about what’s going on and what they can do to help expedite the loan process. It means being available when needed, even if it’s not during banker’s hours (there are systems that we have in place so it doesn’t have to be “you” that is available after hours or weekends). It means making sure your clients have what they need and want throughout the deal, which may include having one of your team assigned to handle their file so it’s not only you personally providing stellar service. It means having a person answer your office phone every time it rings. It means no unwanted surprises in the deal – communicate, communicate, communicate.

Second, elite producers are generally willing to do what others are unwilling or unable to do. For example, they find a way to make more connections, have more face-to-face meetings, attend more local networking events and cultivate more relationships and referrals every week. Whether that’s through a marketing strategy that opens the doors or sitting down and making the calls or using social marketing creatively or something else, these loan officers go above and beyond to create the results they want in their business. There is a level of humility in that these are also the people who will empty the wastebasket and put on the office coffee in the morning.

Third, the depth of their network is more important than the breadth of it. That might sound like the exact opposite of what I just said but read both these points carefully. They do what it takes to meet people AND they go deep in those relationships vs. just having a large superficial network based on business cards. People have to know you care before they care about doing business with you.

Fourth, they know that leadership is, in a sense, ordained by others. Leaders do not stand up, proclaim themselves a leader and that’s it – they need followers. Without followers, without a team, without a tribe, a leader does not exist. Leaders earn their title every day. Smart loan officers build their teams and communities successfully when they remember this fact.

Fifth, elite loan officers pay it forward. When they get a referral, or get handed a great opportunity, they acknowledge where it came from and pay it forward in some way. When they participate in their community, they get the gift of feeling good about what they do and who they help. Generous people generate.

Sixth, no conformist has ever made history. Very successful loan officers push the edges of the status quo to do what’s needed vs. what’s expected or even what others think is right. They follow their nose to go outside the box and do the right thing for their clients to get the deal done the right way.

Lastly, they choose themselves first. This is not about being selfish! Instead, this about not waiting for anyone’s permission to be successful or take right action for their team, their clients, their business, and their families. Wealth is a by-product of doing the right things in the right order based on the right mindset. By knowing that they deserve the rewards of their hard work, they experience them.

Look, I don’t pretend to know all the answers. But having been in the business and being good at it, and then having had the chance to meet, work with and hang out with these super producers, I have picked up a thing or two. These are just some of the things I’ve observed over time and that I think make a big huge difference. Beliefs create action and action creates results, so if you want different results, check your beliefs. Get your beliefs lined up and your business should flourish.