Dustin Miller

A: Dustin, you are highlighting the difference between expert and salesperson. A sales person listens to what a person wants and tries to convince the “victim” that they have it. An expert does not ignore what a person wants, but digs deeper to find out what they really need. Many do not know what the choices are so there is no way they can find out what they need on their own. So they all say they want a 30-year fixed mortgage.

The key to making the transition from want to need is developing trust. When I teach marketing, I try to get my students to understand that if they network instead of purchasing leads or cold calling—developing trust is so much easier. It is akin to starting out in scoring position in baseball. The need for major sales discipline is lessened with stronger referrals.

Even with trust you must obtain the information necessary to discover a person’s needs and this entails questioning skills. Too many of us jump in and ask the technical questions first (shoe size and credit score) before we really have moved to the relationship and needs stage. If you ask too early—you will be putting your callers on the defensive. Who wants to be asked by a stranger how much they make? This is why we accomplish role-playing in our three-day school.

Interested in a list of questions to ask rate shoppers from The Complete Mortgage Marketing Kit?  Email me at the address below and I will send you a copy for free.

Dave

Dave Hershman is the leading author for the mortgage industry with eight books and several hundred articles to his credit. He is also head of OriginationPro Mortgage School, the most advanced comprehensive curriculum in the industry, and is a top industry speaker. For more articles by Dave, free marketing materials and a schedule of classes, visit www.originationpro.com.