Which Habits Help Loan Officers Excel?

We all have habits, both intentional and not, and these small actions that we repeat on a regular basis may seem inconsequential on their own, but cumulatively their impact can be significant. We may spend more time trying to eradicate our bad habits, but implementing new, good habits is just as important. Here are some of the habits than will help loan officers excel:?

Improve Your Follow-Up

Following up is a big part of the job, and when it’s done effectively, will almost certainly result in more closed loans. Whether it’s meeting a potential referral partner or talking to a prospect, when following up becomes a habit, you increase the chances that you’ll maximize every opportunity. Be proactive and don’t wait for the other party to reach back out. It’s not about being pushy, but rather about being persistent. Once following up becomes a habit, you won’t have to remember to follow up — it becomes automatic. You’ll find that you’re building stronger relationships, and that your pipeline is growing fuller consistently.?

Seek Out New Information

When we’ve been doing something — anything — for a while, we can get comfortable in our ability to execute whatever that thing is. Once we ‘learn the ropes’ in the mortgage industry, our day-today work can become fairly predictable. While arriving at that point means you’ve been doing all the right things, it can be problematic when you become complacent. The mortgage business moves fast, and LOs that want long-term success in the industry need to always be evolving. This is why the top-producing originators make a habit of continuing to learn long after they’re proficient in all things mortgage-related. They make sure that taking in new information is a regular part of their routine, so that they never fall behind. Whether you like podcasts, videos, attending seminars, or reading, create a habit around whatever kind of learning works best for you.

Stay Active Online

Online activity, like networking and marketing, is only effective when it’s done consistently. Social media, in particular, can very easily become a distraction and waste of time, and as busy professionals, we can’t afford either of those. But creating an intentional habit for when and how to use online resources productively, can be a big boost to your business. Because these habits are regularly repeated actions, they support the level of consistency that it requires to get any traction online.

Check in With Your Goals

If you want the best shot at attaining your goals in the shortest time possible, they need to be on your mind all the time. It’s too easy to set an ambitious goal only to lose sight of it a month or two down the line. But you can avoid that common pitfall by making it a habit to engaging with your goals. With just a few minutes each day, you can review your goals, evaluate your progress, and make any modifications when you need to. You’d be surprised at what even 5 minutes each day will do to bolster your progress.

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When we spend time cultivating new, positive habits, the reward becomes apparent almost immediately. Prioritize the new habits you want to implement, and then begin at the top of the list. When that first habit becomes an automatic action, move on to the next.

If you’re a loan officer or sales manager, and you’re considering new opportunities, don’t hesitate to reach out. I’d love to share with you all the reasons that BayFirst Financial is the best company to align yourself with.