Are You Making These Common Follow-Up Mistakes?

For loan officers, following up on previous conversations — especially with prospects — is a central part of the job. Of course, not all follow-up attempts are successful. Sometimes, this is out of your control, but other times, a mistake may have been made that makes it less likely to get a call back. Here are a few of the common mistakes mortgage professionals make when following-up and some tips to avoid them:

Sending Short Messages

I know you’re busy, but your clients should never feel like you’re too rushed or busy for them. If you have a tendency to send follow-up messages that begin with “just following up”, you may want to rethink that strategy. There’s nothing wrong with keeping your messages concise and to-the-point, the problem lies with leaving them completely devoid of substance. It’s important to find a balance here. Shoot for a message that doesn’t take up too much of your recipients’ time but also contains enough information to give them a reason to respond.

Not Providing Any Value

All of your follow-up attempts should provide value. You need to demonstrate what you have to offer and why you’re the best choice to work with. So, where is the value in working with you? Educate and share some useful information, show that you’re dedicated, responsive, and attuned to their needs. This is how you can provide real value. If you can show your prospects that you’re ready to invest in the relationship and you have something of value to offer — something that helps you stand out from the competition — you’ll have a much easier time converting them to clients.

Not Personalizing

Even if you’re making twenty follow-up calls in a single day, they should all be a little different. They might follow a similar formula, but it’s important to customize each of them with personal details. Just one impersonal message sends the signal that your overall approach will be impersonal. When you show — from the beginning — that you value personal connection, you give prospects a glimpse into what it would be like to work with you.

Not Being Strategic

If we really want to be effective, in anything, we have to implement a strategy. Have a plan in place for what kind of (and how many) follow-up attempts you’ll make. Implement a CRM, if you’re not currently using one. Having a clear follow-up strategy will let you know where you’re at with each prospect, and when it’s time to give up and move on. Take some time to create a strategy that you follow, and you’ll immediately minimize missed opportunities.

?

If you want to build a sustainable sales pipeline, you need to know that your ability to follow-up successfully is top-notch. You need to maximize every opportunity — and avoiding these mistakes will ensure you get there.

If you’d like to talk more about follow-up mistakes and strategy, or if there’s another matter I can be of assistance with, please reach out. I’m always happy to set aside some time to connect.