I was reading a book a few nights ago that was recounting the importance of maintaining the proper mindset to accomplish your goals in marketing and sales. One illustration really caught my attention. The author Robert Allen compared marketing to popcorn.

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On the surface I’m sure this sounds borderline crazy, but the way he described the scenario really stood out in my head. He stated that when popping corn, you have to first raise the temperature to a certain degree. Up until this point, it may seem as if you are wasting time, because absolutely nothing is happening. However, once you surpass a certain temperature, the kernel will pop.

In the same way, our marketing efforts as loan officers may seem to go unnoticed. Does this mean that we are wasting time and should just quit? Well, let’s return to our bag of “popcorn” again. What would happen if we were to pull that bag out of the microwave, or the pot off of the stove before any kernels began to pop? What if we were to continuously replace the bag or pot of corn back on the heat and restart the process, only to get frustrated and remove it once more? Would we ever achieve anything worthwhile?

Chances are we’d go hungry. In the same way, many originators use the same approach to marketing. Nothing is ever accomplished because the consistency is not there, and impatience sets in. We bounce around and keep restarting with new campaigns, never giving any strategy sufficient time to heat up and “pop.”

Very few marketing programs produce the instant avalanche of leads and clients that we want. It takes time to test small variables and feel out the market before the flow of leads becomes steady. Sure it is possible to get lucky and stumble on a niche that has been previously neglected, but many originators have gone broke searching for this. It takes time and patience to reap the rewards we are hoping for, and if all the appropriate elements are in place, then you can and will hit your target.

One other truth to keep in mind is that just like a bag of popcorn, not all “kernels” will pop at the same time. Even though every kernel is being subjected to the same source of heat, they are all popping at separate times. We need to understand that some people will respond “when they are good and ready.” Don’t neglect your follow-up marketing and database. At some point and time, just about everyone in your marketplace is going to be in need of your services. Will you be around to offer it to them?

Copyright Chad Weber. All rights reserved. Carving out his niche as a Loan Officer, Chad Weber developed a fool-proof system that guaranteed referral business from real estate agents. It became the foundation for “Average Joe L.O.” which provides hype-free marketing products for loan officers who target real estate agents. If this is your target, visit AverageJoeLO.com today to take advantage of additional free training materials.

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