Undivided attention

During a recent consultation with a coaching client the discussion turned to the topic of focus and how to stay on task when there are so many potential distractions in a given day. This got me thinking……

Having been a speaker as well as an attendee at many mortgage industry and senior related functions, I can’t help but notice how more and more, when the speaker is presenting, much of the audience is engaged in other activities. No this is not a commentary on the speaker himself, quite the contrary. It seems that we are all so concerned about staying connected 100% of the time, that we could miss a good presentation or discussion. When you are part of the audience, you have taken the time out of your day to attend a presentation- so really be there! You just may walk away with a nugget of marketing information that will help you build your pipeline. Put down the blackberry, the i-phone, the Droid, the (fill in other name of gadget here) and be there.

Client Focus

The same goes for the time you are spending with your senior clients. Personally, I love it when my clients tell me the story of their life. It often affords me great insight into how to best present the reverse mortgage and its benefits. I am not looking at my watch (or worse, my phone) while we are talking but rather devoting my full attention to them. I take notes and nod from time to time to show that I am paying attention. I ask leading questions to spur further conversation. Being 100% focused on the client during any interaction distinguishes you as a true professional, not just another loan officer. Try this in your day to day appointments, put down the phone and focus on what is taking place right there and then. You just might learn something!