9 Habits to Embrace Today and Keep Once COVID Goes Away
We’ve all had to learn new things in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic like how to work video chat and how to best sell to customers from afar. But there are many skills and habits to embrace and keep once COVID goes away that will make us better mortgage originators.
1. Using Video
One of the most important habits to embrace is video. There are two ways to use video that you should embrace: video calling or conferencing and videos for social media.
Our company has wholeheartedly embraced video calling and has quickly found the benefits of using it including being able to see peoples’ reactions to what you’re saying. Instead of picking up the phone to talk to your customers or colleagues, see if they’d have a video chat with you instead.
Creating social media videos is another habit you should embrace and keep after COVID. You can show off your creativity or an activity you enjoy doing outside of work or provide high-level industry updates to your social media network. Again, using video adds another layer of personality that can help create stickiness with customers.
2. Always Be Learning
We all suddenly have more time on our hands, and that’s time you can spend watching webinars, taking training, reading books and blogs, or listening to podcasts to help you better your skills. Identifying several subject matter experts (SMEs) will give you many reference points which you can then synthesize and share with others. Sharing your knowledge can not only help position you as an expert but it can also help build trust with your borrowers, partners, and colleagues.
3. Brand Yourself
Do you know what your brand is? It’s everything people think and say about you when you’re not around.
The point of branding yourself is to actually be and do the things that you want people to think of when they think of you. I’m not telling you to be something you’re not. Instead, focus on your best qualities and emphasize those as part of your branding.
4. Be a Spider
When a spider builds her web, she has several anchor points to create her web. You want to do the same thing with your referral networks. You already have a network of real estate agents, builders, past clients, family, friends, social media, and leads groups, who can all be lines into you to provide you referrals. You need to maintain the strength of those lines to ensure you keep getting referrals.
5. Get Involved in Community/Charity Cause
With COVID-19 going on, you may be thinking this is the wrong time to get involved in a charity because not many of them are meeting. We would argue the opposite. So many people are coming together – both formally and informally – to do amazing things to help our communities. Getting involved now is a great time to start.
But why get involved in a charity cause? It’s a triple play: 1) you’re helping people who need help, 2) you’ll feel better for having helped someone, and 3) you suddenly meet tons of people you never would have, and they’re getting to see you in a different light as someone who gives back.
6. Treat Every Day Like January 2nd
So many of us hold off on starting a new goal or resolution until January 2nd. But if there’s a habit you know you should adopt today, why would you wait until January 2nd? Instead of falling back on the mindset of “oh I’ll start that another day,” just start today.
Are you going to get into the habit of FaceTiming customers? Start on your very next call. Are you trying to improve a skill? Take a webinar today. There are no limits when you start today.
7. The Mortgage Industry Is a Community
Something to remember is yes, we may all compete against each other for business, but we’re all still in the same community. That means we can all learn from one another and still work together.
8. Learn to Hit the Curve Ball
You have to learn to take rapid changes and curve balls in stride. Yes, most mortgage businesses were knocked off their axis when COVID became a full-blown pandemic and many of us were sent home to work. But we all seem to be adapting fairly well.
The key to hitting the curve ball is to believe you can do so and not let your emotions take over in the moment. Also, don’t fall into the trap of saying something’s hard, especially things you can’t control. Instead, say “things are messy” because messy things can be cleaned up.
9. Show Grace and Gratitude
We’re seeing a lot of grace and gratitude going on right now, but it is so important that we keep showing it after this pandemic is over. Doing so will help you feel good about your career and your life.
Just a bit of grace goes a long way, so show it to your customers, your colleagues, your partners, and your family and friends. Also, give thanks for what you have on a regular basis.
Regularly show grace and gratitude even after all this is over because you’ll feel better and those around you will, too.
Do you have any habits to embrace today and keep once we’re back to a more normal environment? Let us know in the comments below!
Great message! Holla to Dave Showalter !