Everywhere you look there is news about the hard times  facing the mortgage industry. Some weeks it’s rising interest rates, other weeks all you hear about is dropping house values. No matter how you slice it, you can no longer just “ride the waves.” (Yes, I realize this is not news to you…)

Does this mean you have to sit back and just take it? Of course not. There are plenty of strategies that can help you assure a steady flow of closings each and every month. All you have to do is take that first step and commit yourself to moving forward.

There are dozens of possible niche and vertical markets you can choose to target. First you must decide to take action. Many loan officers have such a fear of failure that they are operating in what I like to call “safety mode.”

The irony of this situation is that success and growth rarely if ever come from a person who is just playing it safe. Imagine your career as a football game. If 1 team simply focuses all their efforts on not letting the other side score, what are their chances of winning?

At some point you need to score some points right? Often, this will require you to put yourself out there, or to take a leap of faith. You will most likely need to spend some money, (When money is in short supply, this may take some self convincing on your part) and also spend plenty of time planning.

But what if it doesn’t work? “What will I do if I don’t make any money? How do I know what marketing system to buy? Where should I get my leads?” These are all common questions, but not the first questions you should be asking yourself.

The first question should be: “What will happen if I don’t take action right now? While there is always a chance your marketing plan will fail to produce the results you want, there is a 100% chance of failure if you sit around and worry, and ultimately do nothing.

Action is the key to success, even if it’s not the best possible action. As you move forward, you will have the opportunity to learn, tweak, and grow. Experience is a great teacher, but unfortunately, most loan officers are not showing up for class.

My own personal business did not grow until I decided to step outside my comfort zone. This meant spending money even though I was very low on funds at the time, and participating in marketing and sales activities that made me feel a bit uncomfortable in the beginning.

See, up until this point I played a lot of the “what if” game as well. What if this happens, or what if that happens? I felt I was saving my income by avoiding potential failure and doing anything that made me feel uncomfortable.

However, as I look back on my career now, I see that all I did was delay my success. Lack of action or lack of a proactive approach to sales and marketing will almost guarantee a mediocre career.

There are too many talented loan officers who are unhappy with their results.  Invest in yourself and step outside that comfort zone. This doesn’t mean throwing caution to the wind; but it does mean being proactive in all areas. (Not just the areas that are easy and low risk) Phone calls, personal sales, face to face networking… These activities all contain the potential for failure or rejection. However, each of these activities also holds the potential to revitalize your career, and help you to grow. You will be a better loan officer because of it!

Chad Weber - www.loanofficermarketinglab.com