coach victoria fifield

Oct 03
0

How to Tell When It’s Time to Hire a Coach

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VictoriaFifieldHeadshot2019Not everyone is ready or in the right frame of mind to truly benefit from engaging with a partner whose whole purpose, drive, expertise and mission in life is to help you achieve exactly what you really, really want!

Seems odd to think that someone might not be ready or willing to receive everything that they really, really want, right? However, to get those things that we set our sights on, that seem challenging at the least and impossible at the worst, we have to be willing to change and possibly, change a whole lot!

Obviously, there is something keeping us from getting what we want and if nothing needed to change, well…we’d already be living the life we envision or in possession of the things we covet, right?

Change is the most difficult experience to embrace and enact. Hence the reason why there are a million different varieties of coaching: business coaching, life coaching, executive coaching, relationship coaching, creativity coaching, wellness coaching and the niches go on and on…

But at the very core of each coaching discipline, you find one person or persons helping another person or persons to change in some capacity.

Here are four questions to ask yourself prior to reaching out to a Coach:

  1. Do you know what you want to change?
  2. Are you passionate about what you want to change?
  3. Are you willing to do things differently in order to bring about change?
  4. Is the change you seek, something worth failing to achieve at, over and over again until the change happens?

If you can answer Yes to all four questions, then you’re ready to investigate coaching.

If you answered No to any of the questions, then the return on investment you hope to gain from a coaching relationship will likely take A LOT LONGER to achieve as you and your Coach whittle away at deeper issues that may be better suited to discuss with a licensed therapist or clinical psychiatrist skilled at deeper-rooted challenges.

If this is something you suspect you might need, it’s important to ask the Coaches you interview if they have those credentials.

Please don’t misinterpret what I’m saying here, just because you don’t get everything done on your to-do list in a day and you feel fear at the thought of calling on prospects sometimes or speaking in front of a group, or you get down in the dumps because the industry can be challenging, does not mean you need a shrink necessarily.

My point is simply that there’s a difference between everyday challenges vs. chronic stalemates and there are the right professionals for each situation so just make sure you align yourself with the proper expert for your situation.

Every Coach has their own unique methods to assisting their clients to achieve MORE from their business and/or personal lives.

In my particular mortgage-specific, business coaching platform, I help my clients to…

  1. turn wishes into goals and goals into calendar-driven action plans
  2. consider alternate perspectives/stretch out of one’s comfort zones
  3. embrace already-proven business growth strategies that fit your personality type
  4. hone-in on your strong points as a sales person and leverage those strong points
  5. incorporate your passions/interests into your business
  6. balance competing priorities between home and work
  7. remain focused on high pay-off activities
  8. determine business growth strategies that fit your current capacity
  9. use solution-based thinking as you approach challenges and make decisions.
  10. identify and eliminate “time-sucking & energy-draining” activities, tasks, people and mindsets from your daily experiences.

To aid you in uncovering the best Coach match for YOU, please download my Coach Interview Questionnaire Knowing the right questions to ask will save you time, money and oodles of frustration and disappointment.

Jun 21
0

Top 10 Things Ultra Producers Do No Matter What the Market Does

By | Mortgage Business Tips, mortgage coaching | No Comments

Top 10 StrategiesAsk any Realtor or Loan Originator and they will tell you, 2022 has had its slew of challenges. Most will say their sales are down and so too are their spirits. However, there is a massive difference in HOW individual professionals tackle a challenging sales environment and either continue to thrive or wane under the weight of a market upheaval. 

Want to come out on top even when you feel the chips are down? Step into the shoes of today’s ultra producers and leap into the top 10 things they do, no matter what the market does…

1. They call on their stable of connections (e.g. referral partners, past customers, peers, networking acquaintances, vendors and service providers they utilize, friends & family members).

2. They add to their stable of connections by showing up (e.g. business networking events, industry-specific events, educational events, Community outreach/volunteer activities, sales rallies/sales seminars, social gatherings.)

3. They set time aside daily to prospect.

4. They act on opportunities now, rather than later and are always, first, to follow up!

5. They plan to succeed by having goals that are written down and/or a business plan that is revisited frequently.

6. They track their numbers and adjust accordingly (e.g. lead to close conversion ratio, units & volume, marketing expenses and R.O.I, other business expenses, time spent on high-value activities).

7. They combat negative messaging with positive messaging of their own via conversations, social media engagement, email, text, and video.

8. They share ideas with their peers, and they ask for ideas from their peers.

9. They choose to feel determined rather than desperate.

10. They invest in themselves by way of education, coaches/trainers/mentors and technology.

Nov 17
0

2021-What’s Your Vision of How your Business Thrives?

By | Mortgage Business Tips, mortgage coaching | No Comments

bizvision2021Nothing is more critical to your success than having a vision in mind of what that success looks like and feels like. Without a vision, you will find yourself looped in reactive behaviors, projects that start and stop, and frequent feelings of being unmotivated and disconnected. Incorporating a vision statement with your business plan or goal list that you revisit and read on a monthly basis will give you the fuel you need when challenges or set-backs arise. PLUS, it is always a thrill at the end of the year, to see just how much of your vision statement came to life. I love to hear the astonishment in my clients’ voices when they share the victories that sprang from the pages of their annual vision statements.

Paint a picture for yourself. Put yourself in the future, at the end of 2021 and visualize that you are celebrating all that you have accomplished. Describe what it’s like to be in your shoes today. Use present tense as if you have already achieved the goals and are living “the vision.”

Answer the questions below by starting with those to which you have an immediate, positive reaction. Go back and string your answers together and develop a cohesive story line.

  1. Where and how did I give my customers that unforgettable “power moment?” Meaning, what did I do during or after the transaction that I know made me even more memorable?
  2. What changed about my own processes and habits that gave me more time & space in which to focus on increasing my business?
  3. How did I regularly reward myself for a job well done?
  4. What tools, systems and/or habits did I successfully implement to expand my Marketing?
  5. In the next three years, what would excite me about my career in mortgages? What do I feel I still have yet to achieve, become or do?
  6. What tasks, both professionally and personally, did I finally give up that were weighing me down?
  7. What steps did I take to ensure my financial security for the future? What did I learn about financial security in terms of how to make it a constant in my life?
  8. What were the three best gifts I gave myself in 2021?
  9. What do my post mortgage years look like? What might I be doing when I’m not in Mortgages any longer? Do I have any secret desires to learn more about something? Do I have a hobby that I’ve always wanted to delve into? Are there any challenges I’d like to face and overcome before the next phase of my life?
  10. What will I tell my children/grandbabies/close friends about what it takes to succeed in life?
Oct 31
0

Consumer Habits Have Changed So Too Must your Business Plan

By | Mortgage Business Tips, mortgage coaching | No Comments

Business is good, right? The phones are ringing, people are buying homes. You’ve got more refinances than you can shake a stick at and things don’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon. But like any great run, at some point, the sprint will turn into a jog and the jog will turn into a slow walk and the last thing you want to have happen is to allow your business to suddenly stall and cramp-up!

While Mortgage Professionals have been enjoying the influx of business, things have changed overnight that will affect HOW they go about earning new business from referral partners and direct consumers in the immediate future.

Here’s what’s changed:

  1. The number of people engaging in new technologies has sky-rocketed due to the simple fact that they were FORCED to in order to earn a living, remain healthy, learn and be educated and maintain relationships with loved ones.
  1. Consumer sensitivity and sensibility can be likened to a hairpin trigger and because of this, marketing, advertising, scripting, messaging is being scrutinized & scrubbed of any language and imagery that may offend.
  1. The amount of time people are spending on social media has doubled, if not tripled during the Pandemic, creating more opportunity than ever before to expand one’s brand and marketing footprint exponentially.

What was once a “go-to” business earner for you may now be null and void. Where you’ve been marketing yourself may no longer have as many visitors and viewers. What was once deemed, “an offer of value” to your consumers may now appear trite or worse yet, offensive.

 

“People shop and learn in a whole new way compared to just a few years ago, so marketers need to adapt or risk extinction.”

–Brian Halligan, founder & CEO of HubSpot

What does this all mean? OPPORTUNITY!

Keeping  these changes in consumer attitudes and habits in mind while developing your 2021 Business Plan, will put you well ahead of the curve, create huge separation between you and your competition and ensure you keep your pipelines percolating with new business throughout the new year.

First, I highly recommend reading the following article which is rich with statistics regarding social media, digital and Internet trends and can greatly aid you in determining how and where to market. Global Social Media Research Summary July 2020

Next, here’s a great list of various business growth methods & modes, as well as, marketing items you may want to revisit, revamp/re-tune, or re-imagine when building your 2021 Business Plan:

Learn to enjoy the discomfort of CHANGE!

Remember, your business is always changing, so being flexible, accepting change and tapping into your creative genius is simply part of being a successful entrepreneur. You’ve done it before and you can do it again!

“To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring.”-George Santayana

Aug 25
0

Gone Off on a Customer Lately?

By | Mortgage Business Tips, mortgage coaching | No Comments

goneoffonacustomerIn this current environment of overwhelming volume, lack of support, long hours and pushy, sometimes unsympathetic customers, there’s a good chance you may have blown your lid unintentionally a time or two.

It may have been justified. It may have felt good. Heck you may have even received an apology after you, “set them straight.” BUT it is important to recognize that those interactions with your customers that are putting you over the edge, like the question, “Why is this taking so long?” OR the annoyance of receiving 3 texts, 4 voicemails and 2 emails ALL from the same person in a period of 15 minutes, or the frustration of wasting hours on the bossy rate-shopper who also happens to be a repeat customer who you thought was loyal to you, are ALL the same challenging situations you’ve always faced in this industry.

The only thing that’s really changed is YOU due to the insane workload and unusual work environment.

How you’re attending to your own physical and mental health during these intensified levels of stress will directly affect your ability to effectively solve problems and respond rationally to challenging situations. Some basic best practices that can help you immediately decrease the effects of stress are: getting a solid night’s rest, staying hydrated, eating nutritious meals and snacks, exercise and short breaks in order to decompress.

No double about it, regaining your patience and your poise will always get you farther than putting on those verbal boxing gloves, so next time when confronted with a tense situation, try one of these three options for harnessing your cool and defusing heated interactions with customers and referral partners.

  1. Don’t take them all!-You can say, “no.” I’m sure there are several deals right this second you can recount where you knew in an instant that it was going to be ALL bad. Trust your instincts and give yourself a break. Your sanity is worth passing on a few.
  1. Don’t immediately respond/react-When faced with an accusation or rudely posed question or insult, wait 5 seconds to answer and say, “I hear what you’re saying, let me put you on a quick hold while I get to my office and sit down so we can discuss this, give me a minute.” And then place them on hold and get your head straight and take a couple of deep breaths. You’ll be amazed at how this short interlude will diffuse not only your anxiety and upset, but your customer’s as well.
  1. Repeat what is said-Most times in the heat of the moment, people will say things without much thought. It’s important to mirror back to them what they just said, so next time you’re hit with a judgement statement, insult or accusation, wait 5 seconds, then reply, “What I just heard you say was,…. In mirroring back what was said, the person will likely be surprised and even a bit ashamed of their words and will rephrase their question or comment and adjust their tone.

Remember, even when you’re right, blowing your top or, “setting somebody straight” adds zero value to your day or to your business, plus it’s the only thing the person will remember about working with you and worse will be the ONLY thing they tell other people about their experience with you.

Aug 04
0

Are You Speaking an Outdated Language?

By | Mortgage Business Tips, mortgage coaching | No Comments

communicationstyleThe fact is that the customers of today are a much different breed than those of yester-years.

For example:

  • Email is too clumsy, they want to be texted.
  • Information is abundant and at their fingertips, they want you to give them an, “experience” instead.
  • If they can’t meet you face to face, they’ll expect you to send them a Zoom or GoToMeeting invite.
  • If you don’t have a webpage with an on-line application, educational videos, multiple links to other pertinent sites, free downloads, video testimonials and a blog…well, they’re going to notice and they will make comparisons.

It’s not too difficult to get to know your new customers, either. Their opinions, interests, experiences and family photos can all be found on Facebook, Linkedin, Pinterest, Twitter, etc.

 

Question of the day: “Are you showing up where your clients are showing up AND are you communicating in ways that are most comfortable and familiar to them?”

Jul 10
0

Keep Your Eye on the Prize

By | Mortgage Business Tips, mortgage coaching | No Comments

distractions-illo-1020x871Be suspicious of to-dos, projects, interruptions, and requests that take you off course from your business and personal goals.

Sometimes it’s far easier to allow our minds to become distracted rather than to do, “the work” of seeing our goals through to the end.

Ultimately, our daily choices of where we spend our time and what we put our focus on is what defines our number of accomplishments and outcomes.

The buck always stops HERE! That is to mean, each of us are 100% responsible for everything we do or do not do.

Let’s keep our eye on the prize, whatever that, “prize” is for YOU!

May 02
0

Client Dumped you for Another Lender? Read This!

By | Mortgage Business Tips, mortgage coaching | No Comments

Getting dumped for another lender happens, but responding strategically to the client’s reasons for making the switch is just as important as your script when engaging with the prospect for the very first time.

The majority of the population loathes change and feels quite insecure and hesitant when faced with switching gears for any reason. Once the change is made, the smallest glitch or bump in the road will cause most people to regret their decision and wish they hadn’t made the change at all.

In the case of obtaining a mortgage, there can be plenty of moments of uncertainty and insecurity for the borrower, so the likelihood is when you do get dumped for another lender, there’s a real possibility of wooing your prospect back if you just gracefully and strategically keep the door open and follow-up.

Just recently I helped a client of mine write the following email script to send to her straying customer. In this particular case, the loan officer had given advice, consistently checked-in and been an ear to this prospect’s personal challenges over a significant period of time, yet the prospect decided to go with her credit union based on, “convenience.”

Ouch! Right?

Of course, this is just one way to respond, BUT what I like to remind my clients when responding to rate shoppers or getting dumped for other reasons is…

1.    You are NOT desperate-Let ’em go gracefully and keep the door open.

2.    You are the BEST choice regardless of their reason.

3.    Remember, the prospect has NO idea what they should really be worried about, like actually making it to the closing table and CLOSING.

Feel free to adopt, edit and use the following script as you see fit.

“So happy to hear things in your personal life are just about wrapped up for you. Onward and upward, right? Congrats!

Please do keep in mind that not all mortgage services are the same, so if for any reason things start to go sideways with the process or communication with your credit union, do not hesitate to contact me ASAP. Starting the loan process is easy, but getting to the finish line and closing your loan is where experience, solution-based thinking and perseverance is a must. I can honestly say I’ve saved dozens and dozens of deals from falling apart in my 20+ years of lending. 

I’d love the opportunity to help you into your bright future with a brand new home. Again, if anything changes, just call me immediately. I’ll make sure to check in on you in a few weeks to see how all is coming along.

Take care out there and stay in touch.”