Grow Time - October 2024

1) Schedule all of your social media posts! Click here to jump down to our social media calendar. All posts (except the one locked for Mastermind attendees) are loaded and live in Total Expert and ready for you to pre-schedule to your channels. Pro-Tip: Delete and redo your Facebook and LinkedIn integrations before you start scheduling. Why? This will ensure an updated connection between the platforms, and will get you in the habit considering Linked In needs to be refreshed every 2 months. This won't affect your currently scheduled posts.

2) Increase your lending presence in brokerages!
- Reach out to your top referral partners and ask if you can leave a display of business cards, Homebuyer Guides, and content for agents in their office
- Contact Marketing to order your Homebuyer Guides and Distinct Value Trifolds.

3) Send the "Stop The Maybes" email to anyone in LEAD STATUS in your Total Expert account
Instructions
- Find the email you want to send, click ACTIONS>SEND
- Then click on SELECT RECIPIENTS
- Click the blue filter button on the right side
- Go to LOAN FILTERS and make sure LOAN STATUS reads LEAD
- Close out of the filter window
- Click the checkbox next to First Name to select everyone in your filtered list
- You can either send immediately or schedule
- Contact Marketing if you need help

4) Send the "Agents - Get Clients off the Fence" email to all your agents in Total Expert
Instructions
- Find the "Agents - Get Clients off the Fence" email, click ACTIONS>SEND
- Then click on SELECT RECIPIENTS
- Click the blue filter button on the right of the page
- Under INCLUDED GROUPS, select Buyer's Agent, Seller's Agent, and Misc. Agent groups (plus any other agent groups you might have).
- Exit the filter screen
- Click the checkbox to the left of ACTIONS to select all of the filtered contacts OR pick and choose who in this list of agents you want to send this email to
- You can either send immediately or schedule
- Contact Marketing if you need help

5) Offer Open House Kit purchases to agents
Instructions
- Find the "Open House Kit - Agent Email" email, click ACTIONS>SEND
- Then click on SELECT RECIPIENTS
- Click the blue filter button on the right of the page
- Under INCLUDED GROUPS, select Buyer's Agent, Seller's Agent, and Misc. Agent groups (plus any other agent groups you might have).
- Exit the filter screen
- Click the checkbox to the left of ACTIONS to select all of the filtered contacts OR pick and choose who in this list of agents you want to send this email to
- You can either send immediately or schedule
- Contact Marketing if you need help

Do you have agents you want to woo over and earn their referral business? Our team has made it super simple to add agents to a prospecting campaign designed to share the many amazing reasons why they should work with you and how we can help them grow their business.

This campaign highlights our co-marketing services, key loan products, and other ways we can help you stand out among other lenders.

To add an agent to this campaign:
- Click on LEADS & CONTACTS and then CONTACTS
- Click on CREATE CONTACT
- Input as much info as possible, at the very minimum we must have a full name and email address (only use the EMAIL field)
- In the CONTACT GROUPS section, select the Agent Prospecting group. This will automatically kick off the email campaign!

A series of eight emails are sent over two months (one email per week). Click here to review sample emails.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is NOT where or how you add an agent as a Co-Marketing Partner. That is a completely different step. This campaign is to get the conversation rolling to generate new partnerships and get them to become a Co-Marketing Partner later down the road.

Last month, Homebot unveiled some amazing updates and changes to the platform!

Click the links below to access various recordings showcasing all the changes
- Homebot's Likelihood to Sell Webinar
- Driving Client Engagement with DEEP SEARCH
- Homebot Enhancement Call for CCM Loan Officers

Reminder! We have officially switched over from MMI to Homebot's Partner Intelligence!

Click here to view a recording of our kick-off call which has valuable insight and training on how to leverage this tool to research and track real estate agents to grow your business.

This is an essential tool for anyone focusing on developing and nurturing relationships with referral partners!

Last month we introduced a weekly business development strategy to make seven hours worth of calls to clients and agents each week.

Seven hours of weekly prospecting to grow your business! You got this! Stick to it!

If you are new to CCM or need a refresher, you will find sections below that detail each day's calling campaign. Time block your calendar accordingly: Monday = Two Hours | Tuesday = One Hour | Wednesday = One Hour | Thursday = One Hour | Friday = Two Hours.

Click the + next to each section to review.

Agent Relationship Strategies

Monday's are where you should plan to time block two hours to call approximately 40 agents. Whether it's your best referral partners, or someone you're trying to develop a relationship with, these calls will help you grow your business.

These strategies are proven and everyone has the time and capacity to follow this path! You can do this! Stick to it!

Sample Script:
Hey [Agent], it's [Your Name] from Castle & Cooke Mortgage. How was your weekend? Did you host any open houses?

I'm just calling to check in and see how everything is going with your buyers. Have they all been pre-qualified and set with their home loans? Do you have anybody you'd like me to chat with to help them get started? Are there any challenging buyers who are having trouble getting pre-qualified? Any buyers having trouble getting under contract?

Last questions - What can I do this week to help make your life a little easier? Do you have any open houses this weekend you need help with? Let me know if you need any flyers, websites, or loan scenarios. Or if you need help setting up, I'm happy to come early and put out signs, bring some water and snacks.

If there's anything else I can do, call me any time. I'll check back in with you next week.

Start setting up your calendars in Outlook to time-block two hours on Mondays for these calls starting next week!

Instructions for listing content
(Note: Agents MUST be set up in Total Expert first as a Co-Marketing Partner before you can co-brand any flyers or websites!
Step 1 - Create a Single Property Website
Instructions
- Go to WEB MARKETING > SINGLE PROPERTY SITES
- Click CREATE
- Enter the MLS in the SEARCH BY MLS field and click the magnifying glass
- Click on the home that pops up and wait for the page to refresh
- DON'T FORGET!!!! Click ADD next to your name under Lender Partners, and select your agent's name under Agent Partners.
- You can either leave the page as is and click ACTIONS>SAVE or click NEXT and play with the site layout, etc.
- Click ACTIONS>VISIT SITE to see the site live and to copy the URL
Step 2 - Create a Listing Flyer (or Open House flyer)
- Go to PRINT MARKETING>CREATE NEW
- Under the FOLDERS drop down select LISTING FLYERS
- Pick a flyer and click ACTIONS>SELECT
- Select your agent under CO MARKETING PROFILE
- Enter the MLS# and click the magnifying glass
- Click SELECT under the home
- Click CUSTOMIZE AND PUBLISH
- If it is an Open House flyer, be sure to enter the date and time in the appropriate field
- You may need to edit the home description so it can all fit
- Click SAVE FIRST DRAFT, then PUBLISH
- Click ACTIONS and GENERATE PDF
- You can either save the PDF to your desktop or copy the URL to the PDF
Step 3
- Now, open an email in Outlook, and send the link to the Single Property Site, the link to the PDF (or attach the file) to your agent!
- Don't forget to offer your agent the ability to purchase Open House Kits at EXCLUSIVE wholesale pricing (requires 7-10 days advance notice)
Loan Status Update Calls

Ask any successful loan officer, and they'll tell you about Loan Status Update Tuesdays. This is a strategy our team has been sharing since the very beginning and when done properly, can ultimately save you time!

Each Tuesday, time block an hour to contact the borrower (it's ok if you just call the primary), buyer's agent, and seller's agent with an update on the home loan. It doesn't matter if there isn't any change to the loan's status from the previous week. The goal here is to provide weekly updates to calm nerves and anxiety through the process.

Sample Script:
Hey [Buyer], it's [Your Name] from Castle & Cooke Mortgage. Just giving you a ring with your Tuesday update call. I wanted to let you know that your home loan [insert status or update here]. Everything appears to be in good shape. Let me know if you have any questions and I'll be glad to help. I'll check back in next week with more news.

Hey [Buyer's Agent], it's [Your Name] from Castle & Cooke Mortgage. Calling to update you on the [Buyer's Name} loan at [Subject Property Address]. I wanted to let you know that [insert status or update here], and everything looks like it's in good shape. Before I let you go, do you have any buyers you'd like me to speak with? Do you have any needs for open houses you or your brokerage may be hosting this weekend? I'll check back in next week with more news.

Hey [Seller's Agent], it's [Your Name] from Castle & Cooke Mortgage. Calling to update you on the [Buyer's Name} loan at [Subject Property Address]. I wanted to let you know that [insert status or update here], and everything looks like it's in good shape. Are you hosting any open houses this weekend? Do you need my help setting up or can I bring some waters and snacks? How's everything going with your other transactions? Any challenging situations I can help with? I'll check back in with you next week with more updates on the loan.

The key here is to decrease your incoming calls from agents who constantly call you to check in on your borrower's home loan. Stick to it!
Alphabet Calls

Each Wednesday, plan to time block one hour to call your funded clients going through the alphabet based by last name. (Week 1=A, Week 2=B, etc).

One letter a week for the next 26 weeks. When those six months are up, you start over! This allows you to give a personal call to your clients twice a year.

All it takes is time-blocking and sticking to the plan! You can do this!

Sample Script:
Hello [Client], it's [Your Name] from Castle & Cooke Mortgage. It's been a few months since we chatted last, so I just wanted to call and check in. I wanted to make sure you're getting your mortgage statements and that everything for your home loan is going smoothly.

Do you have any questions or run into any challenges lately?

Have you been reading your Homebot report you get each month?

We happen to have some new loan programs that can help people [pay down credit cards], [buy investment properties with their equity], [upgrade or downgrade], [get cash out for home improvements].

If you happen to know of any friends, family, or neighbors who might need help in that area, would you be so kind to pass them my contact info?

Thanks for being a great client - please call me any time if there's anything I can do to help.
Homebot Motivated Clients

Homebot does a great job in setting up your daily dashboard to show you clients who are motivated to sell (and also refi, but we are focusing on sellers for now).

For those of you who attended (or watched) our Homebot Best Practices on Day One of our Virtual Sales Rally, you may remember our rep, Bethany, showing us how to leverage and communicate with Motivated Sellers.

Each Monday you receive a report from Homebot showing your most active leads. When you click on VIEW ACTIVITY FEED it will bring you right to your Homebot Client Activity Feed.

Click on the MOTIVATED TO SELL filter and here are the folks you should call weekly.

Sample Script:
Hello [Client], it's [Your Name] from Castle & Cooke Mortgage. I just wanted to check in and see how you're liking your Homebot Digest? Do you have any questions about your home's value or some of the options you have? Based on your equity, you might have an opportunity to purchase a new home if you're thinking about a move. Should we set a time for your agent to do a CMA for a more accurate estimate? Have you been thinking about making a move, or using some of your equity? If you want, I can pull up your Homebot report and we can review your options together if you have time?

There is a reason they are called Motivated Sellers! They've explored their options in Homebot - get in front of them first to help them understand all the ways they can use their home equity. Stick to it!
Friday Pre-Qual Check Ins

Every Friday, time block two hours to call everyone AND their REALTOR in your pipeline who is pre-qualified but hasn't gone under contract.

Sample Script:
Hello [Client], it's [Your Name] from Castle & Cooke Mortgage. I just wanted to check in on your home search. How's everything going? Have you taken a look at your Homebot Buyer Report lately? Do we need to adjust your price point? Are there any contingencies we should re-think like appraisal or inspection? Anything else I can do or help with your home search?

Hello [Agent], it's [Your Name] from Castle & Cooke Mortgage. I just got off the phone with [Pre-Qualified Client], and he let me know they're still shopping for a new home. I wanted to ask if you thought maybe we need to revise their price range or change any of their contingencies? (If any changes are needed, let them know you'll send a revised pre-qualification letter). Are you working with anyone else this weekend I should chat with?

If you want to avoid people calling you in a panic over the weekend, this is a great way to cut down those calls. Stick to it!

Caption:
Increasing for the fifth consecutive week, mortgage rates reached their highest level since the beginning of August. With several potential inflection points happening over the next week, including the jobs report, the 2024 election, and the Federal Reserve interest rate decision, we can expect mortgage rates to remain volatile. Although uncertainty will remain, it does appear mortgage rates are cresting, and are not expected to reach the highs seen earlier this year.

Total Expert Tags: Freddie Mac Weekly Rate Update, Grow Time October 2024

Caption:
The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage increased for the third consecutive week, moving closer to 6.5%. In general, higher rates reflect the strength in the economy that is supportive of the housing market. But notably, as compared to a year ago, rates are more than one percentage point lower and potential homebuyers can stand to benefit, especially by shopping around for the best quote as rates can vary widely between mortgage lenders.

Total Expert Tags: Freddie Mac Weekly Rate Update, Grow Time October 2024

Caption:
The decline in mortgage rates has stalled due to a mix of escalating geopolitical tensions and a rebound in short-term rates that indicate the market’s enthusiasm on rate cuts was premature. Zooming out to the bigger picture, mortgage rates have declined one and a half percentage points over the last 12 months, home price growth is slowing, inventory is increasing, and incomes continue to rise. As a result, the backdrop for homebuyers this fall is improving and should continue through the rest of the year.

Total Expert Tags: Freddie Mac Weekly Rate Update, Grow Time October 2024

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