In a recent episode of “The Loan Officer Podcast”, co-hosts Dustin Owen and John Coleman discuss important tips for loan officers when chatting with potential customers. Owen and Coleman explore common conversation topics, conversation nuances, and best practices for communicating with clients from diverse backgrounds.
These questions and answers have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
To start the conversation, Owen and Coleman dive into the first tip, asking for a customer’s area code to learn more about their backstory. Owen opens with an explanation.
Dustin Owen: We all have an area code, right? That area code tends to tell us something about each other and that is, well, where are we from? Sales is based on trust; it is based on relationships. The first thing I have to do is get someone to like me.
Look at the area code. Is it local or does it come from outside the region? Do you recognize it if it comes from the region? If it comes from the area and you don’t recognize it, dear. That’s your very first question. Where did you go to high school? What did you do after high school?
And every time I give someone a chance to talk about themselves, I ask good, fundamental questions. The more they talk, I can look for opportunities to eventually work something out together.
Coleman then continues the conversation with a question for Owen.
John Coleman: Since you’re good at remembering people’s names and what they say, is that something you practice, or is that just one of your traits that you have as an individual?
Owen: To be honest, I’m bad at remembering names. But I really love learning a new story. And what I also love, like some people, is that I love how people work. I like how companies work. And as you tell me, I make up my own story.
Coleman: What advice do you have for those difficult lenders? Because they exist, you know, the socially awkward ones.
Owen: Find your people. Ultimately, you have to find your people. If you have some quirks, or if your freak flag flies higher and faster than other people’s freak flags, then just start looking for more people like you because then you will attract your ideal client.
To end the conversation, Owen gives the final tip about vulnerability and creating trust in a conversation.
Owen: Small talk is fake because people are not vulnerable. If you really want someone to like you and trust you, it’s because you showed them a part of yourself that they think is special, right? Being vulnerable and willing to talk about my quirks, my fears, my worries and some life experiences, I think that’s when small talk goes to the next level.
