By Adam Mohrbacher

As any business leader knows, there is a huge difference between having an idea for your business and bringing it to fruition. One way to increase your chances of success is to utilize what鈥檚 known as a SWOT analysis. SWOTs bring increased visibility to your operations, while providing an honest assessment of your company鈥檚 capabilities. The exercise鈥檚 insights can then be used for more informed decision-making. Let鈥檚 explore what鈥檚 involved in doing this work and doing it right.

What is SWOT?

The 鈥淪WOT鈥� in 鈥淪WOT analysis鈥� is an acronym for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Here鈥檚 some additional detail on each point:  

• Strengths are everything you have going for you with your business. This can include things like a strong balance sheet, top talent or a high net promoter score.
• Weaknesses are the opposite. They can include high turnover, significant customer churn or outdated and inefficient technology.
• Opportunities involve industry trends that you can capitalize on. Some examples are regulatory changes, strategic partnerships or positive changes in customer behavior.
• Threats include anything that might imperil your business in the short and long term. Threats could be negative economic forecasts, supply chain disruptions or new competitors in the market.

Create your dream team

The first thing to realize about doing a SWOT is that it鈥檚 pretty difficult to pull off alone. No business leader is going to know everything about their organization. You need a team with you that has first-hand knowledge of each aspect of your business. Include different department heads and stakeholders from both in and outside of your company.

Dig into the data

Next, begin collecting data 鈥� and lots of it. Compile information on internal processes, review existing resources and pull up any performance metrics you have on hand. Some specific examples could include:

• Financial reports
• Brand recognition data
• Customer reviews
• Employee feedback 聽

Draw conclusions and establish your matrix

Once you鈥檝e gathered these insights, start identifying your company鈥檚 strengths and weaknesses. Drill down on what is working well and pay attention to any unique selling propositions. Then, do the reverse and look at what is not working. Be open and transparent here. It is the only way to get an accurate picture of what might prevent you from achieving your goals. Next, catalog opportunities and threats. Write down anything that might enable or prevent you from taking your business where you want it to go in the near and long term.

Now organize your thoughts . It鈥檚 often easiest to group elements by: 1.)internal factors, that is, your strengths and weaknesses, followed by 2.) external factors, also known as your opportunities and threats.

Analyze your results and plan for action

You can then start putting together an action plan to achieve your organizational objectives, armed with the knowledge that you have an informed outlook on your business鈥檚 prospects. Be sure your plan works in unison with your SWOT. When done right, your plan鈥檚 strategies, tactics and decision points will grow organically out of your matrix.

Moving forward

Like any piece of strategic planning collateral, always remember a SWOT is a living document. As your business changes or the market shifts, don鈥檛 forget to update your analysis so it remains accurate and helpful. That way, you will always have a powerful tool on hand that will help you see your business clearly and make more strategic decisions.  

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Hoping the economic and political volatility of 2025 will soon be in the rearview mirror, economists are forecasting modest 2026 GDP growth of 1.8鈥�2 percent in the U.S. 鈥� numbers that have improved over the past few months, along with a return to moderating inflationary trends.

In his , Fed Chair Jerome Powell was even more optimistic, projecting that real GDP will rise 1.7 percent this year and 2.3 percent next year, somewhat stronger than the Fed projected in late summer.

In announcing a one-quarter point drop in the Fed Fund interest rate in December, Powell broadly hinted at the FOMC鈥檚 intention to hold to that course in 2026, with no further rate cuts intended in the near term.

鈥淗aving reduced our policy rate by 75 basis points since September and 175 basis points since last September, the fed funds rate is now within a broad range of estimates of its neutral value, and we are well positioned to wait to see how the economy evolves,鈥� he said, adding, 鈥淥ur two goals are a bit in tension. Everyone around the table at the FOMC agrees that inflation is too high, and we want it to come down and agrees that the labor market has softened and that there is further risk. Where the difference lies is how you weight those risks and, ultimately, where do you think the bigger risk is?鈥�

One of the challenges the FOMC is facing as it moves forward is the lack of access to data during the government shutdown and the possibility that the data that will emerge could be distorted.

鈥淲e’re going to need to be careful in assessing particularly the household survey data,鈥� Powell said. 鈥淭here are very technical reasons about the way data are collected in both inflation and in labor so that the data may be distorted. So, we’re going to get data, but we’re going to have to look at it carefully and with a somewhat skeptical eye by the time of the January meeting.鈥�

Interest rate cut welcome. Is it enough?

Despite a third cut in interest rates over the past six months, forecasters are predicting that without further cuts, mortgage interest rates may stay stubbornly in the 6 percent range in 2026, preventing some buyers from entering the market and restraining sellers who hold 3鈥�4 percent mortgage rates from jumping back into the market.

But even at 6 percent interest rates, the real estate industry is confident that home sales will increase 10鈥�14 percent in 2026, with the 星空传媒 Association of Realtors (NAR) on the optimistic side of that prediction.

At the Dec. 9 , Chief Economist Lawrence Yun鈥檚 predictions were generally upbeat, citing a 14 percent increase in existing home sales, a 5 percent increase in new home sales, a 4 percent increase in home prices, a modest gain of about 400,000 jobs, and an unemployment rate that ticks up to 4.5 percent.

Still, the growth in home sales is not a slam dunk in 2026, as homebuyers face several hurdles. Inflation has made it difficult for first-time homebuyers to save a downpayment while also driving up the cost of new construction.

A long-term issue that continues to fly under the radar is wage disparity itself, which has put the dream of homeownership out of reach for an increasing larger swath of the population since 2000, reducing the potential pool of homebuyers.

One telling stat presented by Yun at the NAR conference was homeownership percentage by age group. While ownership numbers are stable in the 55+ age group, it has fallen in all other age groups 鈥� down 3 percent in the under-35 age group, down 1.5 percent in the 35鈥�44 age group, and down nearly 2 percent in the 45鈥�54 age group. While 2 percent may not seem like a substantial number, it potentially represents 2 million households who are renting rather than owning.

Further evidence of that shifting dynamic was evident in 2023, when there were a reported 130 million households in the U.S., with 85 million owner-occupied and 45 million renter-occupied, representing a new high for the percentage of households renting vs. owning. This is due in large part to three factors: affordability issues, growing investor dominance in the moderately priced home market, and the failure of new home builds to fill the more moderately priced home market gap.

While 2025 is ending on a positive note economically, consumers will be a key driver in the housing market in 2026, and consumer confidence unexpectedly plunged in November, according to Dana M. Peterson, Chief Economist, .

鈥淎ll five components of the overall index flagged or remained weak,鈥� he said in The Conference Board鈥檚 Nov. 25 release. 鈥淐onsumers were notably more pessimistic about business conditions six months from now. Mid-2026 expectations for labor market conditions remained decidedly negative, and expectations for increased household incomes shrunk dramatically, after six months of strongly positive readings.鈥�

Moderating home prices, increased inventory, a stable job market, and lower inflation all represent the positive environment the real estate industry has been hoping to see in 2026. Although consumer confidence and affordability may prevent 2026 from being a true breakout year, expectations for modest improvements are well supported.

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Document Processing: AI-powered tools can extract relevant information from documents, reducing manual effort and improving accuracy. You can upload a lengthy document into certain AI platforms and ask specific questions to extract the necessary information. Of course, you need to make sure you use AI tools in compliance with your company’s policies around safeguarding sensitive or non-public information.

Improved Communication: AI-powered platforms help convey messages quickly and professionally, making communications clearer and more efficient. You can enter information, or a message intended to be sent to a customer, and then ask an AI platform like ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot, for example, to restate the communication in a professional tone, or make it sound friendlier, or personalize it, or even to shorten it while retaining all of the important points.

Marketing: AI platforms can help design graphics, write blogs, strategize, and identify target audiences.

So, Where Should You Begin Your AI Journey? Do You Need To Be A 鈥淭echie鈥� To Use AI?

The best place to begin is at the beginning 鈥� and there is a free four-module beginner鈥檚 webinar that you can take at your own pace, requiring only one-two hours per week. Think of this as AI 101 for the non-tech-savvy. Andrew Ng breaks down AI concepts in a way that even your grandma could understand (no offense to tech-savvy grandmas out there). You鈥檒l learn the basics of AI, ethical considerations, and how it鈥檚 transforming industries鈥攊ncluding real estate.

Once you鈥檝e gotten a handle on the basics, it鈥檚 time to learn a bit more about the specifics 鈥� about what AI tools are out there that might be of benefit to you, and how to use those particular tools. And, there are TONS of AI tools! You can explore what鈥檚 available by reading blogs such as (which includes a link to the author鈥檚 ). It鈥檚 easy to find AI blogs just by googling, but here are a couple to get you started:

• , Axis Technical Group (June 6, 2023)
• Extracting Value from Intelligent Automation in the Title Insurance Industry, Axis Technical Group (June 2, 2022)

As you do your initial research, you will quickly discover a few core points to be aware of when using AI. Importantly, you will find that asking AI questions is a skill in and of itself. Better prompts lead to better output, so you will need to educate yourself on how to craft prompts that yield the results you want.

Maintaining the safety and integrity of systems and sensitive information is another important concern. Free AI may share information that you give it, or there could be settings within the AI platform that you need to change to ensure that confidential information is not made public or available to anyone else. As mentioned earlier, understanding the safeguards around AI tools and using them in accordance with your company’s policies is essential, especially when handling non鈥憄ublic or sensitive consumer information.

While these technologies are new, some platforms are already being viewed as more reputable than others, especially those backed by major corporate entities. Some AI platforms are not well known and might pose a danger to your network, so it鈥檚 best to coordinate closely with your IT department when selecting AI tools for your organization.

Learning how to effectively and safely use AI is a step beyond the initial research. As you continue on your quest for knowledge, I would recommend looking for more free webinars or informative video shorts. A free webinar from The Title Report that may be of interest is, . It covers (as advertised on its webpage) topics such as:

• Definitions of common AI terms.
• Practical applications of AI in title insurance, including in marketing, sales, communications, graphic design, and more.
• Realistic expectations for what AI can and cannot do.
• Important legal guidelines and quality control measures to consider.

As for video shorts, has a bunch of insightful YouTube videos available just for the taking. In one such video, 鈥�,鈥� she introduces us to three more useful AI platforms and demonstrates how they can all be used together to generate the optimal output:

• 鈥� helps users analyze academic papers, extract data, and synthesize findings efficiently.
• 鈥� consolidates important points from uploaded documents; a Google AI tool designed to enhance note-taking.
• 鈥� transforms uploaded information into actionable products; an AI assistant developed by Anthropic.

After you鈥檝e gotten the benefit of all of these great free resources, you may want to consider paying for some specific courses tailored to your objectives for AI 鈥� for what you want AI to do for you. There are no shortage of paid-for resources, either, but finding the right one can be tricky. offers several classes as well as a free trial month. offers quite a few AI-related short courses at reasonable prices, including one for writing AI-prompts. When all else fails, just google the type of class you are looking for based upon your objectives. Of course, there鈥檚 no substitute for actually using the tools themselves and gaining firsthand experience.

Final Thoughts AI isn鈥檛 here to replace us鈥攊t鈥檚 here to make us superheroes in our field. Whether you鈥檙e automating tedious tasks, wowing clients with personalized service, or just freeing up time for that second cup of coffee, these resources are your gateway to mastering AI. So, what are you waiting for? Dive in and start transforming y

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Investment firms Goldman Sachs and Charles Schwab are particularly optimistic about the potential for growth and expansion in the economy in the coming year.  predicts GDP growth will reach 2.5% for 2025. 鈥淭he US economy is in a good place,鈥� said David Mericle, chief U.S. economist in GSR. 鈥淩ecession fears have diminished, inflation is trending back toward 2%, and the labor market has rebalanced but remains strong.鈥�

Internationally,  envisions consistent 3% growth across the board in 2025, despite trade war concerns emanating from the threat of increased tariffs.

鈥淣ot one of the top 45 economies in the world are expected to be in recession next year,鈥� said Jeffrey Kleintop, Managing Director, Chief Global Investment Strategist in a Dec. 2 release. 鈥淢ost are expected to grow faster in 2025, including Europe, Japan, Canada, and the U.K., according to the latest outlook from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the consensus of economist forecasts tracked by Bloomberg.鈥�

While all of this should point to an improving housing market, there are still plenty of headwinds for consumers, including the elevated cost of living in general, as well as a tight housing market that has kept prices from moderating despite dwindling sales over the past year. That is not expected to change heading into 2025.

Recent data indicators, including resilient employment and cooling inflation, point to a stronger economic foundation, especially if interest rates moderate in 2025.

The Consumer Price Index rose 2.6% through October, up from 2.4% in the September data, but moderate compared to the peak of 9.1%. Employment has been surprisingly resilient with an unexpected jump in jobs numbers in September after a sluggish summer. And although jobs bottomed out in October due to two hurricanes and several significant labor strikes, the economy quickly rebounded by adding a healthy 227,000 jobs in November.

The continued strength of the economy has allayed some consumer fears, opening the door to the potential for increasing home sales in 2025.

Consumer Confidence

Although inflation has diminished consistently through 2024, persistent elevated prices from two years of high inflation continued to contribute to consumer frustration. As job growth lagged over the summer, consumers became increasingly pessimistic, but according to , that tide is beginning to turn.

 鈥淐onsumer confidence continued to improve in November and reached the top of the range that has prevailed over the past two years,鈥� said Dana M. Peterson, Chief Economist at The Conference Board. 鈥淣ovember鈥檚 increase was driven by more positive consumer assessments of the present situation, particularly regarding the labor market. Compared to October, consumers were also substantially more optimistic about future job availability, which reached its highest level in almost three years.鈥�

The question foremost in the minds of real estate professionals is will all of this good news result in a stronger real estate market in 2025.

Interest rates hold the key to 2025 housing market

On Sept. 18, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell announced a widely expected .5% point rate cut, saying it reflected the agency鈥檚 鈥済rowing confidence that, with an appropriate recalibration of our policy stance, strength in the labor market can be maintained in a context of moderate growth and inflation moving sustainably down to 2%.鈥�

More significantly, Powell noted that FOMC participants at the meeting prepared individual assessments of an appropriate path for the federal funds rate, determining that if the economy evolves as expected, the appropriate level of the federal funds rate would be 4.4% at the end of this year and 3.4% at the end of 2025.

The FOMC followed up with a 0.25% rate cut in November. However, during the December meeting, policymakers signaled a more restrained outlook for future rate cuts, reflecting concerns about inflation and broader economic conditions. The updated 鈥渄ot plot鈥� now indicates expectations for only two quarter-point cuts in 2025, marking a slower pace of monetary easing than previously anticipated.

Despite the Fed鈥檚 actions, mortgage rates have remained elevated, hovering around 6.5% through the final quarter of the year. This persistence in higher rates has further tempered expectations for the housing market.

In its , Freddie Mac noted that while the U.S. economy remained resilient with strong Q3 growth, unexpected volatility in mortgage rates has weighed on housing and mortgage activity.

鈥淎s we get into 2025, we anticipate that rates will gradually decline throughout the year,鈥�  the GSE reported. 鈥淭he expected decline in mortgage rates in 2025 should loosen some of the rate lock-in effect for existing homeowners, offering more inventory in the market.鈥�

However, in its November Spotlight Report, Freddie Mac noted that the housing market continues to be plagued by a housing shortfall, which has persisted for years.

鈥淗ousing affordability remains one of the top economic issues facing American households,鈥� the GSE noted. 鈥淏oth homeowners and renters have seen the cost of housing increase faster than other consumer prices, putting a significant strain on household budgets. As we have documented in several previous research notes,  the root cause of decreased housing affordability is the fact that housing supply has not increased enough to match demand. Inadequate housing supply leads homeowners and renters to bid up the sale price and rent of available housing, which puts a squeeze on affordability.鈥�

Fannie Mae has also revised its home sales projections for 2025, saying they are expected to rise by only 4% next year. According to the  from the Fannie Mae (FNMA/OTCQB) Economic and Strategic Research (ESR) Group. the downward revision to the existing home sales outlook, which was previously forecast to rise 11% in 2025, is the result of significant upward movement in mortgage rates.

鈥淲hereas previously the ESR Group had expected mortgage rates to dip below 6% in early 2025, the revised forecast now shows mortgage rates ending 2025 at 6.3% and remaining above 6% through 2026,鈥� the report noted. 鈥淭he ESR Group does expect a significant improvement in existing home sales of around 17% in its inaugural 2026 forecast, as affordability conditions improve, the lock-in effect weakens, and pent-up demand to move materializes. Furthermore, the ESR Group continues to expect new home sales to improve on already-robust levels in both 2025 and 2026, as homebuilders continue to offer buyers incentives to move existing inventories.鈥�

A changing market

For real estate agents, the volatility of the 2024 real estate market was compounded by the 星空传媒 Association of Realtors (NAR) settlement, which brought significant changes to real estate practices. While these changes led many part-time agents to exit the profession, full-time professionals have quickly adapted and are ready to move forward under the new system.

In the mortgage arena, lenders have encouraged their loan officers to become far more consultative with their clients to ensure borrowers have the tools and knowledge to make the best decisions about the range of home they can afford and to be prepared to increase their downpayment to make their monthly payments more affordable.

Affordability and availability are going to be the keynote for a real estate comeback in communities across the U.S. in 2025 due to high interest rates and the persistent escalation of home prices. Migration trends may shift from states impacted by environmental disasters or housing markets that are overpriced to areas that boast affordability, availability and with fewer downsides such as high taxes and climate impact.

Real estate professionals should stay vigilant and adapt to these evolving trends within their regions, positioning themselves to better navigate market challenges and seize emerging opportunities in 2025 and beyond.

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Thanks in large part to your help and support, I am proud to share two significant updates regarding SecureMyTransaction.

First, the American Land Title Association (ALTA) has announced today that . As part of that process, SMT was rigorously vetted as a provider and received recommendations from ALTA members. This designation is an important milestone and affirms SMT鈥檚 effectiveness in helping agents respond to increasingly sophisticated fraud schemes.

Second, we鈥檙e excited to announce that this week, SMT is being updated to include new features allowing you to customize the user experience with your branding, the branding of your real estate partners, and even lenders. This includes incorporating your logos, contact information, and messaging for a seamless, integrated ID verification experience that reflects your unique business style. With this added ability to customize the platform, SMT not only offers protection but also supports brand visibility and business growth.

We remain committed to growing and enhancing SecureMyTransaction, and your feedback will guide our efforts. You can also follow updates at SecureMyTransaction.com.

If you have thoughts or questions about SecureMyTransaction, please reach out to me or any member of our team.

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Market research is key to successful expansion

Navigating business expansion can sometimes resemble trying to pick your way through a thick forest. The trail can feel uncertain and unpredictable where one wrong step could trip you up. Think of market research as a light that illuminates the best path forward. It deepens understanding of potential customers and leads to more informed decision-making. Moreover, it reduces risk, enables the creation of better products and services, and shores up the long-term health of your brand.

The challenge of getting started

Despite its benefits, conducting marketing research can seem like a tall order, especially if you鈥檝e never done it before. All too often, this leads to companies commissioning a report by a third party, which can be quite costly. Depending on the research, the cost can range at least $15,000 鈥� $25,000 a pop.[i] This can be an unnecessary expense, especially as it鈥檚 possible to gather a lot of this information on your own.

A deeper dive

So, how do you start a market research report? Begin by sketching out your goals and objectives. Then outline the contours of your target market using these categories: 

• Market demand for title insurance
• Qualitative and quantitative nature of the customer base
• Competitor analysis
• Regulatory environment (only if different from your current environment)
• Competitive advantages you bring to the table
• Any barriers that will prevent you from entering the market

Secondary research

After you have this framework, add additional detail by consulting secondary research sources. Fill out the market demand and customer base sections of your report by consulting:

• Title industry reports
• Government databases
• Housing, population and employment trends

Next, learn more about your competitors by following these steps:

1. Search online for competitors who serve the target market.
2. Look at business directories and your local land title associations for additional information.
3. Then, see what your competitors are doing to market their products and services by looking at:
   
   1. Their website
   2. Social media channels
   3. Review sites
   4. SEO rankings
   5. Any available advertising
      
4. Pair this with information on your competitors鈥� pricing, services and customer base.

In working through this exercise, a better picture of competing organizations will come into focus. The last step is then to populate the sections on your competitive advantages and barriers to entry. Perhaps one of the best tools to use here is what鈥檚 known as a 鈥淪WOT analysis.鈥� Here鈥檚 what that requires you to look at and flesh out:

• Strengths: What are you doing right and/or well.
• Weaknesses: The potential weak points within your organization.
• Opportunities: The opportunities or openings in the market of which you can take advantage.
• Threats: What could threaten your ability to enter a new market.

Next steps

Armed with a better understanding of the market, your competitors and how they stack up against your organization鈥檚 strengths, weaknesses and capabilities, you can build better offers for your products and market them in a way that connects and converts. Don鈥檛 stop with just market research, though. Use this document as the basis for creating a strategic plan, a marketing and sales strategy and even guidance for how your organization can align resources with short- and long-term goals. Combined, these various assets will position you to not only enter your target market but hit the ground running.

[i] 

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The best, most effective strategies for acquiring and maintaining new business do not depend upon the delivery of pastries or a free lunch. Today, gaining business means searching for and then filling needs, recognizing gaps, appealing to goals, and ultimately providing tools for achieving those goals.

A defined process that leads to a better understanding of a prospect鈥檚 pain points, coupled with a plan of attack, enables a title agent to bring value to clients.

We鈥檝e all been there. After weeks, perhaps months, of professionally approaching a real estate agent or lender prospect, the much-sought-after initial meeting gets scheduled. 

Our thoughts turn toward how best to provide value to the prospect, within the bounds of compliance, that will sufficiently attract them to begin using our services.

Too often, however, our approach centers around providing the laundry list of goods and services our company offers. We run through that list hoping that at some point our prospect will react favorably and drill down into the particular offer they find irresistible.

In reality, this approach almost never works. What we have unwittingly done is wasted the prospect鈥檚 time by offering products or services that are not needed. The meeting ends with a polite 鈥渢hank you,鈥� and 鈥渨e will let you know.鈥�

There is a better approach, and it involves putting ourselves in the place of our potential referral source so we can view their business challenges through their eyes. It is a given that they are faced with the same type of struggles we face when trying to obtain business. They are seeking ways to attract their own referral sources, and they are spending time and money to do so.

Instead of laying our tools on the table hoping one will be useful to our prospect, the better approach would be a consultative one. Use the first five minutes of the meeting asking questions about business strategy and goals, methods currently being employed, and the history of success and failure.

When we listen, we can detect areas in which to offer help and provide tools.

For real estate agent prospects, this may involve keying-in on monthly meetings put on by the broker in charge. It is their obligation to provide meetings and speakers to bring value to their franchise, and to attract and keep top agents. 

An offer to sponsor the food, as well as line up industry speakers, will go a long way toward obtaining an endorsement from the broker, while earning valuable face time with the agents with whom we are trying to connect. Providing a short segment on title insurance itself will show your prospects that you are a subject-matter expert and worthy of their consideration.

For lender prospects, offer to line up a real estate office presentation, with them as the main speaker, on lending topics of interest to agents. Again, offering to help with the food, line up the presentation, and participate in the program will bring value to your relationship with that lender. It is possible to work collaboratively with your prospects, employing a consultative approach and filling needs and gaps to help them in their business. This places you and your agency top-of-mind when the decision is made for title work.

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For those willing to invest the effort, it鈥檚 clear that paying attention鈥攁nd responding when appropriate鈥攖o online reviews is a powerful tool to boost credibility, authenticity and transparency.

Learn more

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Many title agents spend money and time on marketing and sales efforts to increase directable business. While most campaigns are effective, and certainly essential, one of the best opportunities to showcase your firm鈥檚 strengths is at the closing table.

A well thought-out and unique closing table strategy will result in increased referral business, and will cost half of traditional marketing plans. A well thought-out closing table strategy looks like this:

1. Target referral sources who attend closings at your office.
2. Showcase your firm鈥檚 customer service and competency.
3. Follow up with collateral materials and a call to action.

As real estate professionals, we value a well-planned and executed marketing campaign, directed at realtors, loan officers and future clients.  Typically, this includes direct mail, targeted email, web presence, social media and office visits.

All of these methods have varying degrees of cost, both in dollars and time. Everyone would agree that they are essential to building and maintaining a business.

The closing table, however, is a hotbed of opportunity that is, unfortunately, often ignored. A number of factors that make this situation unique include:

1. All parties can be scheduled and will attend;
2. Traditional referral sources are there;
3. As a closing agent, you control the pace, flow, and agenda of the time you spend together.

As the closing approaches, since your office will schedule, you will be aware of who will be attending. With that information, you can tailor your approach to fit the needs of each. Your approach should be a systematic and repeatable part of your processes.

The buyer鈥檚 agent is most likely your referral source. You should acknowledge their competence and professionalism, in the presence of their clients, the buyers, and be sure to thank them with a small, parting gift, in full view of the seller鈥檚 agent.

The seller鈥檚 agent is your primary target. An informational packet should be prepared with contact information, pricing and an order form. Also, testimonials are always helpful if they can be obtained. It can be useful to acknowledge them in the presence of the parties, and thank them for their help in facilitating the closing. Be sure to obtain a business card and information on their office which could be helpful in future marketing opportunities. Finally, it is always appropriate to ask for their future business in person.

The mortgage broker, if present, and not familiar to you, should have their own take-away packet, containing similar information to the seller鈥檚 agent, as well as a document outlining their firm鈥檚 experience in handling various types of loans other than residential. An acknowledgement of their professionalism and assistance in putting together the transaction is essential. 

Sellers should be given a branded packet with all their documents, containing all you contact information and some swag such as pens, highlighters or pads. Do not overlook this important contact. They are a potential future client. At some point later in the year, they will be looking for copies of various documents which they have lost. Their ability to contact you and obtain these documents will cement your relationship, and make it more likely they will call on you for their real estate needs in the future.

Finally, remember that you, as the closing agent, are on stage. Whatever you project at this closing, will make or break your ability to obtain future business from the parties. You should be affable, available, and project quiet confidence. This is important at what can be the most stressful experience in a consumer鈥檚 lifetime.

At the closing table, by targeting referral sources, showcasing your abilities, and having collateral materials prepared ahead of time, you will be able to take advantage of a unique and valuable marketing opportunity.

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• Creating a customer survey process and inviting customers to review employees based on a number of metrics (all tied to your customer-centric core values);
• Create a 鈥渓iving the values鈥� award and ask employees to vote for their peers;
• Develop a 鈥渟ecret shopper鈥� system to periodically test employee responses to typical customer requests;
• Build the customer-centric core values into each employee鈥檚 annual review rating guide.

Another key means to bring those customer-centric values to life is to lead by example, such as:

• • Make the values at least a small portion of every single internal meeting in your company;
  • Follow the customer-centric approach you鈥檝e created鈥攆or your external customers and internal customers (aka employees);
  • Make yourself available and approachable any time an employee has a question related to the core values;
  • Create a 鈥渄aily devotional鈥� core value email to hit employee inboxes at the start of each work day;
  • Communicate best-practice examples when you see other employees 鈥渓iving the values鈥� during their daily jobs;
  • Offer constructive feedback when you see opportunities for employees to improve on their customer-centric approach.

Additionally, research shows time and time again that employees stay in jobs where they feel connected, valued and engaged in meaningful work. Breathing life into customer-centric values, along with the tips offered above, offer employees that chance to feel like they belong. Research also shows that happy employees provide the very best customer service. So, remember that your customer-centric core values statements are just that鈥攚ords鈥攗ntil you bring them to life with action.

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