David Lykken is president of mortgage strategies and managing partner with Mortgage Banking Solutions. He has more than 35 years of industry experience and has garnered a national reputation, and has become a frequent guest on FOX Business News with Neil Cavuto, Stuart Varney, Liz Claman and Dave Asman with additional guest appearances on the CBS Evening News, Bloomberg TV and radio. He may be reached by phone at (512) 977-9900, ext. 10, or e-mail dlykken@mortgagebankingsolutions.com or dlykken@mbsteam.com.
27
n South Carolina Mortgage Professional Magazine n MAY 2014
improved their sales performance? What customer testimonials can the trainer provide to bolster the credibility of his or her training programs? Just like you would expect any other vendor to show some level of return-oninvestment (ROI) on the product they are pitching, you’ll want your sales trainer to provide demonstrated ROI. You’ll want to know that you’re getting your money’s worth. In the end, it’s all about results. Can the trainer deliver? What is in their portfolio? Look for a trainer who can prove that they have made other sales teams more successful. One final thing to consider before hiring a sales trainer is his or her willingness to adapt to your organization. Every mortgage bank is dealing with different issues and has a different culture. Many trainers have stock training programs that they deliver to all of their clients. Although it’s perfectly fine for the trainer to have a general outline when approaching your team, you’ll want to find someone who is willing to tweak his or her program to meet the specific needs of your sales team. If the sales trainer doesn’t ask you any questions about the problems you are dealing with or about the characteristics of your salespeople, that’s not a good sign. You’ll want to find someone who asks a lot of questions and takes a lot of notes. The more interested the sales trainer is in understanding your organization’s needs, the more likely the trainer will be to tailor his or her training program to those specific needs. When the time comes for you to hire a sales trainer, don’t make a rash decision. Take the time to find someone who will bring out the best in your salespeople. Look for someone with integrity, knowledge, industry experience, training experience, people skills, proven success, and an adaptable training program. With the right sales trainer, you can turn your organization around and grow exponentially in a matter of months. With the wrong sales trainer, you can bring your organization to the brink of failure in even less time than that. Look for a trainer who shares your organizational values and has a strong desire to see your sales team succeed. When you see the results, you’ll be glad you took the time to find the best person for the job.
NationalMortgageProfessional.com
general must have at one time been a soldier. If you look at any industry, this holds true. How many coaches in professional sports, for example, are retired players? If you want to hire a great trainer for your mortgage salespeople, you’ll want to find someone who has worked extensively in the mortgage industry. While I don’t think that the trainer must cater exclusively to mortgage banks, he or she must have had at least some experience working in mortgage banking. Think of it from the perspective of your salespeople. Who are they more likely to listen to, someone from outside the industry or someone who has been where they’ve been? Look for someone who has spent some time in the field; it will pay great dividends. After actual industry experience, you’ll want to look for something in a sales trainer that may seem quite obvious, but is nevertheless important … you want someone who has a great amount of experience doing training. As I mentioned, being a great soldier doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be a great general. While having industry experience is necessary, it isn’t sufficient. If you’re hiring someone to train, you’ll want them to be good at training. You’ll want them to have had a strong track record of conducting workshops, delivering presentations, and providing coaching sessions. It takes specific skills to be a great teacher. The trainer you are hiring must be able to demonstrate that he or she has these skills. If possible, try to secure a list of other organizations for which the trainer you are considering has provided training. If there are any videos available of seminars the trainer has conducted, watch them before making your decision. Related to, but slightly different than the importance of training experience, is a fifth factor you’ll want to consider when selecting a sales trainer. You will want to find someone who has solid people skills. You’ll want someone who not only knows how to deliver a presentation, but also knows how to connect with other human beings. For most mortgage banking organizations, the sales trainer is probably going to be presenting to a relatively small group. With less than 100 salespeople in the room, the trainer should be able to comfortably share dialogue with your team members. He or she must know how to ask the right questions and listen empathetically to responses. When your salespeople feel that they can trust the person training them, they’ll be more receptive to the information. Look for someone who can connect with your team on an intimate level. When all is said and done, the way the trainer you are considering looks doesn’t really mean much without some proof. The sixth thing you’ll want to consider when looking for a trainer is proven success. Can the trainer provide detailed data on how his or her work with other organizations has