CASE STUDY
Paul Thummel
American Financial Network
Turning a Stack of Papers Into a Book of Business
Paul Thummel is a loan officer with an extensive background in mortgage lending. After 25 years in the industry, he decided to move his offices closer to home in Coto de Caza, CA. Paul is the first to admit that after working three years in a different industry, he feels like he’s starting over. “Real Estate is a lot of out of sight out of mind, and there’s a lot of competition in my area. Thankfully, changes in technology and automation over the past few years have made getting reestablished easier.”
After talking to Paul, it’s obvious that his work ethic and attention to detail have helped him establish a level of trust with key people in Orange County. “Referrals make up the majority of my business. I have to stay focused on productive activities, which includes developing trusted relationships with agents who send quality referrals.”
Paul offers a level of transparency during the lending process that is unmatched by competitors. “Agents reach out to me because I’m open and honest. I’ve had realtors come to me when things have gone sideways with other lenders and they’re backed into a corner. I don’t shy away from opening up lines of communication, getting people on the same page and solving things in a timely manner.”
We wanted to help Paul automate some of his online interactions so he could spend more time working with clients. That’s where our expert Linzy came in, whose mission was to maximize Paul’s partnership with OutboundEngine. After discussing his goals, Linzy developed a game plan to help Paul re-establish his business and build a pipeline for referrals.
“If you’re in front of people on a consistent basis, they will think of you when the need arises. I’ve had some people reply to thank me for sending the information. The responses are refreshing. I feel like I’m able to offer a personal touch without having to create the content myself.”
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Step I: Build a Quality Contact List
Paul came to us with a handwritten list of email addresses, so Linzy’s first step was to help him consolidate and build a list of quality prospects he could establish a relationship with. Linzy exported contacts from Paul’s Facebook account and helped him figure out who to connect with on LinkedIn. “I’m starting to develop relationships with influencers in my area who may be sources of referrals in the future.”
Step II: Establish an Online Reputation
Paul noticed that mortgage lenders and real estate agents in his area had lots of online reviews. “Reviews are clearly important, which I learned from looking at Zillow. I used to have people write letters of recommendation that I could show prospective clients, but now people just Google you.” The customer success team helped Paul set up his Google+, Zillow and Yelp accounts to help him start generating reviews.”
Step III: Stay In Touch
Paul signed up with OutboundEngine because he wanted to offer useful information that would keep his name in front of customers. “If you’re in front of people on a consistent basis, they will think of you when the need arises. I’ve had some people reply to thank me for sending the information. The responses are refreshing. I feel like I’m able to offer a personal touch without having to create the content myself.”
For Paul, reestablishing his business was no small feat, but OutboundEngine was up to the task. “I am very impressed. Every person I’ve worked with has been helpful, patient and willing to go above and beyond to make sure I understand the technology and have a plan for success. I never feel like I’m getting passed around; all of my questions are answered.”
CUSTOMER HIGHLIGHTS
- 28 years lending experience
- Extensive background in mortgage lending
- Based in Coto de Caza, California
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
- Inc 5000 Fastest Growing Company
- Founded in 2001
- Headquartered in Brea, California
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