Pandemic or no pandemic, the fourth quarter is almost here. End-of-year numbers don’t care whether you’re stuck at home, business is down or borrowers are hard to get a hold of. Change is just one of those things you have to overcome.

Now, make no mistake, this year will likely look very different for many people and many companies. But that is not an excuse to miss your goals. Instead, it is a challenge to persevere despite the pitfalls 2020 has thrown at us.

Normally, this is the time of year where I tell you to up your game and close out the year strong. So I’m going to do just that. There are loans to be had and goals to be smashed. Plus, low interest rates and decreased inventory have created an insane amount of interest in homebuying and refinancing. So the excuses are off the table!

If you need a little help going that extra mile, here are a few suggestions to get you there:

• Make every interaction valuable. Every touchpoint is an opportunity to move one step closer to your goal, so don’t take these for granted. Approach all communications with empathy, care and respect. Remember, these borrowers are facing some of the same challenges that you are during this pandemic. Show them you can not only relate, but that you can add value to their life through your services.
• Create content that matters. Speaking of value, your content is one of your most valuable items…but only if it’s meaningful. Strive to create a regular pipeline of content that is timely, relevant and useful to consumers. This may include facts on loan requirements, housing trends or local market knowledge. When you’re seen as an expert, you’re trusted as an expert. This makes you an insider, and consumers’ go-to person for all their financing needs.
• Use video whenever possible. We all hate the camera, so let’s just get that out there now. Okay, moving on. Video is a highly regarded tool for engaging with your customers in a normal environment. During a pandemic? It’s practically required. The face-to-face interaction has been taken out of business, which means we need to compensate. This not only includes video chats, but customized recorded videos that can be emailed to clients or disseminated over social media. Do a few practice runs tinkering with lighting, positioning, speech and movement. Then have at it. Trust me, you’ll get better over time and your clients will appreciate the personalized videos.
• Find an accountability partner. It’s easy to feel like we can eek by with minimal effort since we’re working from home…until we review our outstanding goals and realize we’ve got a lot of ground to cover! Fortunately, you don’t have to do it alone, even if you’re working from home. Find an accountability partner and outline your goals, timelines and the steps you’ll take to get there. Then create a check-in schedule – say, an email at the end of Mondays and Wednesdays and a video chat Friday afternoons – that will hold you to it. It’s easier to get to the finish line if you know you have a team, and a cheerleader, behind you.

While our distancing will continue, there is business that must be done. We’re in an industry of feast or famine, and while the feast is good right now, this is also the time to build a pipeline for the famine.