LendingTree University – Coming to a City Near You!

LendingTree is pleased to launch LendingTree University – a day-long educational event planned to provide you with tools to make you a more successful loan officer! Designed to help you improve your performance and help you close more loans, these sessions are sure to motivate and inspire you to take your business to the next level!

***PLEASE NOTE THAT THE AGENDA WILL VARY BY LOCATION***

You will spend the first half of each day attending educational sessions, where you’ll be given the tools to maximize the use of LendingTree programs and close more loans! LendingTree presenters will review the best practices for using our tools and provide concrete success metrics from other loan officers. Topics to be discussed include:

• Using LenderWeb Apex to track and manage lead flow.
• Finding success in the purchase market with "Find a REALTOR^®".
• Understanding the LendingTree consumer experience.
• Using LendingTree Settlement Services as a differentiation sales tool.
• Building customer relationships through the LendingTree Consumer Education Center.
• How implementing the Loan Officer Commitments will improve your customer service and overall performance.

We’ll devote the second half of each day to providing you with sales techniques and training that will improve your Network performance. Topics and presenters include*:

• "Making the Call – Creating Success When Banks Compete" – Vernon Roberts, Founder & President of evoke Learning.

  An easy to understand call connection model is used as a foundation for walking through the activities that create successful client relationships. Loan Officers will work through challenging case driven activities and rehearse skills that they have learned. Vernon will lead this interactive workshop that deals with both the tools and the mindset successful loan officers use to create success. After the workshop Loan Officers will understand the effort and the steps that it will take to create success with mortgage clients.

• "Motivational Selling" – Ed Tate, Enlightened Leadership

  Ed will provide advice on selling effectively, staying motivated and being a peak sales producer. Ed is a successful trainer, author, international keynote speaker and executive. As an author, Ed co-wrote the book – Motivational Selling. For fourteen years he was a successful National Account Executive, selling over $500 million in products and services. He is also a contributor to the books: Stories Trainers Tell (2003, Jossey-Bass Pfeiffer) and The Seven Strategies of Master Presenters (2004, Career Press). Additionally, Ed co-produced the audio CD album, Speaking Secrets of the Champions.

Each session will cost $245 per person. This fee includes breakfast, a working lunch and a post-training networking cocktail reception. Register today at www.lendingtreetraining.com. For more information, contact us at loprograms@lendingtree.com.

Use the Consumer Education Center on Your Own Web Site to Answer Customer Questions

During a recent webinar introducing loan officers to LendingTree’s Consumer Education Center, one of the loan officers asked if his company could link to the Education Center. Of course you can – the Education Center is a great resource for customers to find answers to all their mortgage questions. Use the URLs below to create links on your web site for your customers.

General information on borrowing money

General information on mortgages

Information on buying a home

Information for first-time homebuyers

General information on home equity loans

General information on managing your credit

New Consumer Service--The LendingTree Fed Rate Review

On May 3, 2005, the Federal Open Market Committee ("The Fed") meets once again. If they decide to raise the federal funds rate, interest rates on mortgages and home equity loans will likely increase.

LendingTree is starting a new service for consumers, giving them yet another great tool to take control of their finances. On May 4, we will host a live, 60-minute chat session during which customers can ask questions about the Fed what it all means to them. Our own consumer lending expert, Chief Consumer Officer Ed Powell, will explain the ins and outs of the Fed and its rate changes, answer real-time questions from participants, and discuss tips for how to be a "smart borrower" in any rate environment.

Feel free to direct your customers, or join us yourselves, on May 4 at 3pm EST at www.lendingtree.com/ratereview.

If you can't make it, the transcript will be posted in the Consumer Education Center for all to read.

LendingTree Loan Officer Certification – How to Get the Gold Leaf Seal

The LendingTree Loan Officer Certification Program continues to be one of our most popular programs. Launched in September 2002, the Gold Leaf Award is presented to an elite group of loan officers who provide exemplary customer service to LendingTree consumers. In 2005, Certification will be awarded on a quarterly basis.

Certification is based on success levels in several areas, including customer service, adherence to LendingTree best practices, training participation and above average performance levels. Specifically, loan officers and lenders must meet the following criteria:

• The lender must report closings by loan officer to LendingTree via automated assign, manual funding, or the automated funding spreadsheet. If lenders do not use any of these tools, they may still participate if they provide LendingTree with the quantitative data necessary for the analysis.
• The loan officer must be dedicated to the LendingTree channel.
• The loan officer must have attended a LendingTree training program. Please note that in order to obtain certification or re-certification in 2005, a loan officer must have attended in 2004 or 2005 one of the following: Sales Excellence Training, Regional Training, Certified Loan Officer Summit, Loan Officer Sales Rally, or other LendingTree sanctioned training.
• The loan officer must have been active on the Network (taking leads) for six of the seven months during the period for which they are qualifying.
• The loan officer must have an average conversion rate for the measurement period that is higher than the Network average of the analysis time period. Closing data is measured based on static pools (i.e. the month the QF was received). View the criteria used to determine the January 2005 round of certification. Please note that since the inception of this program, the certification criteria has trended consistently. Therefore, this data is a good guide to use when self-evaluating performance.
• The loan officer must meet the following Customer Service requirements:

  Customer feedback on loan officer performance is collected in closer and non-closer surveys. A loan officer must have an average customer service score of 3.0 during the qualifying period in order to be certified.

  In addition, a loan officer must have less than three (3) escalated consumer issues that can be directly related to the loan officer.

Certification status is reviewed on an annual basis (based on the date of certification). However, if a loan officer has more than three (3) escalated consumer issues that can be directly related to the loan officer within the qualifying period, the certification status will be revoked.

We welcome your feedback and questions regarding the Gold Leaf Certification Program. If you have further questions about Loan Officer Certification, please contact loprograms@lendingtree.com. Also, be sure to watch for our upcoming webinar, "The Loan Officer Certification Process", which will be offered beginning in April.

Loan Officer Kudos – Where LendingTree Customers Say Thank You!

"My husband and I used the services of LendingTree for a refinance on our home. We chose Centerra Mortgage here in Tulsa, Oklahoma to handle our refinance. We just wanted to let everyone now how very pleased we were with how everything was handled. Everything was quick and easy. We closed within 2 weeks (from beginning to end)! A very special thank you to Terri Liles, our mortgage consultant. She was wonderful. She always had the correct information to our questions and was always pleasant and cheerful. She led us step-by-step through the whole procedure. This was by far the easiest and least stressful of any mortgage closing we have experienced. Centerra is fortunate to have such a dedicated and knowledgeable mortgage consultant as Terri. Once again, we would like to thank LendingTree and Terri Liles with Centerra Mortgage for a job well done."

Denny & Renee Mann
Refinance
Tulsa, OK

"We want to thank you for your website. We found it most helpful and so easy. We have accepted an offer with Irwin Union Bank & Trust Company and we are extremely pleased with how convenient they have made everything. They came right to our house to have the loan docs signed and are sending the funds directly to our bank account. We will recommend your website to others."

Russel Denk
Home Equity
Peoria, AZ

"I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU! Because of you and my leap of faith, I will soon be the proud owner of my first home. I am a single mother and never thought I would ever be able to own a home. But, thanks to you, I will be at the end of this month. This had been the best thing that has ever happened to me and my daughter and I just wanted to drop you a line to let you know how much I appreciate you and the lending company [NationPoint] I went thru. So again, Thank you very much."

Marsha Rhine
Purchase Mortgage
Bentonville, AR

LenderWeb Apex Tip of the Month – What is the Task Counter?

This tool, located below the Quick Search functionality, is available from anywhere within LenderWeb Apex, providing a consistent experience to the user. Just like Your Day at a Glance or Home page, the task counter will quickly orient you with what tasks are outstanding and what needs to be accomplished over the course of your day.
When a task becomes due or is scheduled for later on over the course of your day, the Task Counter will notify you by turning red for a few seconds. It also automatically updates the number of Overdue and/or Upcoming Today tasks listed. User can click on the Overdue link to view all overdue tasks within the last 7 days or click on the upcoming section to view all upcoming tasks for that day.

Loan Officer Training is Just a Click Away!

The LendingTree Webinar Training Program continues to be an extremely popular training resource. Designed for both veterans and newcomers to LendingTree, these interactive programs are offered at no cost. The following programs are currently being offered:

• "Find A REALTOR®" Training
• LenderWeb APEX Basic Training
• Building An Effective Email Campaign
• "Cracking The Purchase Code"
• "The LendingTree Consumer Education Toolkit"

In addition, look for these topics to be added soon:

• "Real Estate 101: Fundamentals of the Home Buying Process"- This program is designed to educate you on the basics of the home buying process and give you practical tips to help you work more effectively as a team with the Real Estate Agent to get your Purchase customers to the closing table with as few complications as possible.
• "The Loan Officer Certification Process" - LendingTree knows how many of our lenders and loan officers value the Gold Leaf Seal. Designed to help you understand how to become a Gold Leaf Award winner and maintain your certification, this program will educate you on the process and criteria used to determine qualification.
• "Managing Your Pipeline" - Did you know we designed the Task function in LenderWeb APEX specifically to help you manage your pipeline? Learn quick tips and tricks that enable you to stay in control of your pipeline, not be overwhelmed by it!

Click for course descriptions, dates and registration. Availability for each session is limited, so be sure to register early!

LendingTree University is dedicated to developing and providing a diverse training program to our partners and will continue to expand our offerings in 2005. If you have any comments or suggestions regarding the Webinar Training Program, please contact loprograms@lendingtree.com

Sales Tip of the Month – Seven Tips for Staying Focused

Written by: Kate Lorenz, CareerBuilder.com

It seems like "multitasking" is the name of the game in the business world, and most people tackle many projects at a time daily. Even if you are just working on one project, think about all of the other interruptions you handle. With all of the e-mails to answer, voice mails to check, pages to return and instant messages to reply to, it's a wonder how anyone gets any "real" work done!

If you are starting to feel like you can't do quality work because you are always being interrupted, you probably need to learn how to focus during the work day. Here are seven ways to stay focused in a world of constant interruptions:

1. Create some "unavailable" time.
   

   It's great to be that person co-workers can come to with questions, but it can also keep you from getting your own work done. Give yourself some time to be unavailable. Close the door to your office and put up a "do not disturb" sign. Block out time on your schedule and let others know that you cannot be disturbed. If you work in an open space, go to a conference room where you won't be so easy to find or rearrange your desk so your back is to your co-workers. Put on a pair of headphones. Even if you don't listen to any music, wearing headphones can send a message that you are not available to talk. Finally, learn how to say no. You don't have to apologize or over-explain. Just let your co-workers know that you do not have the free time to help right now. Any good teammate will understand.

2. Resist the urge to read and reply.
   

   Are your friends and family sending you messages every hour? As tempting as it is to read all e-mails as they arrive, resist the urge and keep working. Set up a separate personal account and only check it at home. If you would rather have just one account, limit yourself to certain times of the day for reading personal messages, such as lunchtime. And get in the habit of automatically deleting junk messages. Trust us – the story is false, the deal is a hoax, and you will not have seven years of bad luck if you don't forward the message.

3. Turn off your instant messaging program.
   

   Instant messaging programs are extremely popular these days, but they can be a real focus-killer in the office. If you have an instant messaging program installed, set it to indicate that you are away or busy during the workday. Tell your friends you can't chat and that you will get in touch with them the "old-fashioned" way later – via the telephone.

4. Plan your phone time.
   

   Using the phone is necessary for most people, but there are ways to be more efficient with this business tool. First, plan important calls by writing down your key points and questions you need to ask. This will decrease the number of times you have to call people back. If you have caller ID, don't answer calls from unrecognizable numbers, and use your voice mail to screen your calls. That way you can call back those you need to at a better time.

5. Take a breather.
   

   Are you so frazzled that your head is spinning? If you have way too much going on, it will be impossible to focus. Take a few minutes away from your desk to clear your head and re-focus. Take a walk, stretch out, do some office yoga, or just sit with your eyes closed and breathe deeply for a few minutes.

6. Write it down.
   

   Sometimes you just need a visual reminder of your tasks to stay focused. Make a list, or several lists, to keep you on track. Put a dry-erase board next to your computer where you can periodically look up and see how you are progressing. This will keep you focused and give you a sense of accomplishment every time you cross an item off your list.

7. Get organized.
   

   It is much more difficult to stay focused when your desk is a cluttered catastrophe. Spend some time in the morning to clean up your work space. Keep important files close by and put old information away. Throw out things you don't need, and get the games, funny pictures and other time killers out of your immediate sight. This will free up the two hours you probably spend every day looking for files or searching for your favorite pen.

Kate Lorenz is the article and advice editor for CareerBuilder.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Other writers contributed to this article.

LendingTree in the News

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