LendingTree Guide to Smart Borrowing

The LendingTree Guide to Smart Borrowing; How to Use Credit Wisely Throughout Your Life is a 32-page booklet now available for free on LendingTree.com.

It's packed with useful information about credit for people at all stages of their lives and can help you be more informed about the challenges your customers face.

To order a free copy of the guide, email smartborrower@lendingtree.com.

The guide was developed as part of our expanding Smart Borrower education and advocacy program. We unveiled the program, as well as an interesting research report titled "LIVING WITH DEBT: A Life Stage Analysis of Changing Attitudes and Behaviors," at a press conference in New York City on October 26. The report examines how attitudes and behaviors related to consumer debt have changed between generations.

The goal of the program is to differentiate LendingTree and aid in converting our high brand awareness into brand preference, so more consumers choose LendingTree, and you, to find their loan.

Get more information on the Living with Debt Report and the Guide to Smart Borrowing.

Pre-call Planning

Success happens when preparation meets opportunity.

Here are three steps to gain control before picking up the phone to make your sale.

Know why the customer should do business with you and your company. Being clear about what you as an individual, and your company bring to the table makes it easier to speak confidently and win the business.
Review the QF and know what key questions you need answered in order to make the best offer. It also shows your customer that you took the time to understand their situation and are ready to help.
Know the objective of your call. Is your goal with every call to get the application? Get a promise to consider your offer? Maybe you are looking to gain trust and understand their needs. Starting with the end in mind will increase your chances of being successful.

A few minutes of preparation allows your potential customer to imagine what it will be like to do business with you. Show them you are up to the task!

Gold Leaf Update

The results are in!

Congratulations to all of you that are receiving the Gold Leaf Award for fourth quarter 2005! This round resulted in the largest number of new award recipients since the program's inception. LendingTree is proud to have your representation to our consumers!

We are in the process of notifying each of the recipients and will have that step completed shortly. Visit lendingtreetraining.com after November 30th to view the new list of recipients.

The Gold Leaf Award and use of the Gold Leaf Seal is valid for one year from the date of qualification. Once the year is up, you must be re-certified to continue use of your seal. Criteria to become Gold Leaf recipient is outlined on the LendingTree Training Loan Officer Certification Programs. Our next round of certification will be during the first quarter of 2006.

Webinar of the Month-
Find A REALTOR®

Looking to close more purchase loans? Our "Find A REALTOR®" tool can help.

Learn how to better manage referrals that have not found a home and do not yet have a REALTOR®. With access to our nationwide Network of REALTORS®, you not only provide your consumer with a valuable service but also move the process one step closer to closing. Sign up for our "Find A REALTOR®" webinar to learn more.

Register now. Don't forget to complete the short email survey after the webinar to be entered into a drawing for a $50 gift certificate to the LendingTree Company Store.

Learn about all of the webinars LendingTree offers.

Find a REALTOR® Incentives Quick Guide

Close the sale! Know your customer's potential incentive.

When offering the cash back incentive to potential Find A REALTOR® customers who want to buy or sell property, a quick reference guide is now available to you.

Simply download the guide and keep it handy at your desk. This document is also available through your Find A REALTOR® link.

REALTOR® -- A registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.

Last Live in 2005!
Houston, Texas

Loan officers agree - LendingTree University Live is a great tool to boost performance! Ideal for new loan officers and veterans alike, LTU Live provides a full day of professional development in an interactive, upbeat format.

Join us at LTU Live to:

Learn best practices from other successful loan officers;
Gain insight about the LendingTree consumer;
Participate in a half-day professional development session;
Network after the event with LendingTree staff and other loan officers at the post-training cocktail reception.

LTU Live is only $245 per loan officer or $200 for a Gold Leaf Seal recipient. Don't forget about our "Buy 3, Get 1 FREE" special!

Sales Tip of the Month!

As reprinted from Brian Tracy's Personal Success Newsletter

Ask Questions

Never assume that you understand what the person is saying or trying to say. Instead, ask, "How do you mean, exactly?" This is the most powerful question I've ever learned for controlling a conversation. It is almost impossible not to answer. When you ask, "How do you mean?" the other person cannot stop himself or herself from answering more extensively. You can then follow up with other open-ended questions and keep the conversation rolling along.

Tip of the Month

Task Search Functionality

Task queue function is your search engine for all outstanding tasks. You can access this function from Your Day at a Glance or by clicking on Lead Management from your menu bar and then Task Queue.

For enhanced searching options from the work queue, simply click the Task Queue tab. The resulting screen is an enhanced search function for finding tasks by:

Due Date Range
Priority
Type
Status
Loan Officer

You can choose one or multiple fields to help narrow down your search, depending on your needs.