Having trouble viewing this email? Click here.

C-LOANS BANKER LETTER

Volume 7: Issue 10 | Date: September 20, 2019

This letter is intended only for commercial real estate loan officers working for banks, credit unions, conduits, and hard money lenders. Today we’ll discuss how to use marketing leverage to multiply your advertising budget by a factor of 30. We also have lots of cute, clean jokes, some funny pics, and the single most wonderful video that you have EVER seen. In this age of YouTube, this is a helluva claim. If you do nothing else with the newsletter, at least scroll to the bottom and view this video.

Hey guys, if we make you chuckle today, won't you please-please-please refer a turndown this week to CommercialMortgage.com? Seriously, guys, this searchable portal is free, and it contains thousands of commercial lenders. You really are doing them a favor.

Joke Du Jour

Taxiing down the tarmac, the jetliner abruptly stopped, turned around and returned to the gate. After an hour-long wait, it finally took off. A concerned passenger asked the flight attendant, "What was the problem?” "The pilot was bothered by a noise he heard in the engine," he explained. "It took us awhile to find a new pilot.”

Popcorn Joke

"The man responsible for making popcorn a movie theater snack has passed away. His family was going to get him a regular casket, but then decided to get the extra large one. It was a better deal because it came with a medium Coke." — David Letterman

Black and White Joke

Q:  What is black, white, black, white, black, white?

A:  A penguin rolling down the stairs.

No cute little penguins were hurt in the making of this joke. 

Phone Book Joke

Needing to look up a phone number while at a friend's house, my teenage daughter asked for a phone book.  She might as well have asked for a papyrus scroll.  "A phone book?" asked her friend.  "You know," said my daughter.  "A book with numbers in it.”  "Oh," said her friend as it dawned on her. "You mean a math book.”

How C-Loans Actually Works

Think of C-Loans.com as a giant filter. We start with 750 participating commercial lenders. Every time you enter more information into the application - loan amount, property type, loan type, state, credit - dozens of lenders are filtered out. Upon completion, you are left with a list of 20 to 30 perfect lenders. You put a check mark next to six lenders at a time and press submit. Soon you are receiving quotes and offers. No good offers? Come back and submit to six more lenders, then six more, and so on. And C-Loans.com is free!

Sock Joke (You long-suffering mothers should like this one.*)

My kids wanted to know what it's like to be a mom, so I woke them up at 2:00 a.m. to let them know my sock came off.

*If President Trump died and made me king, I would ask every business in the country to give preference to mothers of more than two children.  Preferred parking.  Early boarding of airlines (not just those with young children).  Special discounts.  This country desperately needs more children, and it starts with showing appreciation.  My two cents.

ATM Joke

I saw a lad standing on one leg at an ATM. Confused, I asked him what he was doing. He said he was just checking his balance.

- Today's Observation -

How To Use Marketing Leverage

Example:

Back in the days of snail mail - now called lumpy mail - it cost me over $1 (nowadays $2) to send each lumpy mail piece. I quickly learned that adverting directly to the public for commercial loans was horribly ineffective. But what ended up working like a charm was advertising to mortgage brokers, bankers, and property managers (with whom I had a prior working relationship).

Each of these guys was spending $400 (today maybe $700) per month advertising for his own business. I could reach each one for only $1 per month, and if they got a subprime commercial loan request, they would bring it to me. My $1 was therefore able to reach $400 worth of borrowers. I enjoyed marketing leverage.

Today we can reach referrals sources by email, which is almost cost free. As you know, advertising to referral sources is still my preferred method, even though TONS of guys are now doing it. I try to separate myself from the other guys by paying you back (for tolerating my ads) with funny pics, jokes, and helpful practice tips.

But if I was my buddy, and I wanted to use expensive Google AdWords, I would build a list of referral sources and submit the list to Google. I would also throw in as many high-net-worth commercial property investors as I knew, but this list would probably be much smaller. 

Then I would only pay for AdWord ads to these special guys, not the general public. Most of them are advertising themselves for commercial real estate clients, and I would achieve marketing leverage.

Space Joke

Daughter: You're invading my personal space.

Mother: You came out of my personal space.

Swim Call Joke

When our ship stopped in the Atlantic Ocean for a 'swim call,' the chief boatswain noticed how nervous I was.  "Don't worry," he assured me.  "You are never more than three miles from land."  Then he added, "Straight down.”

Lock Joke

Not sure if I should be more concerned about the son who locked me out of my bedroom today or the one who showed me how to pick the lock.

New Bank Teller Joke

The bank manager noticed the new teller having problems with counting money and adding figures.  “Where did you get your financial education?” he asked.  “Yale.” replied the teller.  “That’s very impressive.” said the manager.  “What did you say your name was?”  “Yim Yohnson,” came the proud answer.

Dentures Joke

A minister had all of his remaining teeth pulled out. New dentures were being made. The first Sunday, he only preached 10 minutes. The second Sunday, he preached only 20 minutes. On the third Sunday, he preached 1 hour and 25 minutes. When asked about this by some of the congregation, he responded, “The first Sunday, my gums were so sore it hurt to talk. The second Sunday, my new dentures were hurting me a lot. The third Sunday, I accidentally grabbed my wife's dentures. I don't know what happened, I just couldn't stop!”

Would You Mind a $21,250 Referral Fee?

We once paid a $21,250 referral fee to a website owner named Alan Dunn for referring us a $17 million deal. Please click here for details.

Huge Sofa Joke

Someone in our neighborhood put a huge sofa out by the curb for trash collection. Since it was in good shape, many motorists slowed down for a look; but when they saw how enormous it was, they'd leave.

Eventually a compact car pulled up, and two men got out. "This I've got to see," I thought. They removed the cushions, turned the sofa upside down, and shook it hard. Then they picked up all the coins that tumbled out and drove off.

Cat Caller Joke

I was at a yard sale one day and saw a box marked, “Electronic cat and dog caller — Guaranteed to work.” I looked inside and was amused to see an electric can opener.

Video - The Most Wonderful Video of Your Life

Final Funny

A woman visited a psychic of some local repute. In a dark and gloomy room, gazing at the Tarot cards laid out before her, the Tarot reader delivered the bad news: "There is no easy way to say this so I'll just be blunt: Prepare yourself to be a widow. Your husband will die a violent death this year." 

Visibly shaken, the woman stared at the psychic's lined face, then at the single flickering candle, then down at her hands. She took a few deep breaths to compose herself. She simply had to know. 

She met the Tarot reader's gaze, steadied her voice and asked, "Will I get away with it?"

www.C-Loans.com

4811 Chippendale Drive

Suite 101

Sacramento, CA 95841

P: (574) 210-6686

F: (916) 338-2328

CA DRE #1330173

NMLS #167100

Tom Blackburne

General Manager

Have questions? Email me.