The month I closed 2 deals (and the system I built because of it)

July 2016, I closed 2 deals that month.

TWO. That’s it.

My gross income for the entire month was about $9,000, and after expenses, I netted maybe $5.5k.

I remember sitting at my desk on July 31st, staring at my pipeline, and feeling this pit in my stomach.

How did I get here?

Three months earlier, I had closed ELEVEN deals.

I was on fire.

I felt unstoppable.

So I did what a lot of LOs do when the pipeline is big:

I micromanaged every loan and took my foot off the prospecting pedal.

I stopped prospecting.

I stopped calling past clients.

I stopped taking Realtors to lunch.

I stopped doing the boring, unglamorous work that fills the pipeline because I was "too busy" closing deals.

I told myself: "I'll get back to it next month when things slow down."

Well, things slowed down alright.

By the time I realized my pipeline was empty, it was too late.

There's a 60-90 day lag between prospecting activity and closings, and I'd just spent 3 months doing zero activity.

July was the wake-up call.

I had two choices: panic and scramble, or build a system so this never happened again.

I chose the latter.

Here's the system I built, and it's the same one I still use today:

The Never-Empty Pipeline System

Rule #1: Prospecting is non-negotiable, regardless of how busy I am.

I blocked out 5 hours every single week for prospecting activity, and I treated it like a closing appointment - it doesn't get moved or cancelled.

• Monday 9-10am: Call 10 past clients
• Wednesday 9-10am: Call 10 Realtors or referral partners
• Friday 9-11am: Follow up with cold leads and schedule lunch meetings

That's it. 5 hours a week, every single week, no exceptions.

Rule #2: I track my pipeline in 4 stages, not just "approved" and "closing."

Most LOs only track deals that are already in process, but I started tracking earlier in the funnel:

• Stage 1: Conversations (people I talked to this week about buying/refinancing)
• Stage 2: Consultations (scheduled initial loan consultations)
• Stage 3: Applications (submitted apps)
• Stage 4: Closings (deals set to close this month)

Every Friday, I review these numbers and ask: do I have enough in each stage to hit my goals 60-90 days from now?

If Stage 1 or 2 is light, I know I need to prospect more THIS WEEK, not next month when it's too late.

Rule #3: I set activity goals, not just outcome goals.

I used to set goals like "close 12 deals this month," but that's an outcome I can't fully control.

Instead, I set activity goals I CAN control:

• Have 20 conversations with potential buyers this month
• Schedule 10 initial consultations
• Take 3 Realtors to lunch
• Follow up with 40 past clients

If I hit those activity numbers, the closings take care of themselves 60-90 days later.

Here's what happened after I implemented this system:

August 2016: Closed 4 deals (pipeline was still rebuilding)

September 2016: Closed 7 deals

October 2016: Closed 10 deals

November 2016: Closed 12 deals

And I never had another 2-deal month again.

Not because I got lucky or because the market shifted, but because I built a system that kept my pipeline full even when I was busy closing deals.

The issue is, most loan officers operate in feast-or-famine mode.

They prospect like crazy when business is slow, then stop prospecting when business picks up, then wonder why they're back to slow again 90 days later.

It's a cycle that never ends unless you build a system that makes prospecting non-negotiable.

Here's what I want you to do this week:

Look at your pipeline right now and ask yourself: if I stopped prospecting today, how many deals would I have 90 days from now?

If the answer scares you, it's time to build your Never-Empty Pipeline System:

1. Block out 5 hours/week for prospecting (put it in your calendar like a closing)
2. Track your pipeline in 4 stages, not just closings
3. Set weekly activity goals you can control

That's it, nothing fancy, just a simple system that prevents the feast-or-famine roller coaster.

Because here's the truth: the best time to prospect is when you don't need to.

That's when you build the pipeline that carries you through the next 6-12 months.

Don't wait for a 2-deal month to learn this lesson.

Let's GO! 📊

Whenever you’re ready, here’s how I can help you!

1. Book a call to speak with one of our advisors about joining the Growth Only Community.
2. Join our Facebook group for Top Producing Modern Loan Officers.
3. Connect with me on social.