What makes a top producer?

Golden Empire Mortgage's Joe Ewens talks with MPA about what it takes to excel

By Steve Randall

Being the competitive industry it is, the mortgage market is all about being the best, closing the deal and offering great customer service. But what does one of the country’s biggest direct lenders look for in its top producers? California’s Golden Empire Mortgage offers various real estate loan programs through its branch network, and its president Joe Ewens has been talking to MPA about what it takes to excel. 

“We’re looking for people who really understand the customer’s needs and can create a genuine value proposition,” Ewens says. “One of the keys is developing trust, so that the customers feel they are dealing with someone who gets what it is that they are struggling with and can find a solution.”

Ewens says that sales tools are out there and anyone can access them, but if he was to write a script based on what a top producer might say, it wouldn’t automatically produce the same results. The best producers have great knowledge of the products and can quickly choose which solution will fit a customer’s situation.

When it comes to branch managers, Ewens is looking for someone with a proven track record and a book of past clients – but technology is also a key element of the modern mortgage professional. Ewens says that once again, a big part of the success of a branch manager is relationships.

“You have to understand the sales process, but relationships with referral partners and providing what the customer needs is vital.”