The Art of the First Appointment: Why It’s All About Them

This podcast is for you , and today we're talking about one of the most crucial parts of your role as a mortgage broker . We're talking about your first appointment with a potential client .

We're gonna get into what makes that initial conversation not just successful but truly impactful ensuring it's about their needs , their goals and how we , as brokers , can deliver real value right from the start . If this is your first time listening to the podcast , I'm your host , craig Skelton .

I'm a mortgage business owner mentor and coach , and I'm here to help self-employed brokers and business owners build this business that they want . This podcast is all about giving you practical advice and the right mindset to help you grow personally and professionally .

You can expect informal discussions , actionable tips and plenty of motivation to keep you moving forward . Before we get into today's episode , if you enjoyed the podcast , I'd really appreciate it if you could subscribe , leave a review or share it with other brokers who find it helpful . Your support helps us reach and help even more people within our industry .

So in today's episode , we're going to break down how to structure that first appointment to make it entirely about the client and their agenda , and why active listening matters more than your next question , and how to summarize effectively so no client need gets overlooked , and how AI and automation can set you up to focus on building trust and rapport rather than

just ticking boxes . So let's just get into it . The first appointment with a potential client is just so much more than a fact find . It's the foundation of the entire relationship you're about to build with them . So let's get into it . The first appointment with a potential client is so much more than just a fact find .

It's the foundations of the entire relationship you're about to build with them . It's where trust begins . It's where your client gets the first real feel of you , not just as a professional , but as a person , as a human being too , and I want to be absolutely clear at this point it's their appointment , not yours .

It's just so easy for brokers to go in thinking about what we need to cover , what compliance wants us to say , what documents do we need to get and what processes we need to follow . But the most important part of this first appointment is . It's about understanding what they want out of it . What are their worries , what are they hoping for ?

What does success look like for them ? And that's the first key point you've got to remember it's their agenda , not yours . When you sit down whether that's Zoom Teams , face-to-face or even a phone call the first thing you need to remember is that this is their appointment . This appointment is all about them .

So , instead of jumping into your script or your processes or your fact , find you need to start by asking the simplest question at the beginning what do you want to get out of today's appointment ? And let them tell you , let them set the tone . This immediately shows that you're not just here to talk at them , but you're there to understand them too .

And once they've told you what they want , then , and only then , can you add what you want to talk about to what you're going to be talking about too , and be honest with them . Thanks for sharing that . I'm also going to be talking about this today , if that works for you too , but let's make sure that we cover everything that's important to you first .

It's okay to say that to clients . It's more of a partnership approach and it puts the client at the heart of the process and instantly builds trust . So the second point is listen . Just don't focus on what you want to say next .

And that's what happens when brokers are thinking about , especially when you're first starting out , especially when you're new , when you've not got this your first appointment as part of a habit . Yet You're going to be focused . You're going to ask a question .

Then you're going to be focused on what you're going to be saying next , which is totally the wrong way of doing it . You need to Focus on them . You've got to listen , don't just focus on what you want to say . And there's a real skill . There's a real skill in active listening .

We're all guilty of sometimes waiting for our turn to speak or thinking ahead to the next box . We need to tick , but if you're too focused on what question comes next , you're not really listening . And the reality is your client will give you all the information you need if you actually listen .

They'll tell you about their concerns , their plans , their future goals and even things that they haven't shared with other advisors before , but only if you create the space for that . One great technique that I like is the reflect and summarize method during the appointment .

So , after they explain something that's important to them , it's okay to pause and say something like just to make sure I've got this clear . What you're saying is this that not only shows that you're listening , it helps them feel truly heard as well and , as we all know , people work with people .

They trust , and trust starts with feeling understood , which then leads on to the third point , which is summarize and check in both during and at the end of the appointment .

A huge mistake I see brokers make is powering through the appointment , getting through the fact find , asking loads of questions , writing loads of notes down and then just getting to the end and just wrapping up with a generic thanks very much , I'll be in touch . But the reality is , you should be summarising during the appointment at least twice .

First , after you've explored what they want from the appointment and you've asked the right questions , pause and recap . So , before you get into your fact find , you should need to be asking them . So , from what we've shared so far , it sounds like your main goals are this , this and this , and your concerns are this , this and this . Have I got that right ?

Then , at the end of the appointment , after you've done your fact find . Summarize the entire session . So okay , today we've covered this , this and this . We've agreed . I'm going to be doing this now and you're going to be provided .

So from what you've shared so far , it sounds like your main goals are this , this and this , and your concerns are this and this . Have I got it right ? Then , at the end of the appointment , just summarise the entire session . So okay , we've covered this , this and this . We've agreed .

I'm going to be doing this , this and this , moving forward , and you're going to be providing this , this and this Before we wrap up . Is there anything else with Miss that's important to you ? Doing that this is a huge step for two reasons .

The first thing is it shows professionalism and that you're genuinely interested and you're genuinely invested in their needs . And then , secondly , it avoids that awful feeling when the client leaves thinking , oh , we should ask this or we should ask that . That takes those things away .

So , just to summarise , before the appointment , consider using AI and automation tools to gather as much factual information as possible . Before the appointment , consider using AI or automation to gather as much factual information as possible . Pre-appointment questionnaires or secure online forms can get the basics out of the way .

So the actual appointment is focused on conversation , building rapport and not just data entry . You need to start every single appointment with that simple , powerful question what do you want to get out of today ? And then make sure you listen actively , stop worrying about what you need to say next and focus on understanding .

And you need to summarise regularly , check in after key discussions and , at the end of the appointment , make it clear that you've understood and addressed everything and make the appointment . Make the experience seamless . The smoother and more client focused the appointment feels , the more likely they are to trust you , work with you and recommend you .

So , just to wrap up this week's episode , remember that the first appointment is all about the client . It's their appointment , their goals , their concerns , their dreams . Lead with curiosity and listen actively , use tools to make the process smooth and , most importantly , build a relationship based on trust , not just ticking boxes . So that's it .

That's this week's the Mortgage Broker broadcast . Next week , we're getting into why helping your clients buy their new home is absolutely crucial to your long-term success , and we're going to explore multiple benefits it brings , not just for your business growth and retention , but also for building long-lasting client relationships too .

If you've enjoyed this podcast , make sure you hit subscribe , leave a review , share it with fellow brokers . Let's just keep that conversation growing .

And if you are thinking about becoming a self-employed mortgage broker or launching your own brand and business , or you're just ready to take your existing business to the next level , go to my website , craigskeltoncouk , book a discovery call or just simply get in touch and let's have a chat about how I can help you achieve your goals .

And remember , as always , don't forget to run your own race .