Ep. 136 - 3 Words to Focus on to Win More Deals

Geoff Zimpfer breaks down three principles — Customer, Clarity, and Communication — that he argues are the core levers for winning more business in a competitive, distraction-heavy market. The episode is a replay of a Facebook Live session and is light on deep tactical content but strong on mindset frameworks. Best for LOs who feel like they're winging client interactions and want a simple reset.

Takeaways you can run this week

• Ask every new client two specific questions on the first call: (1) 'Have you gotten a mortgage before? Can you tell me what that experience was like?' and (2) 'If you could design your ideal mortgage process, what would be an absolute must?' Use their answers to spot patterns and architect your intake process around them.
• Audit your intake process using the 'captain of the plane' script: tell clients upfront who their support team is (name your processor and LO assistant by name), the expected timeline, what turbulence (delays, conditions) might look like, and how you'll communicate through it — before they ever ask.
• Script your rate question deflection and practice it until it's automatic: 'That's a great question — it's obviously an important part of your decision. Would you mind if I ask a couple of quick questions so I can give you an accurate quote?' Then control the conversation with product-type questions (30-year fixed, FHA, ARM, etc.).
• Build a 'client story bank' of 3-5 past borrower scenarios by loan type (first-time buyer, move-up, refi, etc.) so you can immediately match a new client's situation to a real story. Write each story as a one-paragraph script: the client's concern, the obstacle, and the outcome you delivered.
• Read or listen to Chris Smith's book (co-founder of Curaytor) referenced in the episode — 'What to Say and When to Say It' — specifically for scripting digital and phone-based consumer touchpoints.
• Apply Todd Duncan's 'law of the dress rehearsal': pick your two most common objections or client questions and record yourself answering them on video once a week for 30 days to sharpen delivery and eliminate filler language.

The playbook

1. 1. CUSTOMER: Ask discovery questions on every first call to understand the client's past mortgage experience and ideal process expectations.
2. 2. CLARITY: Map your current client journey and remove any step that adds confusion — build a clear 'captain of the plane' briefing that sets expectations from application to close.
3. 3. COMMUNICATION: Script your most frequent interactions (rate questions, status updates, turbulence moments). Practice them via Todd Duncan's dress rehearsal method before you need them live.
4. 4. ITERATE: After every closed loan, note patterns in client feedback and refine your scripts and process accordingly.

Worth quoting

“The worst time to figure out what you need to say is when you need to say it.”

“Casualness leads to casualties.”

Best for

LOs who close deals but wing most of their client conversations and have never written down a script or mapped their intake process end-to-end.