Sales Marketing Minutes by Conrad Peditto

OPERATION TWISTER - $400 BILLION

2011-09-21T14:20:00.000-07:00

WILL the TWIST Lower Mortgage Rate?

Cubby Checker was singing & doing the TWIST back in 1961.

That’s last time the Federal Reserve seriously attempted to flatten out the Short and Long Term Yield Curve!

The policy back then was nicknamed: Operation Twist inspired by Cubby’s hit dance tune. The Fed has dusted off this obscure monetary maneuver used back then.

What's being twisted, in this case, is the shape of the yield curve. By replacing short-term bonds in its portfolio with longer-term ones, the Fed is attempting to bring down the long-term interest rates that matter most to homeowners and corporate borrowers.

The Fed has made this unconventional move to the tune of $400 Billion, and many economists think it wasn't very effective 50 years ago. Yet the Fed is counting on bringing long term rates down!

Operation Twist is now the next step that has been unleashed by their depleted arsenal!

POST LABOR DAY..... EUPHORIA!!

2011-09-06T05:30:00.000-07:00

Don't Feel So Good?
I know it's the post Labor Day Blues! You're enthusiastic about the change in season and you certainly enjoyed your summer. However, now there are no more excuses you can give your Sales Manager about poor production and hot weather. What changes have you made with the upcoming Fall Season?

Work Harder & Get Organized!
Start by an uncluttered work space, whether it is your home office or work cubical.
Get rid of the Stale Stuff (I don't mean those month old donuts). Reconcile your emotions if your Summer Sales Numbers have been lagging and be innovative in thinking about a fresh Marketing Strategy that will energize your attitude!

Do You Have the Latest Technology?
When are you finally going to get that Iphone or Android? Are you going to build a quality Database that's current? When do you plan to Start Texting your referral sources instead of calling them and leaving a voice message? Have you hired someone to develop an Emarketing Campaign for you that is professional and informative? How active do you plan to be in Social Media venues?

You Must Spend Money on Your Business!
If you think you can't afford to spend money on Marketing &Technology and you're going to rely on your company to provide leads and marketing tools, then you probably are setting yourself up for a long unproductive autumn selling season! Invest Wisely and Pragmatically in your sales efforts or seriously consider leaving the sales profession!

HARD NEWS!
There will be No Robust Economy! It will be the survival of the most energized and creative among us. Let's hope you are ready for the challenges ahead. The field is yours for the taking only if your realistically prepared for it and have plan!

visit me @ www.MortgageMotivator.com

DO I NEED A SALES COACH?

2011-08-20T08:58:00.000-07:00

Salesperson vs Sales Coach
I realize as a Sales Coach and Trainer that an experienced sales professional certainly possesses the essential elements necessary to be successful. However, I'm also convinced that my objectivity enables me to impartially evaluate a person's Sales Techniques & Strategies!

Great Salespeople need a Tune Up!
Think of it this way .... if you own a Maserati GranTurismo you are still required to have mechanical inspections and maintenance. So that is why it is time for you to consider a
Sales Enhancement Analysis especially in this extremely challenging market environment!

But.. I have a Great Sales Manager!
I'm sure that your company employs an inspirational and knowledgeable sales leader who understands and conducts quality sales meetings. Unfortunately, I'm willing to wager that your manager is also overburden with administrative and operational issues that make it tough to give you a personalize and comprehensive evaluation on a regular basis. Let's face it, their time is rationed because of their work load and diverse responsibilities!

Sales Coach Focus:

A sales coach is a hired consultant, paid by you or your company. They have to demonstrate immediate value from the very first session or they are terminated. That said, a sales coach will begin by evaluating you as an individual and listen to your concerns and aspirations! Then they will make recommendations to apply the latest methodologies based on your strengths and deficiencies. There should always be a minium of four session to get the ultimate benefit!

ARE You Selling at a High Level?
If you are struggling in your sales endeavors and you are in denial by rationalizing that its only because that business is bad, I recommend that you contact a Sales Coach for an initial FREE professional sales analysis! You cannot afford to continue to frustrate yourself without making an effort to have a professional tune up!

posted by Conrad Peditto of www.MortgageMotivator.com

YES... GIVE AWAY YOUR PRIVACY!!

2011-08-12T07:43:00.000-07:00

I Surrender
Many of us in Sales had tried valiantly for years to be a Masterful Marketeer without giving away personal data. Reality finally hit us squarely in the face and we had no choice but to surrender our identities. We joined social media sites such as FaceBook, Twitter, and Linkedin and actually thought we satisfied a major part of our marketing goals and strategies! We now recognize how naive that rationalization was since these media groups and all their participants, although beneficial, have also cleverly manipulated us to provide more specific data about ourselves.
GOOGLE Me!
Do you realize that most of your potential customers or clients now investigate you by doing an Internet search? They want to see on their computer screen your YouTubes, Blogs, and Websites along with affiliations and accomplishments. They equate "more stuff" with a higher level of competency!
Do you have a Blog?
I used to thing that having a Website made you "happening," but now you must have an active blog even if you can't construct an intelligent sentence! Do you or does anybody know the difference between a pronoun and a verb? Oh, I forgot, you can hire a ghost writer or buy private label material.
QUIT Sales and Buy a Hot Dog Cart!
You must continue to"jump deeply in to the media pool" like it or not. The Good News is that you don't have to give away you secret password to your bank account and the Bad News is that day is coming!

Visit me @ www.MortgageMotivator.com

You're Not Too Old to Change!

2011-07-26T13:15:00.000-07:00

The biggest complaint I hear from Sales Managers is that their Sales Team have "Old Timers" that won't embrace the new technologies that are impacting their business model!

I say "nonsense!" because in most cases, these Oldies, but Goodies aren't being introduced to social media and their technologies in the right manner. They need to be trained!

These Senior Account Executives have the perception that change is pain, but ironically it makes their sales performance effective; painless; and actually more fun!

Let me give you a quick example:

Cold Calling:
Drive up and down the interstates fighting the traffic & weather. Then enter the office and deal with a receptionist (gatekeeper) and find out the person your looking to meet is not there. After a good seven hours of this, you're lucky if you were able to have one productive meeting and your car needs gas!

vs

Virtual Sales: Go onto Linkedin and/or Facebook and start accumulating connections, get their emails and build your database. Before you know it, everyday you're making
hundreds of touches with key people in your sales community. Using the correct marketing campaign will then put your productivity on steroids!

Interpersonal relationships are still important, but let's face it, the second scenario make more economic sense. So please find the time to introduce these valuable Jewels on your Sales Team to the New World of Social Media and show them that it can and will be exciting!

HARD NEWS! Your Sales Model is Broken

2011-07-16T11:35:00.000-07:00

Many of the Mortgage Executives I meet as a sales consultant and trainer haven't recognized the "Hard News." Their Sales Teams are operating inefficiently and quietly being victimized by enhanced marketing techniques driven by the social media world!

Most among us really don't understand the dynamics of prospecting in the virtual communities created by Facebook, Twitter, Linkendin, & FourSqueares!

I realize interpersonal relationships will never be replaced, but leveraging communications techniques are the way to add steroids to your marketing playbook.

Your Lunch is being Stolen!! Research these new marketing approaches and to simplify or rationalize that is just because of the Housing's Great Recession is naive.

JOBS? WHAT JOBS?

2010-07-05T14:08:00.000-07:00

Its becoming a very bad joke when you hear our National Politicians and TV business pundants actually pretend that we can find decent paying jobs or continue to use the tired word, Job Recovery!

First: USA have been exporting jobs for the last three decades for three primary reasons: Cheaper labor, Technological advancements, and Avoidance of corporate taxation.

What do we actually make besides houses, shopping centers, and office buildings that are now deeply embedded in an economic depression. Oh, that's right we still make artillery and weaponry for our wars and of course, we still make Great Hamburgers and Fried Chicken!

Think about this example for a moment: Our household furniture used to be made in North Carolina factories, but today it is actually cheaper to import furniture directly from China!
That is frightening when you consider the cost of transporting by ship across two oceans and in conjunction with the logistical costs of loading, transporting, and labor.

Technology has enabled our financial institutions and service sector to easily out- source hundreds of thousands of clerical positions efficiently and easily.

Finally, domestically our corporations are only hiring the highest of skilled professionals and the lowest paid populace to provide a variety of service for our economy.

At this time in our history there is no end game or magic formulas to create real job growth. It will take at least a decade or more for any possible recovery and you might want to think long and hard about that one.

G-20 PROMISES TO CUT SPENDING

2010-06-28T18:04:00.000-07:00

The Top Twenty Global Economic Powers just finished their economic summit in Toronto this past weekend. The most significant accomplishment? They all promised to eventually cut spending and stop printing money once their respective countries are showing signs of recovery!
That's is so funny to think that with no "teeth" you actually expect them to honor this commitment. Remember as a child when someone in your gang had a big secret and everyone swore on their life that they wouldn't tell anyone. Yeah, right, within an hour the whole neighborhood knew what happened.
So I guest as they were departing they all looked at each other and said: "I swear to my god, that I will abide by my promises that I made as I would never let you down as they crossed their fingers behind their backs! Believe me, when the chips are down, it will be every theive for themselves including our good ole USA!

CHINA & INFLATION

2010-06-21T11:42:00.000-07:00

China is finally tripping & stumbling over their own success to point that they have recognized that they are interconnected not only to the UNITED STATES, but also EUROPE and must permit the Yuan to rise against the Dollar. There won't be any international consumers out there that can afford anything if they don't permit us to make a living as exporters. They are now depending on all of the global community to "eat up" their excessive capacity to manufacturer and produce things.
STRIKES by their labor force is proving that they have inflation that requires a slow down in their domestic economy. Capitalism is now very much entrenched in this Communistic country. To think we always were told by our military that the only way to conquer an enemy is to invade them, when all along we only needed Wal-Mart and McDonalds!!

LONG TERM INVESTING vs SHORT TERM

2010-06-15T12:37:00.000-07:00

About a month ago, I made a personal decision to be in the Equity Market as a "scalp trader" (worst than a day trader) with my TD Ameritrade Account. I'm tired of sitting back and depending on professional experts managing some sophisticated sounding Mutual Fund that only teases me on a daily bases and by the end of the year hasn't given me any real return.
Although I have limited stock trading experience, I have begun to notice that my performance is just as good as theirs. When I make money that day, so do they. When I lose money on a particular day, so do they. Bottom line is that I only have faith in what's happening in the market minute by minute.
Remedy, its become a "crap shoot" that I hope I begin to understand and ultimately can do just a little bit better than my basket of poorly performing investment holdings! Otherwise its off to Las Vegas baby!!

PAYING TUITION vs JOBS DISASTER

2010-06-01T08:46:00.000-07:00

Cancel your child's upcoming tuition payments unless they are heading for a career in electrical engineering, micro biology, oceanology, or will become a nuclear physicist. Otherwise, you are wasting the little cash that you have left. Technology is the main culprit for the elimination of jobs that had significance just a few years ago. Example: today, Hewlett-Packard announced it is planning to update their own technology that will enable them to dispose of over 9,000 of their work force.

Its getting harder to justify paying $100,000+ just to get a BS or BA degree so your children can talk reasonably intelligent at some cocktail party.

Hard News: labor and mechanical skills are the way to go if you have an average student. Hunker down and remember your children need to be encourage to secure practical skills that people will need as a matter of necessity!

I'M BACK & ENTHUSIASTIC

2010-05-30T07:34:00.000-07:00

Have you missed me? Of course you have and I've been trying over the last several months to be optimistic and enthusiastic. Sorry, but I have failed at that and against the better wishes of my psychologist have decided to robustly embrace my pessimistic side, but to that end, I feel my readers should be enlighten. So therefore going forward my messages will put the realities of the topic right in your face, but then I will attempt to give you a positive strategy or suggestion to alter your perspective.
Very Happy to be Back!!

No Jobs, No Jobs! Maybe Never!

2009-09-08T05:39:00.000-07:00

I must say that I'm totally flabbergasted that the Capital Markets are doing so well. Its a tribute to the Global Market Manipulators, just like in the good times that can operate in any climate.
Why is it that Spain can have a 18.5% unemployment rate, but their stock market is outperforming France, Germany, & England? Why is it that the US Dow & SP are doing just find when true US unemployment is well above 10%?
I think I have finally come to the answer, the worker has become irrelevant, and thus the consumer when it comes to a companies profitability. Corporations around the World don't need huge market share if they keep more efficient control of costs, thus I unfortunately suspect that jobs are not coming back, especially the high paying middle class "white collar" ones! Gone forever, I'm afraid!!

My Mortgage Payment isn't the Problem

2009-08-10T06:01:00.000-07:00

Funny, but it used to be that your Monthly Mortgage Payment would be the "killer" payment that would ultimately "bust the budget!" Now, it's those other creepy / sneaky Property Taxes, Insurance (homeowners, flood, life, auto, medical, dental, etc), and Technology bills (cable & cell) that break your back! It seems every time your ready to get ahead of your monthly expenditures, there they are demanding your attention since they usually represent a substantial amount $$$.
When will it ever end, premiums that don't leave anything left over for those important items, like food for instance. Low interest rates have kept my Mortgage Payment reasonable, but I don't know if I can survive with those I N S U R A N C E and T A X increases to provide me with services and benefits that I don't seem to be able to get my "teeth into!"
I'm totally frustrated on this subject and I just can't stand it!

TREASURY "KEY" MARKETMAKER

2009-08-03T08:13:00.000-07:00

Let me keep this very simple. Government TARP gave money to Banking & Financial Institutions by printing money from our US Treasury to enable them to stay solvent and begin lending money to businesses and consumers. The Banks are now stable because they received these billions and are in turn buying "treasury notes" with their surplus cash in mass which keeps interest low and not lending. Therefore banks having no obligation to offer attractive money market rates or CDs to their bank customers keep safe modest returns and get very wide profit margins from their outstanding business and consumer loans.
The Government and Treasury are continuing to stimulus Housing ($8,000) first time home buyers program and Auto Industry by ($4,500) cash for clunkers! They have also been busy buying into the Equity Market on the "qt"to instill confident.
Its now a game of what came first "the chicken or the egg" which no one knows or willing to admit?
Now we are way in uncharted waters!!

Commerical Property - Big Elephant in Room

2009-07-27T07:22:00.000-07:00

Many Regional and National Banks are as they say "kicking the can" down the road. They have many delinquent and soured commerical loans on the books and with the other "toxic residential loans" still hanging somewhere around they just don't have any strategy to get themselves whole. You really can't blame them, what do you do with a 100% or 50% vacant shopping center or office building once you foreclose?? Hang out a For Sale Sign and maintain these properties for the next five years or longer?
Additionally, the Federal Reserve isn't putting any pressure to bear on these member banks since they also recognize the "catastrophic repercussions" of another financial Waterloo!
So maybe the "elephant" will go hiding somewhere in the back room. Only problem is that its really starting to "stink up" the place!

STOCK MARKET DISCONNECT

2009-07-20T04:19:00.000-07:00

Stop "scratching your head" I know you don't understand how you, me, and your neighbors are struggling and falling deeper and deeper in the economic abyss and yet Wall Street is just doing fabulous with corporate earning beating expectations and the Dow, S&P, and NASAQ recovering just nicely.
If your convinced now, you never will be that you and I as small insignificant investors really aren't needed to drive the averages higher. As a matter of fact we never were but just happened to be along for the ride. Corporations have eliminated all the high paying jobs now (cleansed the books) and have reduced inventories and are concentrating on profits from lower sales and pushing for higher margins. Technology has enabled institutions to effectively operate more efficiently with less people and of course is very bad news for the unemployed and the "come back" of high paying white collar jobs.
Additionally, the financial institutions have benefited from the TARP money and still aren't being asked to put a value on the "toxic assets" still on their books as our Treasury is well aware.
Short term I expect the stock market to remain in a positive mode for the next couple of quarters, but as the American Consumer becomes more frugal as their unemployment compensation and their remaining savings evaporate, I expect the "crap to hit the fan" beginning in the first quarter of 2010.

CASH IS KING!

2009-07-13T05:50:00.000-07:00

How many times have we heard your father's voice in your subconscious say the old saying:
CASH is KING??
I have a very substantial Brokerage Account where my IRA money resides and my Investment Banker, just like the Federal Reserve and Treasury are trying their hardest to convince me that its time to dump my money into Equities to "bet" on higher returns. They have insulted me by posting my portfolio in comparison to a person my age to graphily illustrate what an "ass" I'm by stipulating that I should have at least 55% of my money in Stocks!
At age 63 I'm a complete coward after loosing $100,000 hard from my company's 401k in 2008. I now have 95% of my money in low yielding CASH. My average return is 1.5%! I'm playing a game of "chicken" with the Federal Government that can't continue to run the printing presses and I strongly believe by next year at this time I will get some attractive returns for my cash. So if you are like me, be steadfast and patient because I can't believe in a corporate turn around for some long time to come and I certainly can't afford to be gambling at this stage of my life.

Unemployment Continues to Get Worst!

2009-07-06T04:38:00.000-07:00

When the June unemployment numbers were released last week, it scared me because the deeper the numbers increase month after month the longer and more difficult it will become for the economy to show any true signs of recovery. Reason, the people unemployment are also getting more and more frugal and aren't spending and the multiplier affect sets in causing business to fail and laid off more people.
The unemployment rate stands at 9.5% which is the highest since 1983, but the horrifying number is a broader measure established by the government termed "U6" which constitutes workers who have quit looking for jobs or who can't find anything in their fields of expertise.
That rate is up to a whopping 16.5%.

Financial Advisors Beware!

2009-06-29T05:56:00.000-07:00

Bernie Madoff will be sentenced today and whether its for 12 years or 150 years it doesn't matter. The real questions are yet to be determined, like did he really act alone and be able to singularly manage this fraud for over 25 years in excess of Billions without help?? I hope you are not that naive. Madoff is the "fall guy" for some major names associated with the financial establishment, it just doesn't make logical sense to think otherwise.
It is my humble and non confirmed opinion that its simply impossible to deceive that many regulatory agencies, to include the SEC as well as his accounting firm decade after decade unless many others were involved outside Madoff's firm!
Now that all the damage is done, its almost totally impossible to believe any financial institution representing integrity of a corrupt market that is still being manipulated on the impulses of people only to make money in the short term. Suck you in and suck you out. It you think I skeptical that this mess will self correct, you are absolutely right. Look... Watch.... & Listen!!

CD Rates Will Go Up!

2009-06-22T10:03:00.001-07:00

All of us who have allot of money in cash, money markets, treasuries, and CDs are being made to feel very foolish right now with the ridiculously low yields being offered. The Government and Financial Institutions want you to become impatience as many of us have and start dumping the remainder of our cash into the Equity markets.
Remember: printing billions in paper in conjunction with historically high federal deficits will ultimately demand rates get higher. I'm not insinuating that it will happen this year, but I do strongly believe it will occur as early as the second quarter of 2010.
So for now avoid the temptation to surrender into the Stock Market because once the treasury stops the printing presses all Hell will break loose and rates will rise rapidly!

Keep Print Money!

2009-06-15T08:24:00.000-07:00

Boy, I'm certainly comfortable (sarcasim) that the rest of the G8 agree with us that printing money is the only way to avoid a global economic disaster. Only Canada and Germany have any fear of Hyper Inflation! Maybe Germany remembers those old "wives tales" about wheel barrels of money to buy goods!
Unfortunately, I happen to believe that the Global Consensus is mistaken with their present path. All monies will be less valuable and will only delay the eventual Financial Armageddon because there is no "pretty way" out of this mess. Let's face the music sooner than later. The longer we pretend that we can subsidize our debt the worst will be the outcome.
Who wants to revert back to the barter system anyway!

Math vs Ideology?

2009-06-03T04:10:00.000-07:00

Is anyone in Washington doing the math these days? Take the GM bankruptcy issue for an example, my five year old grandson knew that it was apparent that GM wasn't going to make it in its present financial state, but our Federal Government gave them a Christmas Present of $18 Billion and now that they are going bankrupt the Fed's are printing up another $18 Billion.
I never knew that you give a company money to go bankrupt in the first place. What does that come out to per remaining employee of GE ... $100,000+ ??
No accountability and eventually it will kill us even more with much...much... higher interest rates with little available credit!

Economist say Worst is Behind Us

2009-05-27T14:13:00.000-07:00

Boy it sure is reassuring to know that 90% of our national economist (who still have jobs) agreed that the worst of our economic woes are behind us. That's really makes me feel "warm & fuzzy" especially since 98% of these same morons said that the Sub Prime Mortgage crisis would have negligible impact on the overall economy.
Now don't you feel better knowing that you can't get laid off twice!
Make it a great day.

Consumer Confidence Surge?

2009-05-26T10:10:00.000-07:00

Are you buying, literally or do you think its bull?
Gee its so great when the government can create their own consumer surveys to say whatever they need for the moment. Confidence is a relative term. For instance if you lost 40% of your 401k's value and now it's recovered 10% then that makes you optimistic.
If you still have a job and won't be laid off even though you thought you would, then your up-beat!

Think about it.... our banking system is still playing a "shell game" but they aren't showing the pea! The automotive system is in complete ruin with thousands of works and support industries still awaiting casualties. The states across this nation are in peril of huge deficits to include CA and state pension funds are a disaster, but the "brain dead" consumers are still "high" on confidence.

Then God Bless America.

Money & Market Minutes by Conrad Peditto

2009-05-22T05:06:00.000-07:00

Federal & State Governments in Denial

Yes, most of us that have experienced a prosperous household for most of our adult live really to a major degree are in denial about the future economic prospers of the US economy. As long as there is a credit card or an equity line of credit to still spend money, we are delaying the unavoidable.

Well both federal and states are also in complete denial because as tax revenues have plunged across the nation, we have had US Postal rates increase by 2 cents. States have raised tolls on their bridges and expressways and other than most recently CA, no legislators or senators have voted in a salary pay cut!

End game is someone has to come clean and truly ring the alarm bells and we must all stop pretending that things will be back to normal by 2010!

Money & Market Minutes by Conrad Peditto

2009-05-21T05:34:00.000-07:00

Investors Excited by Banks Issuing Common Stock

What am I missing here? All wire services are making this prolificate annoucements that Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase and others are raising hundreds of millions of dollars to pay back TARP but selling newly created common bank stock!

Hello! Isn't that a form of dillution of shareholder value. More stock outstanding less value!

I really feel sorry for all of the finanical MBAs out there because all of the economic rules that I always cherished are being broken on a daily basis. Then again what the hell do I know!

Money & Market Minutes by Conrad Peditto

2009-05-20T09:20:00.000-07:00

Your aren't Buying into the Stock Market?

Boy, it sure is dam tempting to take some of that high yielding 1% interest money market money and put into some commodity fund or solid "blue chip" large cap stock, but that is exactly why we are once againbeing programed back into the market.

They know you can't continue to live of zero return on your cash. Greed, it got them there and now they want you again. They need your cash, that's how they get paid.

I realize you are paying over $1200 a month for your COBRA, but remember another virtue to adhere to, patience. I realize that's difficult when some of your friends are now starting to brag about their recent returns.

Watch out and be careful,

Conrad Peditto