SunTrust Star’s Secret to Success

Greg Goodman of SunTrust Banks Inc. was named Top Producer of the Year by the Nashville Mortgage Bankers Association. The first vice president of SunTrust Mortgage Co. who says he has been with the company for the past 13 years originated nearly $95.0 million in loans during 2003, breaking his previous year’s record of $80.6 million.

“I think its great,” Goodman said about receiving the award, adding that this is the first time the NMBA has given such an honor. “We really don’t know what our competitors are doing unless we do something like this, so it is nice to be able to know.”

But, Goodman is not new to such prestigious recognition. The originator, who worked his way through college as a Realtor and started working for SunTrust right after graduating, said that for the past 10 years, he has been SunTrust’s top originator in the state of Tennessee.

So, what is the secret to his success?

“To become friends, truly, with my client base,” Goodman said.

He keeps in touch with over 3,500 past customers, who he counts on for referrals, by contacting each of them about seven to eight times per year through different methods including sending handwritten notes and quarterly newsletters. Goodman adds a family element by holding yearly contests such as a best costume Halloween party for the clients’ children and by including his own family in different marketing campaigns such as post card advertisements.

The goal is “to dramatically increase the emotional bond between me and [past clients] through marketing, through phone calls, to wowing them, whatever I can do,” he added.

And there is more of Goodman to come as the originator has no plans to move out of the mortgage industry.

“I truly am happy doing this,” he concluded.