Working a full time job makes it hard to do the things I want to at the ranch. It is worse when the weekend weather doesn't cooperate. We have had beautiful weather this week, but starting today it is supposed to rain and continue through the weekend.
I can get some things done if it isn't too heavy, but if it is a "soaker" I am stuck indoors for the most part.
Part of my current job is in new customer development. I have been spending a lot of my time building prospect lists and starting the process of turning them into customers. This business, just like most that I have been involved in, is one in which it takes awhile to develop a new customer -- they don't normally jump on board immediately.
I haven't yet figured out what the "sales cycle" is for loan customers. It is a matter of developing a relationship. If you think about it, most people don't change banks unless they move. My target customers are long-established agricultural businesses. They have banking relationships.
The thing that sets us apart from others though, is our personal involvement in agriculture -- particularly cattle production -- and plenty of years of experience. Not many banks are interested in doing cattle loans, but it is something we love. And more importantly, we have the experience to understand the business like very few banks do.
Now, how did I go from thinking about what the weather is doing to my weekend plans to how my job is about sales? Probably because that's where my mind is focused at the moment.....
I guess I'd better get with it!
Chris
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