There are a lot of coaches and so-called “gurus” out there who want you to believe you can conjure up a 7-figure business simply by “manifesting” your dreams. Don’t fall for their lies!

Sure, you have to believe in yourself and you need a bold vision. But as Luke Shankula, a leading Mortgage Marketing expert and the CEO of Paragon Digital Marketing Group, will tell you, “there’s no skipping past the blood, sweat, and tears.”

“Most people want the results without the sacrifice,” says Luke, “but unless you’re ready to put in the work even through the devastating losses, you won’t see the gains.”

Laid off twice in 14 months, almost $100,000 in debt, and unsure how he would pay the mortgage, Luke has seen his share of sleepless nights. And it was during these rock bottom moments that Luke decided to put his anxiety, fear, and depression aside. Through sheer strength of will, Luke pulled himself out of the darkness embodying his mantra, “never give up!”

In less than three years, Luke built a 7-figure mortgage marketing agency, which continues to thrive, and he has helped hundreds of loan officers launch their own businesses. Let’s take a closer look at Luke’s keys to success.

An Open Source Approach

So what really makes Luke tick? Aside from securing his own financial success, he’s also committed to helping others get great results. “I believe in impact over income,” says Luke, “I’m always willing to share knowledge and dig deep with my clients.”

His open source approach to business would make a lot of CEOs squeamish. It requires a vulnerability that most shy away from. But not Luke. He is always looking to get involved in the next new initiative and to support other young entrepreneurs any way he can, including speaking at several Legion of Loan Officer events.

“The free exchange of ideas is one of my favorite things about being an entrepreneur,” Luke says. In fact, it’s not an exaggeration to say this is the backbone of Luke’s business.

Turning the Lead Generation Process on Its Head

Paragon Digital Marketing Group has thrived largely because Luke and his team are not afraid of innovation. They’re always looking open to new ways to improve their systems and processes. This mindset puts Paragon on the forefront of a revolution in the mortgage lead generation process.

Traditionally, real estate agents serve up home buyer leads to mortgage originators. While this has been a comfortable relationship for many in the industry, it has also left mortgage professionals subject to the whims of real estate agents.

Fortunately for mortgage originators ready to find new ways to get high-quality leads, the digital revolution is here. “The digital revolution is turning this process on its head,” says Luke. “Now loan officers and brokers can reach out to consumers first and then refer pre-approved buyers to their partners. This opens up a whole world of opportunities.”

Forget about cold calling dozens of real estate agents all day long. Instead mortgage originators can go straight to the source — prospective borrowers.

Of course, to do this successfully, mortgage professionals need the right strategies. According to Luke, well-equipped loan officers have mastered three areas of mortgage marketing:

  • Targeted ads: ad copy that reaches the right target market gives you strong leads you can use to close business and strengthen relationships with real estate agents
  • Engaging emails: build your list, then engage them with email subject lines and content that sets you apart from the competition
  • Controlled testing: A/B testing will show you which campaigns perform the best with your audience. Remember, the numbers don’t lie!

A Family Man at Heart

Apart from being an excellent marketer with a winning technique, Luke has also cracked the code on blending work and life. Thanks to his support-driven personality, he knows coming home to his wife and three children at the end of the day is what makes all the effort worth it. Luke encourages all the entrepreneurs he encounters to craft the life they want.

Luke sees himself as a role model for future generations. He believes with the right work ethic, tools, inspiration, and strategies, anyone can build a 7-figure business. But meeting these goals has nothing to do with manifesting your dreams and everything to do with grinding it out.

“So keep sitting on your couch manifesting your dreams. I’ll be here putting in the work long after you’ve moved onto the next shiny ‘manifestation’.”

Luke’s final words of advice: You want it? GO. GET. IT.

About:

Luke Shankula is a leading Mortgage Marketing Expert and the CEO of Paragon Digital Marketing Group based in San Diego. He has been featured on NBC, FOX and CBS among other publications and he is a contributor to National Mortgage News.

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