How to Attack the Root Cause of Net Interest Margin Compression

The constant “need” to match rates to win a deal is a symptom, not the cause of the net interest margin crisis in banking today.

The cause is much more profound.

It’s inside each of your lenders, and it may be inside of you. Frankly, it’s not your fault (or theirs). It’s unconscious and has been a limiting belief in the banking industry for at least 100 years (probably longer).

And don’t worry, if you’re frustrated with your margin, but feel you have to fight any way you can to keep the customers you have and get new ones, you’re not alone. In fact, you’re in the majority.

Look at what the majority of people are doing, and do the exact opposite, and you’ll probably never go wrong for as long as you live.” — Earl Nightengale

I’d like for you to reflect on that quote for a moment. Look around you. The majority of people are not wealthy. The majority of people are sub-par in terms of health. The majority of companies fail in the first five years. And, the majority of bankers are screaming about compressed margins.

Do What the Majority Does and Get What the Majority Gets.

Are you doing what the majority of banks are doing right now? Or are you doing the things that the most successful banks are doing? The top 5% of banks?

I’ve invested the last 25 years of my life working with Top 5% and getting them there within just a few years.

The Top 5% performing banks operate very differently than the bottom 95%. And the difference starts with what I’m about to share with you.

Frankly, I’m concerned that if I do share it, you won’t believe it. It may seem too simple. It may seem like something that’s difficult to change (although it’s not). You may think, sure, I can do it, but how will I ever get my lenders and the rest of my team to do it… I’ll show you how.

The Real Reason You Match Rates

The root of the problem causing an industry-wide crushing of net margins isn’t the competition. It isn’t the economy. It isn’t the Fed. It isn’t even the meetings in Basel.

No, the root of the problem is in the limiting beliefs in the minds of bankers in banks across the country.

You see, if you don’t believe you’re worth a premium rate, you won’t get a premium rate. If you don’t believe you’re worth a premium rate, your customer won’t believe it either.

It all starts with fixing the beliefs about you, your bank, what you’re selling, and why it’s valuable to people.

People will never create results that exceed their “world view.”

Yes, there are some new skills that you’ll need to get out of the net interest margin crunch, but none of those skills will help if you and your people don’t first change your limiting beliefs… and begin believing that you’re worth premium prices.

You’re probably thinking right now, “No, I want premium prices, but my loan is essentially the same as the next bank’s. Why would anyone pay more for the same thing?

You’re right. They shouldn’t have to pay more.

The trick is this… don’t offer them the same thing as the next bank. Offer them more value that far exceeds the substantial additional pricing you charge.