Smart Salespeople Don’t Discount — They Brand

Storytime: At Arcbound, we’ve been getting smart with our finances, and we’ve been having tough conversations with clients about profit, and how there needs to be profit on both sides for a strong partnership to happen.

In some cases, the clients found a cheaper alternative. That’s fine and what’s best for our business – and theirs. In other cases, we found a better solution together, because there’s trust, a desire to partner together, and willingness to go the distance because they value our work and relationship with us.

So it got me thinking about my recent conversations with 25+ sales leaders across mortgage mortgage banking, insurance, and real estate about the relationship between selling, margin, and brand building.

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In today’s market, it’s easy to think the lowest rate (or price) or best discount wins the deal. But the best salespeople know: your value isn't defined by your price. It's defined by your brand.

And when your brand is strong, you don’t always need to discount to win.

I’ve seen it first hand from speaking with these industry leaders in the mortgage space specifically. If a loan officer has a stronger brand, it’s easier to hold the margin. The client trusts you more as they aren’t just shopping for the cheapest rate.

The same can be said for most industries.

Clients don’t just want a low payment. They want confidence. In you. Your product. And the delivery on the backend. And in the mortgage, real estate, and financial world . . . confidence comes from your presence, your voice, and your consistency.

Let that sink in. 

Why Your Brand Protects Your Margin

Margin is Leverage

Holding your price point signals strength. You're not selling a transaction, you're selling trusted expertise. One Mortgage Exec I recently spoke with said, “Loan officers who do the most volume are often the least profitable — because of the infrastructure you’re providing.” Discounting might close a deal for the loan officer, but it drains company resources — and makes the corporate business less sustainable.

Leadership Sees It

The mortgage execs I’ve been speaking with have sharp and blunt insights: “The company makes less money per loan from top producers because of what it takes to keep them happy — big bonuses, strong support.” When you defend your margin, you're not just helping yourself, you're lightening the load on your team, and creating room for real investment in your future, while helping the company’s bottom line. Thus, companies are happier when their sales leaders hold margin.

Your Brand is Your Buffer

A strong personal brand is the antidote to the race-to-the-bottom mentality. When clients see your name online, follow your content, and hear your story, they’re not just comparing rates — they’re comparing you (from other people they’re talking with in your space). And that’s a comparison you can win on that holds the most value long term.

Now imagine if 300,000 people held the same job title as you.

Relationships Are the New Rate Sheet

Today’s top producers aren’t just closers. They’re relationship builders. People aren’t buying your company — they’re buying you. And they’re more willing to pay a premium when your brand makes them feel confident, seen, and understood.

So What Should You Do?
6 Tactical Tips to Build Your Brand and Your Margin

Here’s how to protect your margin and scale your reputation using the Graviten OS + Arcbound playbook:

1. Post Weekly Content That Educates, Not Just Sells
   Teach what you know. Break down real client stories, answer FAQs, and demystify the process.
   

2. Leverage Your “Why Now” Moments
   Just closed a unique loan? Negotiated through tough conditions? Share the how and the why. Everyone likes to hear about how deals got closed. These posts position you as a problem-solver, not just a closer.
   

3. Send Personalized Touchpoints
   
   Use CRM insights to send thoughtful follow-ups, milestone check-ins, or simple “thinking of you” messages. Relationships aren’t built through rates — they’re built through relevance.
   

4. Feature the Realtors, Partners, and People Behind the Deal
   
   Tag and highlight others in your ecosystem. When you lift them up, you show you’re connected, humble, and collaborative — and that deepens trust all around.
   

5. Be Consistently Present — Not Just Occasionally Loud
   
   Visibility builds familiarity. Familiarity builds trust. Trust closes deals — at better margins.
   

6. Use Every Post to Reinforce Your Differentiation
   
   The best brands answer this question in every piece of content: “Why you?” Make sure your voice, values, and story are always leading the conversation.
   

Conclusion: Holding your margin doesn’t make you difficult — it makes you value yourself.

Building your brand doesn’t make you flashy — it makes you unforgettable.

Community Notes:

1. Tony Lillios is a very inspiring human. I met him speaking at an Entrepreneurs’ Org event in Seattle where he created many chilling moments for the audience. He’s one of the most heart centered leaders I’ve ever met and think you should know about him! Please check out Lillios.com to see our most recent project that went through our signature Arc Launch Process. 
   

2. We recently had Mike Maddock on our podcast. He wrote a book called Free The Idea Monkey to Focus on What Matters Most. He’s also great people who leads an awesome company called Flourish Advisory Boards.