If you won Realtor referrals using cold calls, marketing emails, scripts, or offering to help them “grow their business”…

You’re probably struggling pretty hard right now.

These strategies worked well when they were rare.

But, now every LO is doing it… and it looks like spam rather than value.

The Loan Officers who are still winning market share used a different strategy.

It’s not too late to switch over.

The fact of the matter is… marketing is dead. I’m not saying that you should stop marketing yourself. What I’m saying is that you should expect to see a diminished return on your investment unless you change things up.

There’s a saying in the marketing world that, “marketers ruin everything.”

And I don’t disagree. There was a time when “adding value” would generate business. But, it’s everywhere now. Social media is full of talking heads telling you what you need to do. So much so that most people scroll right past mortgage “value” posts. As a Realtor, it’s hard to go 1 week without a Loan Officer inviting you to something “valuable.”

The truth is… that $499 online course people are buying is probably free on YouTube hosted by someone who is actually much better at presenting the information. People are starting to figure this out and they’re now less eager to attend a “valuable event/class.”

So, what do we do now?

If marketing is dead, what’s left?

How are Loan Officers to win referrals from Realtors?

As advanced as things have become, we’ve actually regressed back to the olden days. Back to a time when people are actually looking at people again. This started 10 years ago but accelerated dramatically during the pandemic. The books: “Start With Why” and “A Story Brand,” were incredibly popular as people began to recognize that winning has more to do with discovering your purpose than it does being good at your job.

The Loan Officers who are winning in this new economy are not convincing the top 5% of realtors to use them by sending out marketing emails (that they never sign up for), calling them every Monday to “check-in,” or reading off scripts to say “the right thing.”

Realtors like them… as a person.

There’s really nothing you can say that Realtors haven’t heard before from another LO. The top Loan Officers know this… so they don’t even bother. 

As a Loan Officer, you sell the same thing that thousands of others sell. You’re not marketing your ability to do mortgages… You’re marketing you… as a person.

Here’s how to win in this market:

1. Build a platform to be seen by Referral partners
2. Engage in activities to increase the number of eyes on your platform
3. Spend the vast majority of your time crafting a personal brand that accurately reflects who you are

Realtors use the Loan Officer they like most.

The one they align with and feel is most like them.

If you want to win referral market share (especially from Realtors in the top 5%), you need to spend far more time crafting your personal brand and placing it in front of as many referral partners as possible.

In mortgage, your personal brand is the only differentiator. It’s how people are making decisions now and I don’t see it changing.

This will be a hard market for most. But, those who are more than just a Loan Officer will thrive like never before. This market will favor those who are entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and those making an impact in the industry.

In a world where it’s easy to market yourself… you will need a compelling personal brand if you want to be the one realtors choose.

I’ve got a formula that is still working in this market. I’d be happy to show it to you. And, the best part is, these strategies are actually quite enjoyable. It’s the reason my clients are so happy while still making large amounts of money. CLICK HERE to schedule a Zoom call on my calendar.