Knowing what to do is the easy part. Knowing the “how to” is easy! The problem is not with the strategies and techniques of how to do something; the problem is that we don’t “do” what we know. We don’t use the knowledge that we have. And even if we step out and use what we know, most WE CONTACT FLORIDA 1099 LOAN OFFICERS loan officers tend to give up too easily. The key is to pick an idea for gaining new business and stick with it until you find a way to make it work!

To make the most out of the following information, review this material several times first, because you may have tried some of these ideas in the past with little or no success. Keep in mind that there are several different strategies that you can incorporate with each of the following ways to obtain new business. The trick is to pick a dozen or so to focus on, and try different approaches and strategies for each one. Perfect them don’t give up, and you will eventually find your niche and make a lot of money.

1. Visit WE CONTACT FLORIDA 1099 LOAN OFFICERS Florida real estate offices consistently, with or without flyers. When you call on these WE CONTACT FLORIDA 1099 LOAN OFFICERS Florida real estate offices, be effective. Give them the impression that you are very serious about your business and adding value to the WE CONTACT FLORIDA 1099 LOAN OFFICERS realtors you are talking with. Don’t rely on flyers to grow your business for you. Flyers are only useful to let WE CONTACT FLORIDA 1099 LOAN OFFICERS realtors know that you were there, or for announcing a new program that’s unique to you or your company. If you are using flyers as a crutch (to give you a sense of security) to call on offices, do it!
2. Ask to talk at weekly meetings for Florida real estate offices. When you do land a meeting, be sure to prepare. Make them want to do business with you. Do something different from everyone else. Make them laugh, make them better, and make them want to do business with you.
3. Attend weekly Florida real estate office meetings and bring goodies. Answer questions, be available, and build relationships. Make your presence known when you attend these meetings. Let them know (in your own way) that you are there to do business and to add value to them.
4. Go to Florida real estate events and parties. Make friends and build relationships at the events. Caution! Don’t drink too much. Your conduct must command respect if you are attending these functions to grow your business.
5. Offer to sit in the Florida real estate office on weekends with the Realtors to be available for qualification, answering questions, and taking new loan applications. This is an aggressive move and shows them that you mean business and are willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen.
6. Attend WE CONTACT FLORIDA 1099 LOAN OFFICERS Florida real estate conferences and seminars. This is a great way to build long-term relationships with prospective clients. Because of this environment, your chances of“hitting it off”with others attending the seminar or conference increase dramatically.
7. Join all local WE CONTACT FLORIDA 1099 LOAN OFFICERS and national WE CONTACT FLORIDA 1099 LOAN OFFICERS Florida real estate related organizations such as your local WE CONTACT FLORIDA 1099 LOAN OFFICERS Board of Realtors, Association of Professional Mortgage Women (APMW), or other appropriate group. The more places you put yourself in that give you an opportunity to meet WE CONTACT FLORIDA 1099 LOAN OFFICERS mortgage applicants who can give you business, the more business you’ll get. While getting involved in these organizations is good, nothing will replace going up to a Realtor or builder or borrower and asking for business. Asking for business point-blank will always work if you do it enough. Remember that this is a numbers game.
8. Join local WE CONTACT FLORIDA 1099 LOAN OFFICERS business related organizations such as the local Chamber of Commerce, or Leads. Let WE CONTACT FLORIDA 1099 LOAN OFFICERS realtors, investors and other WE CONTACT FLORIDA 1099 LOAN OFFICERS mortgage applicants know who you are and what you do. Leads groups are a great way to get instant referrals.
9. Start your own Leads group. Call your local Chamber of Commerce for information on starting your own group.
10. Join WE CONTACT FLORIDA 1099 LOAN OFFICERS builder associated groups such as National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the local Building Industry Association (BIA). Your involvement in these organizations must be consistent to get the most out of them. Understand that it’s difficult to be all things to all people. Narrow down what you’re going to commit to and get involved in.
11. Join local affiliated groups such as The Rental Housing Association and others such as escrow and title company groups. These relationships are what I call non-direct or affiliated relationships. They have some business potential but don’t devote too much time getting involved in everything they do.
12. Host an event for the local Florida real estate professionals. You can get the local title companies and others to help sponsor to keep the costs low. I conduct seminars on peak performance and I always get a sponsor and invite the Realtors. I have anywhere from 50 to 150 attend. They love it because my focus is on helping them out. As a result, I get business.
13. Join and attend all Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and Board of Realtor functions. If your business is Realtor-based, you must campaign for yourself. Look at yourself as a politician. If people know you and you have a great reputation, you will be in a position to get lots of votes…or loans in our case.
14. Be involved in a committee that serves through the Board of Realtors. This will heighten your relationships with these Realtors. Don’t join a committee and be a wallflower.
15. Send a weekly flyer, newsletter, or other mailer to Realtors. Include small mom-and-pop shops even if they have just one person. This is a must. There is no excuse for not having and sending out a personalized professional newsletter to clients and potential clients. So many great companies offer your name, picture, and personal information on their pre-written newsletter. All you have to do is pay the fee and they do all the work.
16. Check the newspaper for open houses. Call Realtors and do financing flyers for them. They always appreciate this because again, you are helping them out. It’s easy to get them to say yes to open house flyers. If you get them to say yes there, it will be easier to get them to say yes to giving you some loans.
17. Stop by open houses on weekends. Bring goodies and be prepared to do financing alternative flyers, pre-qualify borrowers and/or take a loan application. This is the easiest way to expand your business. Realtors are always approachable in this setting.

18. Stop by new subdivision model homes and build relationships with sales agents. Do cost sheets on all of their models.
19. Offer to sit on their model home tract on a weekend to prequalify borrowers. You can do this with builders or Realtors. But do not let them take advantage of you. Make sure you’re getting business from them if you are providing this service.
20. Teach a class. Call an adult school or community college and offer to teach a class on credit, appraisal, Florida real estate, and/or mortgage finance. Being an expert is not enough. The trick is to let everyone know that you are an expert.
21. Attend Florida real estate continuing education classes to renew your Florida real estate license. Don’t do home study. This is a great place to meet and build relationships with Realtors.
22. Conduct or sponsor seminars that help Realtors and/or builders increase sales. One idea would be to interview the top 10 Realtors in your area. They will love to do an interview because they all love to talk about their success. Then offer to present the results of your interview to other Florida real estate offices to help them increase business. This also gets you in-the-door with the top producers.
23. Conduct “New WE CONTACT FLORIDA 1099 LOAN OFFICERS Home buyer” seminars for the public. When done right, this works great! You can get a sponsor or two to help make this more of a success. Title and escrow companies, Realtors, and financial planners are good contacts for sponsors. Use ads that catch attention such as: “Don’t Buy Your First Home Before Attending This Free Seminar!”
24. Conduct Florida real estate finance seminars for Realtors and/or builders. This is a great opportunity to show your stuff as an expert. There are always new Realtors entering the business. This offers a tremendous need that you can fill.
25. Take Florida real estate and affiliated classes at your local adult school or community college. This is a great way to build relationships with Realtors and potential Realtors.
26. Attend self-improvement seminars. Many Realtors attend these on a regular basis. Be a student of the game. Try to attend the ones that you know Realtors will attend.
27. Call and/or visit FSBO’s. Do a computer cost sheet and help them pre-qualify the potential homebuyers who look at their home. You can also offer signs, guest registers, and market analyses on their home. This is an easy sale because they are also very concerned about qualified borrowers.
28. Consistently build off your past borrowers. Have a contact management list. Send a mailer to all of the loans you’ve closed and keep in touch with them. Ask for referrals! You’re throwing business away if you don’t keep in touch with your existing clients.
29. Keep a journal or some kind of record on who has called on loan information and check back with them within a week. Many loan officers talk to potential borrowers, then throw the information away. Start a file for floor calls. Make notes to call these people back as follow-up.
30. Keep a tickler file on leads. Never stop prospecting leads. If they said no once, ask again and again and again.
31. Join outside organizations such as, clubs, singles groups, ski clubs, gym memberships, and churches. Whatever your interest and beliefs are, make sure you tell everyone what you do! Always keep your business cards with you and ready to give out.
32. Take part in community events and remember to wear your name tag. Always wear your name tag, even at the grocery store!
33. Have and work a booth at business and trade shows. Exposure! Make sure that you follow up on all of the leads you receive at these shows.
34. Contact your local TV and radio stations and offer your expertise for news specials and industry changes. I once took calls for one hour on a TV show regarding refinancing and received a ton of business. Get to know your local TV and radio personalities. Once you get in with them, they will continue to contact you as an expert.
35. Put your cards and flyers on bulletin boards of businesses. Especially those Florida real estate related businesses like license training schools, and classes.
36. Hand walk all appraisal and status sheets to Florida real estate agents or builders. This is a great excuse to see them again. The more you see them, the better the relationship you will have with them, and the more business you’ll receive.
37. After you close a loan, send a thank-you note to the borrowers and both Realtors. Then call them to ask for referrals. Make it a point to call on them personally as well. This is great timing. They will appreciate you for closing the transaction.
38. Use “Promos” like pens, note pads, and coffee cups: anything that will help you gain exposure. Keeping your name out there is critical.
39. Ask your manager for specific floor times to answer calls from new applicants. If you’re going to be in the office doing paperwork, make the most of this time.
40. Send flyers and business cards to CPA’s and financial planners in your area. Many times, loan officers overlook these professionals. They can provide a lot of steady business to you.
41. Send flyers and business cards to attorneys. Promote yourself and your business. This also helps you separate yourself as an expert.
42. Build relationships with title representatives, escrow officers, sales managers, and account representatives. These affiliated businesses and people can be the key to many referrals.
43. Build relationships with other lenders who don’t offer the same loan programs that you offer. Trade business with them.
44. Build relationships with appraisers and trade business leads. You never know where your next lead will come from. Make it a point to tell these people that you want referrals. Always ask for the business!
45. Build relationships with termite company and trade business leads. Like #44, always ask for new business!
46. Ask your dentist or doctor if you can leave business information on residential home loans in their waiting rooms. Remember, you’re a politician campaigning for yourself.
47. Have a large plastic holder made with your picture and office information to leave with various different model home tracts, builders, and Realtor offices. These also work well at open houses.
48. Call on bank tellers and bank officers to trade business. Most banks don’t offer the same loan programs that you can offer. You’d be surprised how many referrals you can get from this source.
49. Get a list of potential refinance customers from a title or escrow company. These lists are usually free and you can team up with the title company to grow your business. This is a must because it’s an inexpensive way to reach many customers.
50. Start a brainstorming group of professionals. This works best with affiliated businesses. However, professionals from other industries work well.
51. Do joint advertising with top Realtors or builders. This is a great way to team up to help each other expand and grow business. Make sure to monitor what you invest to make sure you’re getting a return on investment. To do this, you must be getting a lot of business from your partner in advertising. Of course, you don’t want to alienate other Realtors who might not use you because of your affiliation with your advertising partner.
52. Mail out quality letters to renters in apartment complexes where they are paying high-end rent. Make sure rents are high enough so that borrower has a chance at qualifying for the potential mortgage.

Otherwise, you could be wasting a lot of time sending information to individuals who may not qualify.

53. Put a flyer in a tax shop or a CPA’s office regarding the use of income tax refunds for a down payment on a home.
54. Target certain groups who would benefit from your loan programs such as Public Employee Retirement System (PERS) or local bond loan programs.
55. Hold seminars and workshops for these groups such as PERS. Call employers who qualify under this program as a benefit to their employees.
56. When you advertise, target your advertisement for promoting both you and your company in addition to your loan products.
57. Offer gift certificates for a free appraisal, lower closing cost, or free credit report for new borrowers. There are several advertising sources to place your coupons, such as phone books, newspapers, and Realtor magazines.
58. Offer free credit counseling for people interested in homebuying. Free credit counseling can be a big draw for new clients and referrals. Make sure you give them accurate and professional advice. If they can’t qualify for a home now, let them know when they can and advise them accordingly.
59. Ask local city and county housing or planning departments for local contractors that are active for rehabilitating homes. They will give you this information by phone or by mailing you a list. These contractors are a great source of referrals for first and second mortgages. Especially if you do a lot of FHA 203K loans and the like.
60. Fax your loan approvals to everyone involved in the transaction. Flaunt your stuff.
61. Have your picture put on your cards and flyers so that people know who you are. It’s exposure!
62. Talk to students during career week at the local schools. This separates you as an expert and helps you gain exposure.
63. Send congratulation cards to parents of newborns. They can be found in the newspaper. Many times, they are looking to move into bigger homes, or they may know someone who is purchasing.
64. Prepare a cassette with information on the mortgage process, pre-qualification, mortgage options, documentation, etc. Make sure all the Florida real estate offices, builders, CPA’s and others have your tapes ready to give out.
65. Ask for referral letters from your borrowers, Realtors, and builders. Start a notebook to show potential new clients proof that you do a great job.
66. Set up a hot-line for question and answers for pre-qualifying and other loan questions. If you do set up a hot-line, make sure that you advertise well to let people know it’s available.
67. Improve your platform and public speaking skills by joining a speaking organization such as Toastmasters. Always be looking for ways to improve your image and presentation skills. The better you are, the more money you’ll make.
68. Hold an open house for your office and have food, drink, and music. Make sure your office is presentable and professional. Have a drawing or give-away.
69. Develop a tri-fold marketing brochure to hand out. These are easy to create on the computer. If you’re not computer literate, they are inexpensive to have done.
70. Do a mass mailer to select groups. You must also make sure your mailer is going to the right people.
71. Use a laptop computer to originate loans. Once you learn how to originate loans on the laptop, show your clients, Realtors, and builders. Don’t just show them your new toy, show them what it will do for them.
72. If you have some computer skills, offer your services. Offer to do a tri-fold flyer for one of your Realtors in exchange for their business. Get familiar with the Internet as soon as possible!
73. Develop a website. This is a must. This is an inexpensive way to let many people know who you are and what you do. You can get a basic website for as little as $150. Get your website started and improve it as you go. You will want to be included in as many search engines as possible.
74. Visit new model homes on the weekend. The key to builder business is starting relationships with the builder’s salespeople sitting on the new home tracts. Look in the weekend newspaper for their locations. It’s important to be as familiar as possible with the particular builder you are calling on. Consistently visit their site so that you can get to know the homes as well as the people selling them.
75. Write out names of everyone you know. Most people know at least 250 people. Those 250 people know 250 people each. That’s 62,500 people that you are connected with right now. I promise you that out of all those people, you will find new mortgage loans.
76. Advertise. It’s impossible to advertise too much. Go to WE CONTACT FLORIDA 1099 LOAN OFFICERS seminars and workshops to learn as much as you can on how and when to advertise in newspapers, WE CONTACT FLORIDA 1099 LOAN OFFICERS Florida real estate magazines, specialty magazines, billboards, radio, TV, and any other place to get your name out there. Keep trying until you find what works for you!

Have the belief that there are a thousand ways to grow your business. Find what works for you! Commit and make it happen. Fate, destiny, or luck: whatever you call it, hard work must come first. They say the hardest workers are the luckiest. No matter what some speakers and trainers tell you, becoming a top performer comes with many challenges. Just being smart and having a “cutting edge” strategy is not enough. While it is great to have cutting edge strategies, the key is to work on and perfect those strategies until you get the results you are looking for.