As a loan officer, you know how important realtors are to the success of your mortgage career and business. But if they don’t know who you are, it’s impossible for them to send business your way. That’s why marketing to realtors is so important! Here are some of the best ways to make sure realtors know who you are and how you can help their clients.

Before we get into the how, let’s talk briefly about the philosophy behind marketing to real estate agents. The most important thing to remember is that you’re building real relationships with real people. It’s the only way to cut through all the noise realtors get on a daily basis—a lot of it from other loan officers who also want to earn their referrals.

You can get realtors’ attention with a few key tactics. First, be consistent. Reach out to real estate agents on a regular basis and in a variety of ways, so they always remember who you are and what you do. Second, make yourself valuable to your audience. You can do this by making it easier for them to sell houses and secure financing for their buyers. Be generous with your knowledge and time, giving them a reason to WANT to recommend you.

Real estate agents are bombarded with marketing from loan officers who all offer similar products and interest rates. You’ll stand out from your competition by forging real relationships rather than pushing sales pitches and interest rates. So let’s talk about the most effective ways you can do just that.

Remember that realtors are getting similar canned messages from several loan officers at any given time. Use technology to stay in touch, but do it in a personalized, thoughtful way.

Instead of sending boring emails with graphs about rates or a dry monologue about the most recent Fed meeting, send realtors resources to grow their business, as well as materials they can easily share with their clients. Your content has to be relevant, or nobody will pay attention to what you’re sending.

So what’s attention-grabbing content? It could be a video about a difficult transaction you saved, or maybe an explanation of the cost of waiting and the value of today’s market. It could also be sending information about a new loan product that you know will help more of their clients.

You’ll stand out by sending personalized emails that are full of helpful information that realtors can use with their clients. Your goal should be to educate and inform agents so they can help their clients as they go through the process of buying a home. Remember, you’re there to make their job easier.

KEEP READING: Who Can Become a Real Estate Investor?

One of the best ways to begin to build relationships with real estate agents in a low-pressure way is to interact with them on social media. Comment, like, and share! Agents love to see people promoting their listings and social media content. If you stay consistent, they’ll get to know you better. Once you feel like you’ve established some rapport, you may want to reach out in a private message to introduce yourself. This is simple and FREE.

Another social media idea is to send realtors information about the market or lending solutions that they can use for their own posts. This gives them good content to post while also giving you more exposure. It’s a win-win!

And don’t forget to grow your own social media presence! Agents rely heavily on referrals and are always looking for ways to expand their network. Building your own social media presence makes the deal sweeter for agents who want to work with you because they’ll be getting in front of more potential clients. This is good for them AND for you. Social media is one of the top ways to obtain new business.

Social media is all about widening your reach at every opportunity.

In 2022 some markets are starting to hold open houses again. They are a great way to introduce yourself to new realtors face to face. Showing up to a weekend open house can make a big statement about your willingness to go the extra mile. But don’t linger too long. If this is a “cold call,” it’s a perfect time for an introduction and some small talk, but save the sales pitch for later.

Open house interactions should be focused on the agent. Ask questions to familiarize yourself with the agent’s typical clients, and take note of how you can specifically help them. If the opportunity presents itself, ask to schedule a follow-up meeting where you can have a one-on-one conversation. If you don’t get an appointment, you may want to ask for permission to send them more information.

One of the best ways you can help your real estate agent partners is by making them look good with very little effort on their part.

That means staying in constant contact with both the realtor and the client throughout the loan process. By creating ease for their clients throughout the process, you’ve created a WIN-WIN situation.

YOU MIGHT LIKE THIS: How to Improve Cash Flow on Rental Properties

It never hurts to stop by and say hi to your realtors. This personal touch is what builds relationships and goes a long way toward helping realtors to like and trust you. Don’t be afraid to keep showing up. Always ask how you can help make their job easier and what they need from you.

Realtors want to make sure the lender can create strong relationships with their clients. These personal visits will show that you fit the culture they want to build with their clients and that you can nurture those strong relationships. But be careful you’re not a pest. Know how to read the room!

Savvy lenders are marketing with real estate agents in new ways—like video, livestream, TikTok, and podcasts. Two experts pack a pretty big impact with homebuyers because you’re able to build on each other’s credibility, and there’s no better way to deliver this type of content than video.

Whether it’s Facebook or YouTube livestream, a prerecorded video posted to social media channels, a podcast, or a quick TikTok video or Instagram Reel, real estate agents find value in this type of marketing and the exposure to new audiences.

Holding events in conjunction with a realtor can be a wonderful way to increase exposure for both of you. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we conduct events in many states across the country, but there are still opportunities to partner with your agents for small in-person gatherings and virtual events.

Another great opportunity is partnering up for a community event or charitable cause to support each other’s businesses and the community where you live. You may also want to hold events that directly benefit realtors, like sponsoring a continued education class or providing a real estate training or coaching series.

Lunch-and-learns are a great opportunity to provide value to an agent’s buyers. You can also host a broker open house with a luncheon for the realtors, or offer to sit at an open house to help answer financing questions from potential buyers.

All these activities have direct benefits for the realtors you’re working with and will go a long way toward cementing good relationships.

It’s essential for loan officers to understand the importance of marketing to realtors in a way that grabs their attention and helps them build a relationship with you. Technology and new mortgage marketing tools may have changed the landscape of marketing, but there’s nothing more important than nurturing relationships with realtors by showing them that you care about them, their business, and their clients. A combination of technology and your personal touch can help you do just that.

At DG Pinnacle Commercial, we understand that building strong realtor relationships and a diverse referral network are vital to your success.

We can help you put your strategies into action. Our programs and products are available to those who are willing to make the effort. Contact us to guide you along the way and take advantage of the many opportunities in the Real Estate Market. Call or text us at 📱 305-851-5225