This is an issue that many loan officers are facing. My advice is always the same: leverage your sphere. You can reach as many agents as you need to through your sphere.

Let’s take an example that is extracted from your question. You say you have a small following of agents. My assumption is that you have long-term relationships with these agents. I also assume that these agents know many other real estate agents. My question is: have you let your agents know that you are looking to expand your business by meeting more agents?

Perhaps you can set up a lunch with them and one or two of their close contacts. If you don’t let the agents know about your objectives, they will never be in position to help you. Few people know more real estate agents than agents themselves. Even the ones that have retired could help you meet agents. Some are referring business to other agents at this point, so those agents will listen to them.

Continuing with the concept of leveraging your sphere, I'd  like to give a second example: your vendors. I have a very wide definition of the term vendors. They may be personal vendors: your favorite restaurant or the dealership where you purchased your car. They also may be business vendors, such as your printer or accountant. Finally, they may be vendors who are calling on your targets, which in this case are real estate agents. For example, settlement companies, insurance agents, home warranty companies.

All of these categories not only fit within the definition of vendors, but they also all have the potential to help your business. For one, these vendors all know real estate agents. My question is: do they know that you want to meet more agents and have you ask them for the introduction? For example, if you are referring business to a title company, they know plenty of agents. As a matter of fact, they know agents who have gotten burned by a lender because they messed up a deal, so the agent may be looking for another loan officer relationship. You should be the first one they think of. Your favorite restaurant? I am sure you have referred people you know to that restaurant. Do they know what you do for a living? You are helping them, are they helping you?

Dave Hershman is Senior VP of Sales of Weichert Financial and the top author in the mortgage industry. Dave has published seven books, as well as hundreds of articles and is the founder of the OriginationPro Marketing System and Mortgage School – the online choice for expert mortgage learning and marketing content. His site is www.OriginationPro.com and he can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..