Tips for Loan Officers to Build Trust and Community Connections 

Mortgage and finance experts provide advice on building relationships with prospective customers, improving relationships with past clients, connecting with your community, and establishing a reputation as a trusted advisor.

A Guide for Loan Officers in Building Trust and Community Connections
Brian Vieaux, President & COO, FinLocker

Building Trust and Rapport: A Loan Officer’s Guide to Cultivating Strong Customer Relationships
Ginger Bell, Founder & CEO, Edumarketing

Strategically Building Trust and Credibility Along the Homeownership Journey
Sue Buswell, Credit and Score Consultant #sueknowsthescore

Human NatuHuman Nature is Your Secret Weapon to Building Genuine Connections
Jeremy Potter, President of titleLOOK

Building Trust with Clients Through Meaningful Content
Dan Smokoska, Founder of Loangendary Marketing

How to Build Strong Connections Through Video Content
Mike Faraci, CEO & Founder of Red Button Media

Social Media Can Build Trusted Relationships
Doug Wilber, Chief Strategy Officer of Capacity

5 Creative Ways to Be the Local Go-to Person for First-Time Homebuyers
Scott Schang, AI Expert

Tech with Touch: How Finding a Balance is the Key to Long-term Success
John Jurkovich, Founder of The Mortgage Broker Builder

View all previous articles

A Guide for Loan Officers in Building Trust and Community Connections

Brian Vieaux, President & COO, FinLocker

In the dynamic landscape of the mortgage industry, local loan officers play a pivotal role not just as financial facilitators but as trusted advisors in their communities. Focusing on establishing lasting connections with prospective customers and strengthening ties with past clients is essential for building a reputation as a trustworthy mortgage advisor. Here are key insights and strategies to enhance relationships and foster community engagement:

1. Embrace the Role of Trusted Financial Advisor
Recognize the unique position loan officers hold in the lives of young consumers. As their primary point of contact for the largest financial transaction they’ll undertake – homeownership – loan officers become de facto financial advisors. Acknowledge this responsibility and approach it with a commitment to offering valuable financial education.

2. Long-Term Trust Through Financial Education
Building trust is a gradual process that involves positioning oneself as a consistent source of financial education. Develop a long-term strategy that goes beyond immediate gains. Offer insights into improving their financial and credit health to qualify for a mortgage, preparing mentally for homeownership, and advice for sustaining it. Establish credibility by being a reliable resource for comprehensive financial information.

3. Technology as an Educational Ally
Leverage technology to supplement the educational aspect of your role. Platforms like FinLocker can help you supplement your financial education efforts by providing digital tools that engage early-journey homebuyers and offer credit improvement advice and budgeting tools. FinLocker is designed to support the homeownership preparation journey, providing transparency and insight into a consumer’s mortgage readiness. By leveraging these tools, you will enhance your role as a loan officer and trusted advisor.

4. Community Engagement Beyond Social Media
While social media is a great lead gen strategy for casting a wider net, building genuine connections with the community requires a more comprehensive approach. Organizing first-time homebuyer and homeowner workshops and webinars to directly engage with potential and existing clients. Participate in local events, network with other business groups, and use social media to share community information. Your insights will demonstrate a commitment to the well-being of your clients beyond their mortgage needs.

5. Transparency in Technology
Integrate transparency into your client interactions through technology. Platforms like FinLocker provide data insights into each customer’s journey toward mortgage readiness. Use technology as a tool to provide guidance to first-time homebuyers preparing for a mortgage and in bi-annual reviews with past clients. This will help you build a reputation as a trusted advisor who is genuinely invested in their clients’ long-term financial stability.

In the realm of mortgage advising, the journey towards becoming a trusted financial advisor is a marathon, not a sprint. By embracing financial education, understanding that technology is a complement, not a replacement for personal interaction, and actively engaging with the community, loan officers can solidify their reputation as trusted advisors and ultimately grow their business.

Building Trust and Rapport: A Loan Officer’s Guide to Cultivating Strong Customer Relationships

Ginger Bell, CEO & Founder of Edumarketing

Navigating the world of finance can be a rollercoaster, and for loan officers, the ride includes not just attracting new clients but also keeping past ones engaged. The secret sauce? Positioning yourself as the go-to trusted advisor in your community. And guess what? The digital world is your oyster for making this happen. Let’s dive into using tools like ChatGPT, videos, blog posts, and email marketing to build those crucial relationships.

1. ChatGPT: Your Digital Wingman: Imagine having a buddy who’s always ready to chat with clients, answering their questions instantly and keeping the convo going. That’s ChatGPT for you. It’s perfect for quick, personalized responses and guiding clients through the basics of the loan process.

2. Video Content: Show, Don’t Tell: Nothing beats videos when it comes to connecting with people. As a loan officer, use videos to break down complex loan stuff, share happy client stories, and offer nifty financial tips. It’s about making finance feel human and approachable.

3. Blog Away with Wisdom: Your blog is your digital soapbox. Talk about everything from smart credit moves to the latest in mortgage trends. It’s your chance to show off your know-how and help people make sense of the financial maze.

4. Emails That People Actually Read: Keep your clients in the loop with emails they’ll want to open. Mix it up with updates, personalized advice, and shout-outs about local events. It’s about making them feel part of a community, with you at the helm.

Get-Going Checklist:

• Set Up ChatGPT: Integrate ChatGPT on your website and socials. Make sure it sounds like you and gives the right info.
• Plan Your Video Content: Pick topics your audience will love. Aim for regular posts to keep them engaged and informed.
• Kickstart Your Blog: Choose relevant topics and write in a way that’s easy and fun to read. Make your readers feel smarter and more empowered.
• Craft Your Email Strategy: Segment your email list for more personal touches. Use a combo of newsletters and updates to keep things fresh.

Remember, in today’s digital world, your role as a loan officer goes beyond just crunching numbers. It’s about building lasting relationships through engaging, helpful, and, most importantly, human interactions. By leveraging tools like ChatGPT, videos, blog posts, and email marketing, you’re not just reaching out to clients; you’re connecting with them on a deeper level. So, let’s ditch the formalities and start making real, lasting connections!

Strategically Building Trust and Credibility Along the Homeownership Journey

Sue Buswell, Credit and Score Consultant #sueknowsthescore

In the competitive landscape of mortgage lending, loan advisors play a crucial role not only in securing loans but also in building lasting relationships with clients. Establishing trust is key to becoming a trusted advisor for new, past, and future clients.

The first step in a home loan is a Credit Report, but many are concerned about inquiries, and oftentimes you, as a Loan Advisor, are uncomfortable discussing credit details. This is where having a trusted network that include credit experts will elevate your value to buyers.

By utilizing a credit empowerment system that includes first-time home buyer classes, speaking engagements in your local market at schools and community colleges, along with social media credit tips can significantly enhance the Loan Advisor’s credibility and position in the market.

One effective strategy is offering first-time home buyer classes, both virtually and in person. Don’t set yourself up for failure by thinking you need to be a Credit Expert, rather, build those relationships with individuals with that expertise to support your efforts.

These classes serve as a valuable resource for individuals navigating the complexities of purchasing their first home. By providing insights into the loan process, explaining credit requirements, and offering tips for successful homeownership, loan advisors can position themselves as knowledgeable guides. This approach fosters trust and confidence among clients, creating a foundation for a long-lasting relationship.

Speaking engagements at schools, and community colleges solidifies the loan advisor’s position as a trusted local expert. Imagine your presentation at a high school. Your credit partner has helped explain to the senior class how to get the right start with credit, and you share how renting does not fit into that picture as a long-term housing option.

Those seniors go home and discuss this with their parents. You may have just made a generational impact in your community and are on your way to establishing yourself as the go to for future home buyers.

Engaging with potential home buyers early in their financial journey allows advisors to establish rapport and credibility. By sharing insights on the importance of credit readiness and demystifying the home buying process, loan advisors can become a go-to resource for current, past and future clients.

Human Nature is Your Secret Weapon to Building Genuine Connections

Jeremy Potter, President of titleLook

In his new book Same as Ever, Morgan Housel writes “people do not want accuracy, they want certainty.” Same as Ever explores those things about our lives (and businesses) that do not change. Of course, things change. Technology is created. Community values evolve with the community. Generational expectations change. Even with all the change, feeling ever-present, it can be just as innovative focusing your time and attention on what will not change.

Certainty is a buzz word in mortgage technology. We will acknowledge that certainty is the goal but struggle to change how we deliver it. We hear all the time how real estate agents and consumers prioritize certainty over good news or prioritize certainty over price. The catch-22 for mortgage loan officers (MLOs) and mortgage brokers is that certainty is illusive. Let’s be honest, almost nothing is truly certain. But since we’re talking about homebuyers and homeowners, it does not need to get existential.

It just means being honest about human nature. Yours as well as your customers and referral partners. Human nature is not naturally trusting but it is more powerful than anything else you as an MLO or referral source could overcome. If human nature looks for certainty; certainty is built on a foundation of trust.

Be Honest
Trust forms through genuine connection and actual contribution in the relationship. Which sucks, am I right? Because that means there is not an easy explanation to create certainty. This means that the same advice you have heard a hundred times before – create a connection that leads to trust – remains the best way to being the trusted expert in your network.

For MLOs, to instill trust (on the way toward certainty) you are often delivering on expectations set by someone else. The real estate agent (at best) and the homebuyers’ family members (at worst) set the expectation of “what happens next” when shopping for a home. As the trusted expert, mortgage pros have to deliver certainty without asking agents or clients to do things at odds with their human nature.

Be Strategic
Fortunately, MLOs are increasingly tech-enabled experts. We have tools that help scale connections. One of the best ways to create certainty is delivering the right information to the right person at the right time. This was traditionally extremely manual and meant constant communication with agents & clients. Phone calls. Emails. Texts. Technology can help scale communication, automate timing and deliver connection but you must ensure it is the right information at the right time. The information delivered must still be genuine & real, but it does not have to be perfect. That’s the best part.

Marketing experts have been telling us for years now that it is the most authentic and genuine videos that connect with our audience. It is time to extend that to every interaction and every tool at your disposal. Whether targeting homebuyers or homeowners, aligning the tools and communication strategy that can deliver connection will reinforce your work, your approach.

Be About the Work
Expertise does not need to declare it is expert. The results of your work and your strategy will guarantee you’re a trusted advisor. Your job is to instill confidence through delivery.

Technology can deliver certainty but it is not technology alone. It is almost always delivering the work or objectives of the people behind the tech. For instance, AirBnB delivers the confirmation of the reservation (for guests) and confirmation of payment (for hosts). Technology helps bring certainty or close to it on behalf of guests and hosts. Similarly, MLOs can use technology to better serve homeowners and homebuyers but it is your work that fuels the platform. There is no substitute for the contribution to the people counting on your work even if it’s delivered through a tech platform.

Be More Human
It turns out that the most lasting things about human nature are the most resilient. Morgan Housel recommends respecting these “constants” because it is a lot easier to lean into what does not change than trying to change for people (or worse, change people). Our need for certainty can be your key to building a lasting, resilient network that generates business through any housing market. The irony is that it may require leaning into aspects of the mortgage process that seem like weaknesses. Instead of trying to hide the mess, consider embracing the mess. Not as an excuse for not doing the work but instead as proof that you are doing the work. Doing the work is equal parts honest communication, strategic use of technology and simple dedication to the craft.

Building Trust with Clients Through Meaningful Content

Dan Smokoska, Founder of WinSocial

Stop selling…

I know that sounds crazy at this point but hear me out.

If you truly want to build relationships with prospective clients and improve your relationship with past clients, don’t make them feel like the only thing you care about is taking their money.

Show them that you care about their goals, listen to their needs, understand what they’re going through (and what the market is doing), and have solutions that fit what they’re trying to achieve.

While people don’t like being sold to, they do like having their problems solved. And as professional problem solvers, you’re exactly who they want to work with, even if they don’t know it yet.

And for prospective clients, their first introduction to you will likely be online. They’ll google a question or they’ll search for local names, and boom, there you’ll be if you have an online presence (and I hope you do).

What they see at that point will dictate whether they continue looking through your social media, reading your posts, watching your videos, scrolling your website… OR, immediately see you’re just trying to sell to them instead of help them, and they’ll hit the back button and off they go forever.

You don’t want that. So, let’s make sure that never happens again.

Here are a few ways you can avoid coming off too salesy and start building better relationships:
• Share helpful, relevant content that addresses common questions and concerns about the mortgage process
• Talk in layman’s terms – always. If people don’t understand you, they won’t work with you
• Share videos discussing recent and relevant news that could be on peoples’ minds
• Post on your social channels or on your website some personal stories like volunteer efforts, family milestones, vacation photos, etc. The more real you they see, the more they’re likely to feel a connection
• For past clients, personalize as many communications as possible. If you know their birthday, anniversary (wedding, home purchasing, etc), or other personal info, you can easily stay top of mind and show you care about them beyond the sale.

In closing, when you build relationships through trust, transparency and problem solving…

That’s how you keep selling 😉

How to Build Strong Connections Through Video Content

Mike Faraci, CEO & Founder of Red Button Media

As a mortgage loan officer, establishing and nurturing relationships is at the core of your success. In today’s digital age, one powerful tool stands out – video content.

Let’s look at how you can build and strengthen relationships, cementing your reputation as a trusted advisor.

1. Connecting with Prospective Customers

Educational Videos – Create short videos explaining mortgage basics, interest rates, or demystifying the loan process. This positions you as an expert and helps potential clients feel more at ease.
Client Testimonials – Encourage satisfied clients to share their experiences on video. Real stories build trust and provide authentic glimpses into your dedication and professionalism.
Live Q&A Sessions – Host live sessions to answer common questions about mortgages, home buying tips, or industry updates. Interacting in real-time establishes a personal connection.

2. Strengthening Relationships with Past Clients

Personalized Thank You Videos – Send personalized video messages expressing gratitude to clients after closing deals. This thoughtful touch creates a lasting impression.

Anniversary Reminders – Record short videos wishing past clients happy home anniversaries. This demonstrates continued interest and care beyond the transaction.

Refinancing Updates – Keep past clients informed about potential refinancing opportunities through video updates. This positions you as a valuable resource even after the initial transaction.

3. Connecting with Your Community

Local Business Spotlights – Showcase local businesses through video interviews or features. This not only supports your community but also builds goodwill and connections.

Community Events Coverage – Attend and document local events. Share the highlights and your experiences, emphasizing your commitment to the community.

Neighborhood Insights – Create videos highlighting different neighborhoods, discussing amenities, schools, and local attractions. This showcases your in-depth knowledge of the area.

4. Establishing a Trusted Advisor Reputation

Expert Interview Series – Collaborate with real estate experts, financial advisors, or other professionals. Conduct interviews to provide diverse insights, establishing yourself as a knowledgeable advisor.

Market Updates – Regularly share video updates on market trends, interest rates, and economic factors affecting the real estate landscape. This positions you as an industry authority.

Behind-the-Scenes – Offer a behind-the-scenes look at your daily operations. This personal touch humanizes your brand and fosters a sense of trust.

Incorporating these video strategies into your content plan will not only strengthen your relationships but also position you as a trusted and approachable mortgage professional.
Remember, authenticity and consistency are key – use video content to showcase your expertise and genuine commitment to your clients and community.

Social Media Can Build Trusted Relationships

Doug Wilber, Chief Strategy Officer of Capacity

With market volatility and uncertain interest rates, clients and prospects remain cautious. This isn’t news to those in the housing and financial services industries, but a good reminder that today’s investors feel vulnerable – and that makes trust more important than ever.

To truly cultivate relationships that will lead to client acquisition and retention, consider social selling.

The Importance of Social Selling

Social selling is precisely what it sounds like: using social media to sell a product or service. It’s leveraging social to build personal relationships, showcase thought leadership, engage with prospects, interact with existing clients and ultimately build trust and rapport that will eventually lead to more business.

It’s understandable that people might feel afraid and confused during market volatility, which is what makes social selling a critical trust-building opportunity. With social selling, you meet clients online in meaningful ways.

A social media brand presence does not equal a solid social selling strategy. You (as a real human) need to meet prospects throughout the buying journey to connect and build trust. When deciding who handles their investments or where they get a loan, people don’t choose institutions; they choose people.

How to Build Trust with Potential Clients 

To stay visible and competitive, use social selling to become a micro-influencer in your community. Here are four ways you can build impactful relationships with clients and new prospects:

1. Post Consistently 

The first key to using social media to build trust and relationships is simple: consistency. Post often to stay top-of-mind and build algorithmic preference. Consistency ensures you’re providing value to clients and prospects on a regular basis.

And remember, every post counts. Not every post will get the engagement you hope for (or even the same amount), but each post should feel intentional and authentic when you post, make sure you have and audience in mind.

2. Upload Quality Content to Favor the Algorithm

Consistent posts are crucial, but you also have to post high-quality content. Hot tip: include a video or image (social media posts with images tend to garner more engagement). Also schedule posts for the ideal time for target audiences. After all, it doesn’t matter how great a post looks if no one sees it.

Craft copy that opens the door to conversations, such as asking open-ended questions, soliciting responses, or featuring polls that can be answered on the spot. Interactive elements will lead to more engagement and conversions.

3. Source Content from Trusted Third Parties

To build trust, it is critical you only share information from credible third-party sources. There’s a lot of bad financial advice and misinformation out there. If the audience suspects you’re full of baloney, you’ll lose a lot of trust.

If you’re sourcing high-quality content from your brand’s social media library, add personal commentary to make the content more authentic and personable.

4. Be Authentic 

It seems simple to say, but trust hinges on authentic relationships. Today’s investors want to work with real people who connect with them on a human level. That’s why it’s so important to be yourself when social selling. Put your personality into your posts, talk about things that are important to you or ask questions.

When people interact with you online, they’ll see how much reliable value you provide in their lives and will be more likely to trust your brand with their livelihoods. Authenticity is even more crucial when it comes to attracting prospects at the top of the funnel who haven’t gotten the chance to meet (and befriend) you yet.

While economic uncertainty poses challenges, remember that gaining and keeping trust is the key to acquiring and retaining clients (even in tough times). Lean on social selling to tell your brand story, build thought leadership and gain more followers who will convert into new clients.

Ready to learn more about social selling? Check out the Social Selling Playbook from Denim Social.

Article adapted from a piece originally published in the ABA Banking Journal.

5 Creative Ways to Be the Local Go-to Person for First-Time Homebuyers

Scott Schang, AI Expert

Much of your ability to thrive in the mortgage business depends on your ability to recognize market-driven opportunities. 2024 is going to be a strong year for first-time homebuyers.
If you’re not already building a database of renters, you should be! Building a list of potential early entry and future homebuyers, particularly from a pool of renters who may aspire to homeownership, requires a combination of creative outreach, strategic partnerships, and leveraging technology.

Today, I’m going to share five creative ways to position yourself as the first option for first-time buyers in your community. That was your first clue. Think local.

1. Collaborative Events with Local Businesses: Partner with local businesses that renters frequently visit, such as furniture stores, home decor shops, and moving companies, to host informational events on homeownership. These events can include workshops, seminars, or casual mixers where renters can learn about the home-buying process, mortgage options, and even home decoration tips for future homeowners. Attendees can opt-in to your mailing list for more information or a free consultation, providing a direct line to engaged potential buyers.

2. Educational Content Series: Create a series of engaging, informative content pieces targeted at renters looking to buy their first home. This can include blog posts, videos, infographics, and eBooks covering topics like “Buying New Construction,” “The Benefits of Owning vs. Renting,” “How to Save for a Down Payment,” and “Understanding Mortgage Rates.” Promote these resources across social media, YouTube, and through email newsletters, offering exclusive content to those who sign up for your mailing list. All of this content can be created using ChatGPT.

3. Interactive Online Tools: Deploy interactive tools that renters can use to assess their readiness for homeownership, such as FinLocker, affordability calculators, cost comparison tools (renting vs. buying), and quizzes to determine their ideal home type.

4. Community Engagement Initiatives: Get involved in local community events, such as farmers’ markets, street fairs, and neighborhood meetups, setting up a booth, or sponsoring an activity that promotes homeownership education. Offer free consultations or entry into a raffle for a home-related prize in exchange for signing up for your mailing list. This not only builds your list but also establishes your brand as a community-focused, helpful resource for potential homebuyers.

5. Renter Referral Programs: Launch a specific referral program targeting current renters, friends, and family members who might know someone considering a move from renting to buying. Offer incentives for referrals that lead to consultations or sign-ups, such as gift cards, discounts on services, or entries into larger giveaways. This approach leverages existing networks and turns satisfied customers and community members into advocates for your services.

Tech with Touch: How Finding a Balance is the Key to Long-term Success

John Jurkovich, Founder of The Mortgage Broker Builder

Not long ago, a Super Bowl ad heralded the era of the “Push Button, Get Mortgage” revolution.

Fintech advancements since then have indeed transformed the industry, offering remarkable benefits. However, amidst the convenience, we’ve witnessed a shift from trusted advisors to transactional interactions. As the tech got better and rates dipped the industry may have put too much focus on automating a single transaction and forgot all about optimizing for a positive homeownership experience.

The industry’s evolution from multiple programs and personalized advice to a one-click process has its drawbacks. While technologies like automated verification and instant data access streamline operations, they risk sacrificing the depth of client relationships.

Many mortgage professionals are no longer the trusted advisors they once were. We’ve created a legion of loan officers who can provide clients with rates and fees, send you a link to complete your e-consent, but who likely won’t remember name.

However, there are loan advisors who recognize the value of personalized service and reverting to traditional methods and seeing success. By engaging clients directly and asking pertinent questions, they cultivate meaningful connections. Unlike mere transaction facilitators, they become partners invested in clients’ long-term financial well-being.

Although Point-of-Sale (POS) links provide efficiency, they should serve as the starting point for conversations, not the endpoint for quotes. Viewing clients as commodities undermines trust and rapport.

Here are some questions to dig deeper that are not part of any point of sale:

• Do you have any significant life changes upcoming, such as weddings or retirement?
• Are you on track for retirement, and what concerns you most about your financial future? Do you have a 401k and/or match?
• What are your primary financial goals, and how can we tailor solutions to meet them?
• What do you view as a comfortable monthly payment? What we can qualify for might vary greatly from this.
• Have you considered all the costs associated with homeownership, including property taxes, insurance, and maintenance?
• Do you have a financial planner that you trust? As your debt planner, this person is critical to your team.
• Do you have a side hustle or any other income that we should know about? More and more people are adding side hustles to make ends meet.

Uncovering your client’s concerns, both known and unknown, and providing tailored solutions fosters lasting relationships. Ultimately, this approach transforms clients into advocates, referral partners, and friends.

Too many individuals and companies get frustrated that they are viewed as a transactional commodity, but should they be viewed as something different? They evaluate their business with metrics like cost per click, number of impressions, applications started at a point of sale, the number of automated SMS sent, and the rates your competitors are charging.

While technology offers efficiency, it should not replace personalized service and meaningful client relationships. By prioritizing trust, communication, and understanding, mortgage professionals can navigate the evolving landscape while maintaining their role as trusted advisors in clients’ financial journeys.

The mortgage pros that I see growing in this market have moved away from all that and are discussing both short and long-term goals, explaining and educating across multiple mediums, and are obsessed with providing 5-star service and winning. The Loan Advisor of the Future is going to be doing even more of that with a portable personal brand while maintaining their data. They will be leveraging tools like FinLocker and a variety of others to set themselves apart and dominate in any market.

2024 is the Year the loan advisor becomes the brand.