Episode Summary: Building Powerful Relationships for Mortgage Success

Podcast: Mortgage Marketing Radio
Host: Geoff Zimpfer
Guest: Katie Grimes
Date: October 16, 2024

Episode Overview

In this episode, Geoff Zimpfer sits down with Katie Grimes, the number one female loan officer in Kansas and number two overall in Kansas City. Their wide-ranging conversation centers on how Katie built an exceptional mortgage business by focusing on deep, meaningful relationships—particularly with realtors—and the fundamentals of client service. The discussion offers a blend of tactical advice, personal insight, and actionable strategies around lead generation, agent partnerships, the human side of branding, and adapting to market changes, including NAR policy shifts.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Katie’s Journey & Background (01:18–07:01)

Katie shares her non-traditional path into mortgages: starting in title at 19 after becoming a young single mom, building experience over 13 years, and feeling a desire for more meaningful client impact.
Her initial perception of loan officers was negative: “never answers their phone, is always on the golf course, and it was just very like, used car salesy.”
— Katie, 03:32
She decided to move into mortgages in 2017, going all-in (using family savings as her startup fund) and rose to top-producer status despite not having a college degree.
“I'm now the number one female loan officer in Kansas, number two overall in the city. And we're closing lots of loans and changing lots of lives.”
— Katie, 05:42

Building an Authentic Personal Brand (07:15–14:06)

Katie’s Instagram bio stands out: “I save buyers time and money.” She emphasizes clarity and relatability, preferring everyday language over industry jargon.
She humanizes her brand with quirky details: “lake bum and 90s rap expert,” which draws in like-minded clients. “Your people will find you, you know?... I'd rather be disliked for who I am versus liked for somebody I'm not.”
— Katie, 11:25
The “ISO [In Search Of] perfect espresso martini” line demonstrates her approachability.
Instagram is her main platform—where she gets the most engagement and leans into visual storytelling (09:34–10:29).

Lead Generation & Realtor Relationships (14:20–19:53)

Katie is highly realtor-referral based, leveraging her strong network and background in title.
She doesn’t buy leads, instead focusing on organic, relationship-driven connections.
“I am all about really, really deep and meaningful relationships because I really think that if you pour value into the people that you care about the most, that's always going to be reciprocated.”
— Katie, 15:13
Relationships that flow easily are prioritized. She often vacations or socializes with her best referral partners.

The Realtor vs. Consumer-First Debate (17:14–19:22)

Katie recognizes the logic in having consumers speak to lenders first, but understands emotion drives most buyers to contact a realtor before thinking practically about finances.
“…People make decisions from here. Their heart, not their head... if we always talked numbers and always got to the client first, they don’t have that vision of excitement.”
— Katie, 18:05

Tactics for Attracting & Engaging Realtors (19:53–24:06)

The “buddy system”: leveraging current realtor relationships for introductions to potential new partners.
Emphasizes the law of averages and persistence: “I just call a lot of them and I connect with a lot of them. Right. It's a law of averages. So I kiss a lot of frogs too.”
— Katie, 19:57
Attends and hosts events, open houses, and "walk-and-talk" meetings for more organic interaction.
Focused relentlessly on the “fundamentals” before layering in advanced marketing.

Social Media’s Role—Enhancer, Not Originator (22:40–26:11)

Social media creates brand visibility—being "seen before you’re known" so when someone encounters her name, there’s familiarity.
Direct business from social is rare; the primary benefit is credibility and connection, occasionally leading to new partner introductions.
“Nothing's gonna beat just face to face, voice to voice. Spoiler alert, you're not going to fill your pipeline with people from social media.”
— Katie, 23:44
Realtors remain her highest-converting, lowest-cost, fastest-to-close source.

Realtor Concentration & Diversification (34:43–36:16)

Katie prefers a diversified network: “I would rather have a little pie from a lot of different pies than one whole pie from one.”
Cautions against putting all eggs in one “whale” basket—spread risk, but acknowledges genuine, “A” relationships deserve extra attention.

Staying Top-of-Mind with Realtors (36:16–38:10)

Frequent, spontaneous acts of gratitude: voice texts, calls, event invitations (e.g., charity rooftop gatherings).
Runs a “walking break bread” meet-up for busy agents to merge business and casual connection.
Emphasis on meaningful, non-transactional communication.

Adapting to NAR Policy Changes & Buyer Agency (38:26–47:45)

Katie educates agents via classes on shifting policies; focuses on supporting agent value, transparency, and certainty for buyers/sellers.
Shares strategies for addressing commission gaps: leveraging smart loan products (e.g., 2% non-repayable grants, no-PMI loans with lower down payments).
Advocates proactive open house involvement to meet buyers directly given changes to agency agreements.
“If you have realtors that are really busy and on the go...I invite them to...let's go for a walk.”
— Katie, 37:43

High-Value, “Zhuzhed” Marketing Support (48:16–52:16)

Katie’s “Team KG Marketing” provides free, top-tier marketing materials to agents—flyers, listing tools, scenario comparisons—to save agents time and money.
Pushes back on the narrative that realtors don’t value co-branded marketing (“are you going to go do them yourself? Probably not, right?”) and emphasizes differentiation by quality.
“If you're a realtor and you need marketing assets, you're either probably paying somebody...or you're making them yourself, which is time. So again, I'm saving realtors time and money.”
— Katie, 51:19

Community, Coaching, and Giving Back (53:24–54:43)

Katie is open to mentoring, especially for female loan officers balancing career and family (“Motherhood and Mortgages”).
She actively coaches via Growth Only Coaching, helping others build businesses with purpose.
“My path wasn’t just clean and neat, but it’s really, really satisfying to show people how to create a business with purpose.” — Katie, 54:24

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On overcoming nontraditional beginnings:
“You can have some obstacles in life and not do something exactly the way that maybe society thinks you have to in order to be successful.” (04:05)
On branding:
“If I can just immediately, within the first few seconds of you coming and checking out who I am, say here, this is what I’m about and what I’m here to help you with...” (08:47)
On authenticity:
“I'd rather be disliked for who I am versus liked for somebody I'm not, right? So I think just authenticity is really big for me.” (11:24)
On lead generation:
“I just call a lot of them and I connect with a lot of them. Right. It's a law of averages. So I kiss a lot of frogs too.” (19:57)
On value to Realtors:
“Having Katie's name on a pre approval letter almost doubles your chances of getting it accepted. Which is like something I'm super, super proud of.” (28:46)
On change in NAR rules:
“Commissions have always been negotiable and they will remain that way... As long as we can complete [certainty and net-to-seller], having the certainty piece of having the reputation and the backing of our company…” (39:25)
On free marketing tools:
“I would say my marketing assets are going to be way better than no marketing assets. Right?” (51:33)
On coaching & purpose:
“It’s really, really satisfying to show people how to create a business with purpose, you know.” (54:24)

Important Timestamps

Katie’s background: 01:18–07:01
Instagram strategy and bio: 07:15–14:06
Primary business source (“Realtor relationships”): 14:20–19:53
Realtor vs. direct-to-consumer narratives: 17:14–19:22
Attracting/engaging agents (“law of averages” approach): 19:53–24:06
Role of social media: 22:40–26:11
Managing agent concentration/diversification: 34:43–36:16
Maintaining top-of-mind with acts of gratitude/events: 36:16–38:10
Responding to NAR policy changes/open houses: 38:26–47:45
Marketing support for agents (Team KG): 48:16–52:16
Coaching/mentoring/“Motherhood and Mortgages”: 53:24–54:43

Connect with Katie Grimes

Instagram: @katienkasey
Website: katienkasey.com
Coaching Info: Growth Only Coaching

For more proven strategies and inspiration, listen to the full episode or connect with Katie via her website/socials as listed above.

Episode Summary: Building Powerful Relationships for Mortgage Success

Podcast: Mortgage Marketing Radio
Host: Geoff Zimpfer
Guest: Katie Grimes
Date: October 16, 2024

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Katie’s Journey & Background (01:18–07:01)

Katie shares her non-traditional path into mortgages: starting in title at 19 after becoming a young single mom, building experience over 13 years, and feeling a desire for more meaningful client impact.
Her initial perception of loan officers was negative: “never answers their phone, is always on the golf course, and it was just very like, used car salesy.”
— Katie, 03:32
She decided to move into mortgages in 2017, going all-in (using family savings as her startup fund) and rose to top-producer status despite not having a college degree.
“I'm now the number one female loan officer in Kansas, number two overall in the city. And we're closing lots of loans and changing lots of lives.”
— Katie, 05:42

Building an Authentic Personal Brand (07:15–14:06)

Katie’s Instagram bio stands out: “I save buyers time and money.” She emphasizes clarity and relatability, preferring everyday language over industry jargon.
She humanizes her brand with quirky details: “lake bum and 90s rap expert,” which draws in like-minded clients. “Your people will find you, you know?... I'd rather be disliked for who I am versus liked for somebody I'm not.”
— Katie, 11:25
The “ISO [In Search Of] perfect espresso martini” line demonstrates her approachability.
Instagram is her main platform—where she gets the most engagement and leans into visual storytelling (09:34–10:29).

Lead Generation & Realtor Relationships (14:20–19:53)

Katie is highly realtor-referral based, leveraging her strong network and background in title.
She doesn’t buy leads, instead focusing on organic, relationship-driven connections.
“I am all about really, really deep and meaningful relationships because I really think that if you pour value into the people that you care about the most, that's always going to be reciprocated.”
— Katie, 15:13
Relationships that flow easily are prioritized. She often vacations or socializes with her best referral partners.

The Realtor vs. Consumer-First Debate (17:14–19:22)

Katie recognizes the logic in having consumers speak to lenders first, but understands emotion drives most buyers to contact a realtor before thinking practically about finances.
“…People make decisions from here. Their heart, not their head... if we always talked numbers and always got to the client first, they don’t have that vision of excitement.”
— Katie, 18:05

Tactics for Attracting & Engaging Realtors (19:53–24:06)

The “buddy system”: leveraging current realtor relationships for introductions to potential new partners.
Emphasizes the law of averages and persistence: “I just call a lot of them and I connect with a lot of them. Right. It's a law of averages. So I kiss a lot of frogs too.”
— Katie, 19:57
Attends and hosts events, open houses, and "walk-and-talk" meetings for more organic interaction.
Focused relentlessly on the “fundamentals” before layering in advanced marketing.

Social Media’s Role—Enhancer, Not Originator (22:40–26:11)

Social media creates brand visibility—being "seen before you’re known" so when someone encounters her name, there’s familiarity.
Direct business from social is rare; the primary benefit is credibility and connection, occasionally leading to new partner introductions.
“Nothing's gonna beat just face to face, voice to voice. Spoiler alert, you're not going to fill your pipeline with people from social media.”
— Katie, 23:44
Realtors remain her highest-converting, lowest-cost, fastest-to-close source.

Realtor Concentration & Diversification (34:43–36:16)

Katie prefers a diversified network: “I would rather have a little pie from a lot of different pies than one whole pie from one.”
Cautions against putting all eggs in one “whale” basket—spread risk, but acknowledges genuine, “A” relationships deserve extra attention.

Staying Top-of-Mind with Realtors (36:16–38:10)

Frequent, spontaneous acts of gratitude: voice texts, calls, event invitations (e.g., charity rooftop gatherings).
Runs a “walking break bread” meet-up for busy agents to merge business and casual connection.
Emphasis on meaningful, non-transactional communication.

Adapting to NAR Policy Changes & Buyer Agency (38:26–47:45)

Katie educates agents via classes on shifting policies; focuses on supporting agent value, transparency, and certainty for buyers/sellers.
Shares strategies for addressing commission gaps: leveraging smart loan products (e.g., 2% non-repayable grants, no-PMI loans with lower down payments).
Advocates proactive open house involvement to meet buyers directly given changes to agency agreements.
“If you have realtors that are really busy and on the go...I invite them to...let's go for a walk.”
— Katie, 37:43

High-Value, “Zhuzhed” Marketing Support (48:16–52:16)

Katie’s “Team KG Marketing” provides free, top-tier marketing materials to agents—flyers, listing tools, scenario comparisons—to save agents time and money.
Pushes back on the narrative that realtors don’t value co-branded marketing (“are you going to go do them yourself? Probably not, right?”) and emphasizes differentiation by quality.
“If you're a realtor and you need marketing assets, you're either probably paying somebody...or you're making them yourself, which is time. So again, I'm saving realtors time and money.”
— Katie, 51:19

Community, Coaching, and Giving Back (53:24–54:43)

Katie is open to mentoring, especially for female loan officers balancing career and family (“Motherhood and Mortgages”).
She actively coaches via Growth Only Coaching, helping others build businesses with purpose.
“My path wasn’t just clean and neat, but it’s really, really satisfying to show people how to create a business with purpose.” — Katie, 54:24

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On overcoming nontraditional beginnings:
“You can have some obstacles in life and not do something exactly the way that maybe society thinks you have to in order to be successful.” (04:05)
On branding:
“If I can just immediately, within the first few seconds of you coming and checking out who I am, say here, this is what I’m about and what I’m here to help you with...” (08:47)
On authenticity:
“I'd rather be disliked for who I am versus liked for somebody I'm not, right? So I think just authenticity is really big for me.” (11:24)
On lead generation:
“I just call a lot of them and I connect with a lot of them. Right. It's a law of averages. So I kiss a lot of frogs too.” (19:57)
On value to Realtors:
“Having Katie's name on a pre approval letter almost doubles your chances of getting it accepted. Which is like something I'm super, super proud of.” (28:46)
On change in NAR rules:
“Commissions have always been negotiable and they will remain that way... As long as we can complete [certainty and net-to-seller], having the certainty piece of having the reputation and the backing of our company…” (39:25)
On free marketing tools:
“I would say my marketing assets are going to be way better than no marketing assets. Right?” (51:33)
On coaching & purpose:
“It’s really, really satisfying to show people how to create a business with purpose, you know.” (54:24)

Important Timestamps

Katie’s background: 01:18–07:01
Instagram strategy and bio: 07:15–14:06
Primary business source (“Realtor relationships”): 14:20–19:53
Realtor vs. direct-to-consumer narratives: 17:14–19:22
Attracting/engaging agents (“law of averages” approach): 19:53–24:06
Role of social media: 22:40–26:11
Managing agent concentration/diversification: 34:43–36:16
Maintaining top-of-mind with acts of gratitude/events: 36:16–38:10
Responding to NAR policy changes/open houses: 38:26–47:45
Marketing support for agents (Team KG): 48:16–52:16
Coaching/mentoring/“Motherhood and Mortgages”: 53:24–54:43

Connect with Katie Grimes

Instagram: @katienkasey
Website: katienkasey.com
Coaching Info: Growth Only Coaching

For more proven strategies and inspiration, listen to the full episode or connect with Katie via her website/socials as listed above.

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Summary

Episode Summary: Building Powerful Relationships for Mortgage Success

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Katie’s Journey & Background (01:18–07:01)

Building an Authentic Personal Brand (07:15–14:06)

Lead Generation & Realtor Relationships (14:20–19:53)

The Realtor vs. Consumer-First Debate (17:14–19:22)

Tactics for Attracting & Engaging Realtors (19:53–24:06)

Social Media’s Role—Enhancer, Not Originator (22:40–26:11)

Realtor Concentration & Diversification (34:43–36:16)

Staying Top-of-Mind with Realtors (36:16–38:10)

Adapting to NAR Policy Changes & Buyer Agency (38:26–47:45)

High-Value, “Zhuzhed” Marketing Support (48:16–52:16)

Community, Coaching, and Giving Back (53:24–54:43)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Important Timestamps

Connect with Katie Grimes

Summary

Episode Summary: Building Powerful Relationships for Mortgage Success

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Katie’s Journey & Background (01:18–07:01)

Building an Authentic Personal Brand (07:15–14:06)

Lead Generation & Realtor Relationships (14:20–19:53)

The Realtor vs. Consumer-First Debate (17:14–19:22)

Tactics for Attracting & Engaging Realtors (19:53–24:06)

Social Media’s Role—Enhancer, Not Originator (22:40–26:11)

Realtor Concentration & Diversification (34:43–36:16)

Staying Top-of-Mind with Realtors (36:16–38:10)

Adapting to NAR Policy Changes & Buyer Agency (38:26–47:45)

High-Value, “Zhuzhed” Marketing Support (48:16–52:16)

Community, Coaching, and Giving Back (53:24–54:43)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Important Timestamps

Connect with Katie Grimes