Podcast Summary: Mortgage Marketing Radio – "How to Grow Production by 30% Teaching Agent Classes"

Introduction

In the February 19, 2025 episode of Mortgage Marketing Radio, host Geoff Zimpfer engages in an insightful conversation with Nate Joma, a seasoned Mortgage Loan Originator from Central Florida. The episode delves into Nate's innovative approach to growing mortgage production by leveraging agent classes, a strategy that has significantly boosted his business without relying on traditional methods like cold calling or open houses.

Guest Background

Nate Joma brings a wealth of experience to the table. With roots in the mortgage industry dating back to 2002, Nate has navigated various roles, including running a call center and establishing a net branch within a mortgage brokerage. After a hiatus from 2008 to 2019, he returned to full-time origination, adapting to the transformed landscape of the mortgage industry. Today, Nate averages six to eight units per month, translating to $1.5 to $2 million in monthly volume.

Nate Joma [02:40]: "I started in the mortgage industry way back in 2002...I've really only been full time originating again now about five years."

Leveraging Agent Classes for Business Growth

Nate's primary source of business comes from real estate agent referrals, a relationship fostered through his dedication to teaching agent classes. Unlike traditional loan officers who might focus solely on mortgage-centric topics, Nate differentiates himself by offering classes on diverse subjects that aid real estate agents in their business.

Nate Joma [07:08]: "I'm doing things that aren't necessarily mortgage related, but help them in their real estate business and position myself as an educator."

Nate emphasizes the importance of educating agents on topics beyond mortgages, such as social media strategies, AI utilization, and creative tools like Canva. This approach not only provides value to the agents but also establishes Nate as a trusted advisor rather than just another salesperson.

Unique Approach to Agent Classes

When discussing why he chose to focus on agent classes over traditional lead generation methods, Nate explains his eccentricity and strategic mindset. He believes in differentiation and has optimized his approach by tailoring classes that resonate with agents' needs, thereby fostering meaningful relationships and generating referrals organically.

Nate Joma [08:19]: "There's a lack of training for agents out there... I have to attract them with something different."

Overcoming Challenges

One of the significant challenges Nate faces is leveraging loan officers to attract audiences for his classes. To address this, he collaborates with both affiliated and unaffiliated loan officers, encouraging them to invite their agents to his sessions. This not only helps in filling seats but also provides loan officers with a tangible reason to engage agents, moving away from monotonous cold calls.

Nate Joma [09:34]: "I'm doing it for my agents as well... it gives them something to call and talk with them about."

Integrating Social Selling

Alongside agent classes, Nate employs social selling as a pivotal component of his strategy. He meticulously engages with real estate agents on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, fostering relationships by interacting with their content and initiating direct conversations through comments and DMs.

Nate Joma [16:29]: "I'm following them and then I'll get very deliberate about engaging with their content... I'm opening up a DM conversation with somebody."

This method complements his classes by keeping him top-of-mind with agents, ensuring continuous engagement and relationship building without the aggressiveness of traditional sales tactics.

Post-Class Follow-Up and Relationship Building

Nate places significant emphasis on post-class follow-up, systematically reaching out to attendees to gather feedback and further solidify relationships. This follow-up often leads to additional support, such as helping agents set up their Google My Business profiles or utilizing tools like Canva and AI technologies.

Nate Joma [26:20]: "I reach out to them and say, hey, what did you think about the class?... sometimes I have conversations with them and they're still in that apprehensive phase."

Furthermore, Nate maintains a private Facebook group for agents who attend his classes, facilitating ongoing communication, sharing future training topics, and gathering input on desired subjects. This community acts as an incubation tank, continuously nurturing relationships and providing value.

Impact on Production

Nate's approach has had a substantial impact on his business. In 2024, approximately 33% of his business—equating to about 20 transactions—originated from agent classes alone. This underscores the efficacy of his strategy in generating consistent referrals and business growth.

Nate Joma [21:24]: "That's probably going to represent somewhere between 20 to 30 transactions that funded last year from doing the classes."

Advice for Loan Officers

For loan officers looking to replicate Nate's success, he offers practical advice:

1. Identify Your Strengths: Determine what topics you can confidently teach that provide value to real estate agents.
2. Utilize Technology: Employ tools like Gamma for creating presentations and Canva for designing engaging slides.
3. Engage Strategically: Allocate specific times for social selling to build and maintain relationships without getting distracted.
4. Post-Class Engagement: Consistently follow up with attendees to reinforce relationships and seek opportunities for collaboration.
5. Diversify Class Topics: Focus on subjects that aid agents in their business beyond mortgages to stand out and provide comprehensive value.

Nate Joma [32:35]: "If you're a new loan officer and you're down with this classes thing, start by bulleting out everything that you can talk about... utilize AI to build out presentations."

Balancing Virtual and In-Person Classes

Nate recognizes the unique advantages of both virtual and in-person classes. While virtual sessions offer broader reach and convenience, in-person interactions foster deeper connections and allow for immediate, one-on-one conversations post-class. He advocates for a balanced approach, utilizing both formats to maximize engagement and relationship building.

Nate Joma [38:46]: "They're both invaluable tools and somebody should really try to do both. They're both different in the results that you get."

Collaborating with Affiliates

To enhance the reach of his classes, Nate has begun partnering with affiliates such as title companies, home inspectors, and appraisers. These collaborations expand his network, allowing him to tap into the affiliates' existing connections and invite a larger, more diverse audience to his trainings.

Nate Joma [39:33]: "I've started to add affiliates into some of those as well to try to bring in a little bit bigger of a crowd."

Conclusion

Nate Joma's innovative use of agent classes as a strategic tool for business growth exemplifies a modern, relationship-centric approach in the mortgage industry. By offering valuable, non-mortgage-related education, leveraging social selling, and maintaining diligent post-class follow-ups, Nate has successfully increased his production by 30%, demonstrating the powerful impact of education-driven marketing.

Notable Quotes

• Nate Joma [07:08]: "I'm positioning myself as an educator more so than somebody that's knocking on their door and asking for business."

• Nate Joma [09:34]: "This is that lead in to having that conversation. Hey, I want to invite you to this class."

• Nate Joma [16:29]: "When you're posting something online and you have people that are liking it and commenting on it and you aren't engaging with them, that's the same as you and I being in a room and somebody coming up to you and talking to you and then you just looking at them and walking away."

• Nate Joma [21:24]: "That's probably going to represent somewhere between 20 to 30 transactions that funded last year from doing the classes."

• Nate Joma [32:35]: "Start by bulleting out everything that you can talk about... utilize AI to build out presentations."

• Nate Joma [38:46]: "They're both invaluable tools and somebody should really try to do both."

Connect with Nate Joma

For those interested in implementing Nate’s strategies or seeking further guidance, you can follow him on social media:

• Instagram: @gagebynate
• LinkedIn: Nate Joma

Feel free to reach out and engage with Nate to learn more about leveraging agent classes to elevate your mortgage business.