Podcast Summary:

Mortgage Marketing Radio
Episode: The #1 Activity For Loan Officers to Get Mortgage Leads in 2025
Date: February 17, 2025
Host: Geoff Zimpfer (B)
Guest: Todd Bookspan (A)

Overview

This episode of Mortgage Marketing Radio centers on the single most crucial activity loan officers should prioritize in 2025 to drive more mortgage leads: having direct, high-quality conversations with past clients and referral partners. Geoff Zimpfer interviews top producer Todd Bookspan, who shares actionable strategies, success stories, and details from his own day-to-day practice—and reveals why “brilliance in the basics” works even in today’s changing market.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power of Direct Client Conversations

• Todd’s Outreach Process: Todd texts clients, inviting them to a brief 3-minute market update call. The outreach is intentionally casual and focused, lowering resistance and opening doors to both new business and referrals.
• Referral Multiplication: In one 9-minute call (00:00, 05:26), Todd secured:
  • A referral to a financial advisor
  • An introduction to an insurance agent
  • Commitment for his client to meet Todd’s insurance contact
  • A conversation about HELOCs, planting seeds for future business.

Quote:
“If you just have a few conversations like that a day, it’s going to be really difficult for you not to grow your business in 2025.” – Todd (00:56, 06:45, 07:15)

Tactic Details

• Prepping with Texts: Short, direct texts like “Hey, do you have three minutes for a call tomorrow?” set expectations and make clients more receptive.
• Tracking Calls and Results: Todd blocks out call slots on his calendar and records not just who he calls, but what referrals/actions come out of each.
• Not Overwhelming: Calls are brief but meaningful—three minutes advertised, but allowing flexibility for rapport.

2. “Be Brilliant in the Basics” — The Math Behind Success

• Activity Discipline: Knowing one’s numbers (leads, applications, closings, and conversion rates) clarifies how many outreach activities are required to reach annual targets (03:01).
• Professionalism Mindset: Treat mortgage origination with the time-blocking and discipline of a traditional profession.

Quote:
“If you actually just treat it like a profession, not just a job... in the end, if I get off that soapbox and you say what’s working? What’s working is having conversations with people who can refer you business.” – Todd (03:51)

• Annual Financial Reviews: Todd personally completed 50 last year, supplementing his team’s efforts to maintain a pulse on his client base (07:39).

3. Evolving Old School Tactics for Modern Results

• Hybrid Prospecting: While acknowledging the value of tech, classes, and AI, Todd sees the fundamentals as more critical than ever.
• Newsletters and Digital Follow-Up: Though less consistent here, Todd leverages tools like Homebot for passive database touchpoints, supplementing with valuable, non-intrusive invitations (12:30).

Quote:
“I think it is [enough] if you’re doing them right. And then if you sprinkle in the other stuff... social media... technology to be more efficient… But in the end, if you’re not doing the fundamentals and the boring stuff, then I think it’s going to be really difficult to have a big business going forward.” – Todd (05:26)

4. The “Impact 100”—Challenging Yourself to Massive Action

• Todd and partner Dave Savage set a challenge: 100 phone conversations in a single day, focusing on impact and referral asks—not just calls for calls’ sake (10:03–14:57).
• Competitive, Yet Relational: Todd prepares lists and even meals in advance, treating the day as a marathon, not a sprint.
• Referral Script: Uses influence techniques (“Could you do me a favor…”) for reciprocity, aiming to generate leads for himself and his network (16:08).

Host Insight:
“You don’t even have to do 100 calls in a day... even 100 conversations in a week would be a world record!” – Geoff (15:54)

5. Leveraging Events: The Modern Mortgage Summit

• Event as Referral Engine: Hosting or co-hosting educational events is likened to placing the “angel on the Christmas tree”; the event creates spin-off opportunities for additional touchpoints—calls, DMs, follow-ups (17:38, 22:44).
• Summit Structure: Combines top mortgage and real estate speakers in concise 10-15 minute sessions, designed for tactical, actionable learning (18:15–21:46).
• Hosting Recommendations: Invite agents/partners to attend virtually or in-person, and use the event as a conversational catalyst and value-offer in outreach (21:46, 24:11).

Quote:
“You have something to invite them to, you have something to call them afterwards to check on to get feedback. Even if they didn’t show up, you still have the opportunity to call them and talk to them about it one on one.” – Todd (24:11)

Memorable Quotes & Timestamps

• “If you just have a few conversations like that a day, it’s going to be really difficult for you not to grow your business in 2025.” – Todd (00:56, 07:15)
• “Be brilliant in the basics—is that enough today?” – Geoff (04:49)
• “If you’re not doing the fundamentals and the boring stuff, then I think it’s going to be really difficult to have a big business going forward.” – Todd (05:26)
• “My goal is not to talk anyone till tomorrow… I’m competitive guy. I want to actually make sure I do it.” – Todd (10:03)
• “I suck at asking for referrals. And so in this one, I’m doing that. I’m using the Phil Jones, ‘hey, could you do me a favor’ line?” – Todd (16:08)
• “Hosting a class or event is like the tip of a spear—or the angel on the Christmas tree ... Then all the peripheral activities are the ornaments.” – Geoff (22:44)
• “Do the thing that gives you passion, do the thing that makes it easy. You’ve got to put yourself in the path of opportunity.” – Todd (24:11)

Important Segments & Timestamps

• Todd’s client call breakdown and referral results — [00:00–01:00], [05:26–07:15]
• Key loan officer metrics/activity discipline — [03:01–03:51]
• The “Impact 100” challenge mechanics — [10:03–14:57]
• Event strategy as referral engine (Christmas tree analogy) — [17:38–22:44]
• Modern Mortgage Summit overview — [18:15–21:46]

Takeaways for Loan Officers

• Direct client conversations (phone or in person) remain the #1 activity for generating leads and referrals in 2025.
• Compound your results by preparing, scripting, and tracking your outreach—don’t leave conversations to chance.
• Supplement conversations with value-offers (market updates, events, educational summits) to create opportunities for follow-up.
• Leverage events to accelerate “one-to-many” relationships, and use every peripheral activity (invites, follow-ups, feedback calls) as another way to add value and ask for business.
• Commit to the basics but adapt them to the current environment with a blend of technology and personal connection.

Closing Thoughts

• Action trumps inaction. Whether you commit to dozens or even a hundred calls in a day—or simply reconnect with a handful of past clients—every quality conversation increases your chance of success.
• Events are multi-purpose tools: They serve as natural, non-salesy reasons to call, text, or email your network.
• Brilliant execution of the basics, personalized outreach, and relentless follow-through are the proven threads running through elite producers’ businesses—no matter what changes in the market.

For more details and actionable strategies, check out the Modern Mortgage Summit (March 6th) or connect with the Mortgage Marketing Radio community.