Ep #91: How Pop-By's and Big Events Help This Top Loan Officer Close 206 Loans Special Guest: Michelle Oddo

Michelle Oddo breaks down exactly how she built a 206-unit/year purchase business through 20-25 core agent relationships, a 'cheesy gifts' direct mail program, big community events (rented movie theaters, holiday light shows), and aggressive past-client database work. Best for LOs who want a concrete relationship-marketing playbook that doesn't rely on digital ads or cold calling.

Takeaways you can run this week

• Audit your agent list and identify your core 20-25. Spend the bulk of your marketing budget and time here; acknowledge another ~20 peripheral agents deserve lighter touches but still belong on your direct-mail rotation.
• Launch a 'cheesy gifts' direct-mail campaign to agents and past clients every 4-6 weeks. Use items with a tagline tied back to your brand (e.g., bubbles = 'We'll blow you away with our service,' compass = 'We'll point you in the right direction'). Budget for consistency over splash — this is a long-game, multi-month commitment.
• Book a Saturday morning movie theater rental for a client/realtor appreciation event. Commit to ~200-300 seats, pre-buy a popcorn-and-drink package per family, leave the front two rows empty, and staff a ticket table at the door. All-in cost with food runs ~$3,000-$3,500 (split with a co-LO or get a company marketing match to reduce your share). Pick a blockbuster title and promote it heavily so even non-attendees see you're doing it.
• Start inviting borrowers into your office to drop off documents after the phone pre-qual. Script: 'We really prefer you come in — can you bring your docs by this week?' Michelle found the majority say yes when simply asked, and rate-shopping drops significantly after an in-office visit.
• Block 6-8 hours per week specifically for database and agent outreach calls — not loan work. Split that time between past-client annual reviews/HomeBat alerts and calls to agents you want to deepen relationships with. Use Outlook calendar reminders if you don't have a CRM workflow.
• After every closed transaction, look up the listing agent on the other side. If you'd enjoy working with them, add them to your cheesy-gift mail list and follow up with a call referencing the deal you just co-worked.

The playbook

1. Step 1 — Phone pre-qual: Take the application over the phone or send borrower to your website app link.
2. Step 2 — Invite in-office: After pre-qual, ask borrower to bring documents in person. Frame it as preferred, not required.
3. Step 3 — Arrival experience: Greet with coffee/water, take 5-10 minutes to review their plan and timeline yourself.
4. Step 4 — Hand off to LOA: Introduce borrower to your loan officer associate (Carla/Shannon equivalent) who reviews all documents in detail.
5. Step 5 — Lock talk: You personally call the borrower to lock the rate and explain the decision.
6. Step 6 — Milestone touches: You step back in at key points (underwriting approval, any doc issues, closing). LOA handles routine updates.
7. Step 7 — Over-communicate to the agent: Mirror the same milestone updates to the referring realtor throughout the process.

Worth quoting

“I really found a long time ago to work with people you like. It's just so much more fun and it's a better business.”

“People are craving connection because they're not getting real connection online — they're craving face-to-face connection.”

Best for

LOs who are active with agents but rely entirely on digital touches and have never hosted a live community event or used physical direct mail.