Ep. 137 - From The Vault...Our #1 Episode of All Time

Debbie Secord and Katie Shive break down how a high-volume LO builds deep agent relationships, runs client events, executes pop-bys, and uses a Thursday hot-shopper follow-up system to protect her pipeline. Best for LOs who want a replicable agent-relationship model that doesn't rely on cold outreach or paid ads.

Takeaways you can run this week

• Run a Thursday Hot Shopper call every week: have a team member call every pre-approved buyer who is actively shopping to check on their agent experience, validate the agent relationship, and catch any dissatisfaction early — then brief the referring agent on meaningful updates.
• Host a client-appreciation event at a rented venue (pumpkin patch, local farm, etc.) once a year: mail personal invitations, follow with an email campaign, then make reminder calls the final week. Debbie hit 301 attendees using this exact sequence — no paid ads.
• Do quarterly agent happy hours (not monthly — attendance dropped when monthly): book a local restaurant that donates a raffle prize, provide heavy apps, collect business cards at the door, and cap it as an exclusive feel. Debbie averaged 20+ agents per event.
• Plan pop-bys six months in advance using NationalDayCalendar.com: tie a $2-per-unit themed bundle to an obscure national day (e.g., National S'mores Day in August, National Pickle Day on Nov 14), print a branded tag with a one-liner, and deliver to 50 agent offices in an afternoon.
• Start a monthly book study with 4-8 agents from different offices: open each session with accountability questions — how many calls did you make, how many thank-you cards sent, what does your lead tracker show — positioning yourself as a coach, not a vendor.
• Create an open house survival kit from the dollar store (light bulb, candle, air freshener, TP) with your card and the agent's card inside. Give it to the listing agent when you co-host open houses — agents can refill and reuse it, keeping your brand visible.

The playbook

1. 1. Segment your database: active hot shoppers, TBDs/paused buyers, credit-repair track.
2. 2. Hot shoppers: call every Thursday to check status, validate the agent, and identify any dissatisfaction.
3. 3. Paused buyers (6-month timeline): move to every-other-month touch; reference the specific reason they paused (savings, life change).
4. 4. Long-pause or credit-repair buyers (12+ months): quarterly check-in tied to their specific milestone (credit score progress, savings goal).
5. 5. When a paused buyer is ready, call the original referring agent first with the update before re-engaging the buyer — reinforces the agent relationship.
6. 6. Layer in agent touches: alternate pop-bys and happy hours on a six-month calendar so there is at least one face-to-face touchpoint every month without overlap.

Worth quoting

“I no longer will do a deal with a nightmare just to do a deal. Just don't do it.”

“You never know who's watching. Even one person watching could translate to a referral down the road.”

Best for

LOs who rely on a handful of agents but have no structured follow-up system for pre-approved buyers or a repeatable plan for agent events.