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AI, Automation, and Loan Officer Referral Strategies

Loan Officer Marketing with Chris Johnstone

Release Date: 02/10/2025

How Damon Germanides Closed $202M by Focusing on Niche Loans and Elite Relationships show art How Damon Germanides Closed $202M by Focusing on Niche Loans and Elite Relationships

Loan Officer Marketing with Chris Johnstone

In this episode of The Loan Officer Marketing Podcast, we sit down with Damon Germanides, co-founder of Insignia Mortgage, to explore how he cracked the $202M volume mark — not by chasing leads, but by mastering a high-net-worth niche and building powerful partnerships.   Here’s what you’ll discover:   How to win jumbo, complex, and non-traditional loans that big banks can’t touch The exact strategy Damon uses to become the #1 referral partner in boutique real estate offices How adding bridge lending created a second revenue stream (and even more referrals)   Watch the...

info_outline How Ben Cohen Jumped from $349M to $553M in 12 Months and Became the #4 Loan Officer in the Nation show art How Ben Cohen Jumped from $349M to $553M in 12 Months and Became the #4 Loan Officer in the Nation

Loan Officer Marketing with Chris Johnstone

In this powerful episode of The Loan Officer Marketing Podcast, top producer Ben Cohen (Ranked #4 on Scotsman Guide) shares the mindset, systems, and strategies that helped him grow from $349M to $553M in just one year. Ben breaks down what it really takes to scale a mortgage business today.   Here’s what you’ll discover:   How Ben built a scalable business model while maintaining world-class customer service The real difference between a transactional lender and a relationship lender (and why it matters) How to create profitable corporate partnerships that bring in steady deal...

info_outline How to Fill Your Mortgage Calendar With Referral Based Qualified Appointments show art How to Fill Your Mortgage Calendar With Referral Based Qualified Appointments

Loan Officer Marketing with Chris Johnstone

In this high-impact episode of The Loan Officer Marketing Podcast, Chris Johnstone breaks down the exact strategy his team used to book over 2,000 qualified appointments last month — without cold calling or ad spend. Whether you're a solo loan officer or scaling a team, this episode will give you the exact roadmap to take your mortgage business from inconsistent to fully booked. Here’s what you’ll learn: - The referral-first strategy that helped the #4 loan officer in the U.S. grow by $204M last year  - Why 77% of borrowers close with the first lender they speak...

info_outline How James Driscoll Booked 83 Realtor Appointments in 3 Weeks Using A.I. & VAs show art How James Driscoll Booked 83 Realtor Appointments in 3 Weeks Using A.I. & VAs

Loan Officer Marketing with Chris Johnstone

In this amazing episode of The Loan Officer Marketing Podcast, 31-year mortgage veteran James Driscoll shares how he transformed his business by outsourcing appointment setting and leveraging A.I. for consistent follow-up. If you're stuck at 4 loans a month and want to break through to 10+, this episode is your blueprint.   Here’s what you’ll discover:   How James' team booked 83 qualified real estate agent appointments in just 3 weeks Learn the exact follow-up strategy that turned cold contacts into 10 new referral partners in 90 days. See how he's using this system to both...

info_outline The #7 LO in the Nation Andrew Marquis Shares How He Grew by Over $100m Last Year to a Total of $418m! show art The #7 LO in the Nation Andrew Marquis Shares How He Grew by Over $100m Last Year to a Total of $418m!

Loan Officer Marketing with Chris Johnstone

In this episode, we interview Andrew Marquis, the #7 loan officer on the Scotsman’s Guide, who grew his production by over $100 million in one year. Learn how he’s turning a tough market into massive opportunity—and how you can, too.   Here’s what you’ll discover:   Andrew’s mindset shift that helped him grow in a down market (and how you can adopt it today). His exact strategy for outpacing referral partner attrition and adding $80M+ producing agents to his network. How he uses a simple, value-driven script to book meetings with top real estate agents—even when they...

info_outline The #3 Emerging Stars Loan Officer with $227M in Volume is on the Loan Officer Marketing Podcast! show art The #3 Emerging Stars Loan Officer with $227M in Volume is on the Loan Officer Marketing Podcast!

Loan Officer Marketing with Chris Johnstone

Listen in as Christian Groomes shares how he built one of the largest mortgage businesses in an incredibly short period of time. In this incredibly valuable conversation he shares …   Where he gets his leads and closings from. The #1 process that every loan officer needs to focus on for growth. His thoughts and strategy for how he is going to continue to grow in the coming market.   If you want to close more loans this episode is a must listen!

info_outline Discover How Melissa Rishel is Building a Referral Machine show art Discover How Melissa Rishel is Building a Referral Machine

Loan Officer Marketing with Chris Johnstone

In this episode, we interview Melissa Rishel, a loan officer who’s proving you don’t need a massive database to win in this market. Learn how she's building powerful referral relationships from scratch using her unique Walk and Talk Real Estate approach—and how you can, too.   You’ll get to learn: How Melissa books referral-generating meetings with top agents every week The Walk & Talk strategy: a creative spin on coffee meetings that gets results Why consistency and tracking are the secret weapons for long-term growth   If you’re a loan officer looking for new ways...

info_outline How Cindy Ertman Turned Setbacks Into a Billion in Volume and Built a Coaching Empire show art How Cindy Ertman Turned Setbacks Into a Billion in Volume and Built a Coaching Empire

Loan Officer Marketing with Chris Johnstone

In this powerful episode, industry legend Cindy Ertman shares her journey from being unexpectedly laid off while pregnant, to becoming one of the most respected names in the mortgage industry with over $1.2B in branch volume. Her story is packed with resilience, strategy, and real-world coaching wisdom.   Here’s what you’ll learn:   How Cindy used grit and creative strategy to land her first top agent deal—and how that mindset still applies today. The 7 core pillars every loan officer should build their business on to survive and thrive in...

info_outline How Marty Guy Fink Grew from $0 Loans to Becoming the #1 Producer in Her Company. show art How Marty Guy Fink Grew from $0 Loans to Becoming the #1 Producer in Her Company.

Loan Officer Marketing with Chris Johnstone

How Marty Guy Fink Grew from $0 Loans to Becoming the #1 Producer in Her Company 🚀 In this powerful episode, Marty Guy Fink shares her incredible journey from not closing a single loan to becoming the top producer in her entire company. Her story is packed with practical strategies, mindset shifts, and daily habits that any loan officer can implement for massive growth. Here’s what you’ll learn: ✅ The exact success activities Marty follows every day to generate consistent loan volume. ✅ How she’s building strong realtor relationships—and going deeper with the ones she...

info_outline How Nicole Rueth Built a $100M+ Mortgage Business by Teaching Wealth Through Real Estate show art How Nicole Rueth Built a $100M+ Mortgage Business by Teaching Wealth Through Real Estate

Loan Officer Marketing with Chris Johnstone

In this high-impact episode, we sit down with Nicole Rueth — the #1 lender in Denver — to uncover how she transformed her mortgage business by leaning into a unique brand message: helping clients build wealth through real estate. Loan officers, get ready to be inspired and equipped with strategies to stand out, attract loyal clients, and scale your business in any market.   Here’s what you’ll learn:   How to Build a Brand That Attracts - Nicole shares how she shifted away from rate-focused marketing to a long-term vision of financial empowerment — and how that...

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Welcome to episode 4 of the Loan Officer Launch podcast series! In this episode, host Chris Johnstone reveals the groundbreaking strategies that are transforming how successful loan officers generate business in 2025. Discover why 87% of funded loans come from referrals, and learn the automated systems that are helping loan officers work smarter, not harder.

 

🔹 Key Takeaways:


1️⃣ The "7 Pathways" System: Learn how to leverage AI-powered automation to consistently generate referrals from past clients, qualified agents, and centers of influence - eliminating the need for unreliable cold leads.


2️⃣ Your 24/7 Digital Loan Officer Assistant – Why traditional CRM approaches are failing loan officers, and how the new wave of AI-powered tools can handle prospect conversations, appointment booking, and follow-ups automatically while maintaining authentic relationships.


3️⃣ The 8-Week Launch System – The proven 8-week framework for implementing these systems in your business, including how to use AI for content creation, social proof, and establishing yourself as the go-to mortgage expert in your local market.

 

Don't let another day go by watching your competition leverage AI while you're stuck in the old way of doing business. The mortgage industry is changing faster than ever, and the loan officers who adapt now will be the ones dominating their markets tomorrow.

 

Tune in now!

 

THE CART IS OPEN! - https://loanofficercrm.ai/loan-officer-launch-video-4/

 

I just announced that I will be working with a select group of Loan Officers over the next 8 weeks to help them launch their systems step by step.

Here are the details so you can decide if this is right for you:

When you invest today, you will receive:

  • 8 weeks of LIVE mastermind training with me—each week, we launch a new A.I.-powered CRM system for your business.

  • Full access to The Loan Officer A.I. CRM, complete with setup.

    • Includes 8 A.I. booking bots, Power Dialer, Auto-Appointment Calendar Integration, Success Trackers, and a list of 300 qualified real estate agents per month.

  • Three (3) one-on-one onboarding calls with our team.

  • Daily instant access to ZOOM support

    (Monday–Friday, 10 AM – 4 PM).

     

  • My full A.I. prompt library, with ongoing updates and weekly access to my A.I. Inner Circle calls, where we build resources LIVE every week for our community.

Plus, you’ll receive six exclusive bonuses:

  • The Loan Officer Digital Business Card—a website template for your marketing and social media profiles.

  • Our Custom Missed Call Text Back Bot—ensuring every returned call from the Power Dialer gets converted in real time.

     

  • The Podcasting Powerhouse Training—learn how to convert referral relationships with top Agents, Financial Planners, Attorneys, Title Reps, Insurance Advisors, and other influential professionals using A.I. automation (no tech skills required).

  • The Blogging & SEO Workshop—a step-by-step guide from my team on how we rank in the top three on Google searches.

  • The Facebook & Instagram Branding Ads Workshop—helping you generate referrals, not cold leads.

  • The "Get More Appointments" Concierge Workshop—a behind-the-scenes look at our appointment-setting team, which books thousands of referral appointments for our clients.

You get all of this for a one-time investment of less than the profit from a single closed loan.

Get the full details and join me inside before it’s too late!

https://loanofficercrm.ai/loan-officer-launch-video-4/