By Michael Regan

Many of my clients are in the real estate industry, and many of the loan originators I am speaking with this month tell me the same thing. 2014 is about rebuilding a strong loan origination purchase pipeline.

If you are a lender, better yet, if you are a Real Estate agent, just preview this recent commentary we received from a client who attended a Real Estate symposium in January.

"The main point I am hearing is that agents are being bombarded with lunch requests and cold calls. Lenders who have always been refi driven are now knocking on their doors constantly. I asked them what makes a difference. These top producers (Realtors) said, 'We don't want lunches and coffee, we want lenders who communicate and have integrity'. They said that having lenders show up to open houses unexpectedly, meeting lenders at closings, meeting LOs at community events, are the things that make you stand out.

Did you catch that? Here is a safe bet I'm willing to make. Most lenders right now think their number one goal this month is calling agents to meet for coffee & lunch. And yet, Realtors are reporting that they don't want this. They want communication, integrity, and presence in the field.

So what do you do now if you are a loan originator trying to build your purchase business in 2014? Don't give up, diversify.

First, let me be clear. All of you need to make calls, but cold-calling Realtors all week (and getting very little return on your time investment) might not get you where you need to be. Let me unpack a few additional clear strategic options you can take based on where you are in your career at this point.

If you are a top producer with at least five years of successful results, these sales activities should be in your 2014 business plan:

1. Database gold mining: Call past clients and previous referral sources and ask them for testimonials to post on your sites like LinkedIn, Yelp & Zillow. Also, never forget to ask every one of them for referrals based on the experience and value they have received from you in the past.

2. Networking: Get out of the office weekly with a diverse group of professionals - not just Realtors. Take a leadership role so your visibility leads to credibility with the professional people in your community. This is your opportunity to connect your audience with your experience, so don't hide in the office!

3. Marketing: Focus on education and reporting dynamic personal results with a specific call to action every time you post video to your site. Use tools like Yelp & Zillow to keep you credible in searches by consumers who can find you and who read your testimonials. Leverage your strengths!

If you are an up and coming originator with less than five years of experience, these activities are a must in 2014:

1. Pick up the phone: Call everyone you know (clients, friends, family, etc) and tell them you need to meet new Realtors, Home Builders, CPA's, Financial Planners, Insurance Agents & Attorneys. Ask them for an introduction. Personal referrals have a much higher ROI than cold calls.

2. Join a networking group: Groups like BNI exist in every community in America. Most have a lender, so don't be afraid to start your own. Focus on giving referrals to build credibility before you ask. Use your meeting every week to hone your "elevator pitch" and "37 second close" so you grow as you go.

3. Market with social media: Focus on mobility and video as you build your brand. You want everyone who searches your name to find short, quality content, not a lame company branded website. Promote your partners as your build those relationships. Younger clients are online, so be there!

One more that applies to both groups, and this feels like such a re-tread strategy, but cross sell with every transaction using a system to keep agents, clients, inspectors, insurance agents, and title reps! Update them every week on the progress you are making on every single file. This is such an "empty-net" score for most originators who commit to this. It creates accountability for excellence from your team, because at least 8-10 people experience your communications, quality and speed on every file in production. Put every one of those names in the database for follow-up after closing. They are your BEST referral sources because they see your value.

The bottom line is you must have a plan. As you execute yours, heed the advice from above. Get away from competing with every loan officer who is cold-calling Real Estate professionals for lunches they don't want with you and get out there. Engage with them in the marketplace, at open houses, and attend every closing.

If you have any questions about how to get started, you can contact me through Michael@buildingchampions.com or follow me on Twitter: @azregan

This is your year to grow your business, so get after it!

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