Become an affiliate member of your local Board, sponsor a few Lunch & Learn's and go to brokerage offices and introduce yourself in a Wants & Needs meeting. Once you get the business, follow up and through and use good communication with agents and clients. Wish you the best as you move forward, Luke!

It's tough to break in with agents who already have built relationships with trusted lenders with proven track records.  You might do better to reach out to agents at the same level as you (newish in the business) who haven't, yet, built those relationships. 

Offer to sponsor their open houses or other meaningful items they might need.  See what you can offer them, and listen carefully.

Luke Marshall I was always VERY impressed with mortgage brokers who volunteered to be at open houses my Brokerage was hosting.

Hi Luke - you nailed it, no one wants to hear that spiel for the 101st time.

Find a way to add value - for one, continue to get better at the job when it comes to guidelines, programs, and moving loans through the process efficiently ---- you'll find agents appreciate the bells & whistles, but at the end of the day they care most about on time closings, communication, and their clients being happy enough to refer them 

Find ways to be a resource - support at open houses (and following up on the buyers that come through, bringing unrepresented ones back to the agent as warm leads), being available evenings, weekends, or when their preferred lenders are taking off (I gladly sacrifice a few deals each year at this point in my career to have some time unplugged in the wilderness where I can't help with an emergency preapproval --- take advantage of that!).  Learn a niche or two inside and out - whether it be land loans, down payment assistance, or something else - be there to pick up the niche-type deals other lenders don't or won't do to build your book of business.  And network, constantly - board of Realtor events, networking groups, ask your friends who their agent is/was, and get to know people - one of the easiest ways to grow your agent network is just to meet agents, find out what their struggles are (often time or marketing), and learn how to help with those struggles.  Best of luck to you ---- I'd emphasize that right now is the BEST time to grow a business.  I joined the industry in 2006 right before the entire market crashed, and I learned more in 4-5 years than most people do in a career because of it.  

I agree with the comments already made!

But one great way to get a solid connection with an agent is to bring a agent a strong buyer / seller lead that can close a deal.

I echo Miss Wanda Kubat-Nerdin - Wanda Can! comment. 

The best way for anyone to stand out is to be better tomorrow than you are today and always be the best version of YOU. 

You make YOU stand out. 

I wish you all the best, much happiness and success Luke Marshall 

     Offer free continuing education about an approved CE banking today tips and tricks to serve real estate buyers and sellers best. Have your session in morning, give them lunch, feed them another 3 free credits with an attorney or title company CE course in the afternoon.

     Give them something you and they need... a CE credits, a connection. To establish a lifelong relationship. You will learn what the agents and brokers want from their lender.

     You will find out why ABC Realty, Country 22 and Smarty Pants Real Estate Group are selecting who they do for lending services and what you need to do to break into the circle of trust for a piece of that pie. 

Meet with agents face to face to build personal relationships. Then, keep them posted by adding them to your email list. Educate them on new programs and offer to pre-approve their prospects.

Get involved in your local firms, attend meetings, speak at mtgs, buy lunch, etc

I didn't see anyone mentioning it yet, but start BLOGGING! Attract business and feed the warm leads to the few agents who have been receptive to your first contact attempts. You are absolutely correct, we get A LOT of LOs reaching out to solicit our business. But what do they have to offer in return? Be consistent, reliable, accessible, knowledgeable, and provide value. Offer to sit open houses (bring some goodies), engage visitors, and follow up.

What not to do: purchase a mailing list of active agents and start spamming all with a weekly newsletter. Please don't! 

Most seasoned agents have a handful of lenders we use, so help the newer agents with understanding lending through your classes.   Join the local Board and help with open houses too.

I like to build relationships with commonalities. I am much more likely to speak with someone if they like what I like. So I am thinking, do some research on the agents you plan to connect with, find common ground. Perhaps start a Business Networking group, reach out to other local business owners and see if you can meet with them on a regular basis, coffee, lunch or ?? Title companies are very helpful in allowing these types of meetings at their offices. I know you have a deep music background and a love for ice hockey. Find groups on meetup or Linkedin that share your love of those.

Hello Luke Marshall 

Feed us...lol Just kidding. Just keep reaching out ad making yourself known

build relationships

face to face, attend closings.

In the old days of yesteryear, mortgage Brokers/lenders and loan officers were part of the buying/selling team and offered their time, tools & perks. Perhaps bringing back the human aspect of teamwork first then technology?

Have a 1:1 meeting, be available on weekends/evenings to answer questions that might come up at times we're writing offers, offer info of value on a regular basis that we can share. 

My top mortgage lenders emails me every Friday of what interest rates are.

Oh, this is a tough one, Luke! Most of us have our preferred lenders and breaking into that mix is next to impossible. 

Perhaps offer to co-sponsor open houses of newer agents? Ask brokers-in-charge if they will share their newer agents so that you can reach out to them to offer to help THEM pay for open houses, etc. Help THEM be successful.

Good luck to you!

Hi Luke, former mortgage broker here and you have a lot of good suggestions from the others. As a new MB I found that agents were reluctant to refer purchases to a newbie so I focused on working my customer base from my LO days and working my sphere. Get as much experience as you can in doing different loans (residential, commercial, investment) and have customer testimonials that you can show potential purchase customers. Are you an individual MB or with a company as an IC?

Time and effort. Create a facebook page or newsletter for people to follow and/or subscribe to. Keep agents posted on changes in the industry.

Reach out, be polite and respectful, try to provide something of value. 

Be available to take a call on the weekends, as most agents work weekends and need answers then too.