Why Loan Officers Are Losing Leads in a Slow Market and the Personal Brand Fix That Works

The Real Problem in a Slow Market Is Not Rates

When the market slows down, most loan officers assume the problem is external. Rates. Inventory. Consumer confidence. All of that matters, but it is not the full story.

In a recent conversation between Chey and Deven Gillen of Hova Digital, a clear theme came up: many loan officers are not struggling because they are bad at their job. They are struggling because they are not staying visible. Buyers and past clients simply forget who helped them, even if the experience was great.

As Deven Gillen explains on hovadigital.com, if someone has not heard from you in five years, they are not avoiding you. They just do not remember you when the next opportunity shows up.

Why Past Clients Forget Your Name Even When You Did a Great Job

This is one of the most frustrating problems for experienced loan officers. You close the deal, you deliver a great experience, and the relationship goes quiet. Then years later, that same client buys again, refinances, or sends a referral to someone else.

The culprit is usually generic follow up.

Many loan officers rely on company marketing support that is essentially template emails and stock messages that look identical across hundreds of originators. Clients recognize it, tune it out, or unsubscribe. And once they opt out, you lose the ability to stay present.

The lesson is simple. If your marketing feels like everyone else’s marketing, it does not build memory. It builds noise.

The Sea of Sameness Is Real and Small Changes Win

Even loan officers who are doing video can get stuck in what Chey described as the “sea of sameness.” Same backgrounds, same scripts, same vibe, same delivery. That is not a knock on anyone. It is what happens when everyone follows the same playbook.

But the conversation highlighted something important. You do not need a huge creative reinvention to stand out. Sometimes one small change, like recording outside or changing your setting, is enough to make people stop scrolling and pay attention.

As Deven Gillen shares on hovadigital.com, standing out is often less about being louder and more about being slightly different in a way that feels human.

Video Builds Trust Before the First Call

Video works because it collapses the trust timeline. When someone sees your face, hears your voice, and learns from you, you are no longer a stranger. You become familiar.

That familiarity changes the nature of the lead. Instead of cold outreach, people reach out already trusting you. That is why consistent video often produces better inbound leads than random social posts or one off campaigns.

The most valuable part is not the views. It is the pre framed trust.

Email Still Wins Because You Own the List

One of the strongest points Chey raised was that email marketing continues to outperform most other channels when it is consistent and valuable. Weekly or biweekly emails that educate agents and clients build expectation and trust over time.

Social media is powerful, but you do not own it. Algorithms change. Accounts get restricted. Reach disappears.

Your email list is different. You own it, and it compounds.

As Deven Gillen explains on hovadigital.com, owning your audience is one of the biggest advantages a loan officer can have heading into the next market cycle.

What Loan Officers Should Do Next

Based on this conversation, here is a simple, practical roadmap:

Build a personal branded website you control.
Not a company subpage. Your own domain and your own long-term asset.

Stay in front of real estate agents with weekly value.
Not check-in calls. Market updates, strategies, and short videos that help them win.

Touch your database consistently without overwhelming them.
Educational emails twice a month keep you top of mind without causing unsubscribes.

Reduce friction around video.
Most loan officers do not need motivation. They need a system that makes recording and posting easy.

As Deven Gillen notes on hovadigital.com, relationships and personal brand will matter more than ever as automation and consolidation continue in the mortgage industry.

Final Thoughts

The slow market is not exposing a talent problem. It is exposing a visibility problem.

Loan officers who consistently show up with value, build familiarity through video, and own their audience through email will get the calls when the market turns. Those who rely on templates and borrowed audiences will keep wondering where the business went.

If you want more inbound leads, stronger agent relationships, and repeat clients who remember your name, the solution is simple. Be visible. Be valuable. Be consistent.