As a commercial mortgage broker, it’s important to connect with lenders who can close your product offerings. While you can connect with lenders through social media, email and telephone conversations, meeting with them in person at trade shows when possible is a great alternative. The face-to-face communication will allow you stand out among your peers and to get an even better sense of what each lender can offer.

Here’s what you need to do when you attend industry trade shows:

Seek out connections.

The first thing you need to do at trade shows is to find lenders you’d like to work with. Generally, the trade show will offer a program detailing the exhibitors along with some information about their companies. Make a note of the commercial mortgage lenders and visit their booths to introduce yourself and learn more about their product offerings.

Ask questions.

Trade shows are a great opportunity to have face-to-face conversations with the commercial mortgage lenders you’re interested in connecting with. Make sure you discuss what type of commercial loans they close and ask any questions you may have.

Provide contact information.

Before leaving the commercial mortgage lender’s booth, be sure to provide them with your contact information so they can follow up with you after the show. Have business cards on hand for this.

Organize a follow-up plan.

In addition to leaving your contact information, be sure to ask the exhibitor and the commercial lender’s table for their contact information. Depending on the size of the show, it may take the lender some time to follow up with every broker they connected with, and if you have a commercial mortgage scenario that could be a fit you won’t want to wait.

Trade shows are a unique opportunity for commercial brokers to connect with lenders. It’s important to prepare for these trade shows properly to maximize your chances of developing a partnership with these lenders. Make sure you seek out lenders at the show and ask questions to learn about how a business relationship could be mutually beneficial. Don’t forget to leave your business card as well as making sure you have a way to contact them. Following these simple guidelines will allow you to get the most out of each show you attend and lead to more closed loans.

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