Beyond the Lunch & Learn - Hosting Events Agents Actually Love

Description:

Tired of hosting lunch-and-learns that nobody shows up to? This panel discussion reveals how top-producing loan officers are using events to generate real pipeline, build authority, and create lasting agent partnerships—without relying on free sandwiches and boring PowerPoints.

Host Geoff Zimpfer (Mortgage Marketing Radio) leads a powerhouse panel of proven event strategists who are crushing it in their markets:

🎯 The Panel:

Elizabeth Turra (Denver, CO) - Scaled from virtual meetups to corporate-sponsored productions in just 6 months

Jon Wells (Crown Point, IN) - Uses exclusive, invite-only speakeasy-style events to attract $10M+ producers

PJ Hollon (Dallas, TX) - Masters the content-driven approach that consistently draws crowds

Paige Ringkamp (St. Louis, MO) - Built her business from day one through teaching and value-first events

💡 What You'll Learn:

The Real ROI of Events

✅ Why events are the ultimate "reason to have a conversation" with referral partners

✅ How to use events as a multiplication factor (1+1 = many, not 2)

✅ The "gateway drug" effect—bonding beyond mortgages to create organic follow-up

✅ How to flip the script from chasing agents to having them reach out to YOU

Getting Butts in Seats

✅ The partnership strategy: Co-hosting with title reps, insurance agents, and other affiliates to 2x your reach

✅ Why Jon gets 30-40 agents at his events (and started with 30 from day one)

✅ The myth of needing CE credits—spoiler: you don't

✅ Virtual vs. in-person: When to use each and why both matter

Content & Topics That Convert

✅ Elizabeth's rule: "I don't do loans—I help agents market better, communicate better, convert better"

✅ Why mortgage-specific content often misses the mark

✅ The two anchors every topic should hit: Marketing or Qualifying

✅ How Paige built a 12-month content calendar around real estate investing alone

✅ Using ChatGPT to find timely, relevant topics agents actually care about

The Panel Strategy

✅ Why panels are easier to execute than solo presentations (you're the MC, not the expert)

✅ How to identify and recruit the right agents for your panel

✅ Jon's framework: Targeting specific producers and using panels as recruitment tools

✅ Paige's hack: Appraisal and underwriter panels (parties agents want access to but can't reach)

Marketing & Promotion

✅ The copy-paste text strategy that gets responses

✅ Leveraging partners' databases to reach agents you don't know yet

✅ The "triangle of trust"—using relationships to warm-intro cold prospects

✅ Why your event title matters MORE than the content (test this with AI)

The Money Move: CTAs & Follow-Up

✅ Geoff's framework: Frame the ask at the beginning, deliver at the end

✅ The QR code hack that books 40% of attendees on the spot

✅ Why follow-up calls matter less than in-room conversions

✅ How to use post-event content for social proof and extended reach

Frequency & Consistency

✅ Why most LOs quit after one event with 3 people (and why that's a mistake)

✅ Monthly cadence as the sweet spot (skip November, December, and July)

✅ Elizabeth's insight: The hardest part is organizing content and logistics—not delivery

✅ How strategic partnerships eliminate 80% of the work

Mindset Shifts

✅ "If you're marketing to everyone, you're marketing to no one"—be specific about who you invite

✅ Stop chasing, start attracting: Position yourself as the expert agents seek out

✅ You already have a topic you can teach—don't overthink it

✅ Events aren't about loans—they're about solving agent problems

⚡ Key Takeaway:

Events aren't just lead generation—they're relationship accelerators, authority builders, and referral multipliers. The LOs who commit to doing this consistently (not once) are the ones building sustainable, scalable businesses in any market.

📌 Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction & Panel Overview

14:48 - The Real Impact of Hosting Events

28:00 - Marketing & Getting Butts in Seats

43:00 - Virtual vs. In-Person Strategy

49:00 - Topics That Convert (Stop Teaching Mortgages)

58:00 - Panel Strategy & Execution

1:00:00 - The CTA Framework & QR Code Hack

1:08:00 - Follow-Up Strategy

1:14:00 - Final Takeaways & Mindset Shifts