Building a Direct to Consumer Engine

Summary

Alex Hernandez and Sam Abazari held an unscripted, highly anticipated meeting to discuss building a direct-to-consumer engine for the mortgage industry without purchasing leads or ads, outlining a five-step tactical approach. Sam Abazari detailed the steps: defining the ideal client, creating value, finding the audience on platforms like LinkedIn, building a specialized profile, and using the "Kaka" framework for direct messaging, while Alex Hernandez stressed the importance of avoiding aggressive sales tactics for a sustainable business model. They discussed the effectiveness of content, proof, and hyper-targeting, with Sam Abazari providing conversion calculations that could yield one client per week within three to six months for only a few hours of effort.

Details

• Professional Growth and Opportunity Alex Hernandez and Sam Abazari discussed the nature of success, noting that good work leads to good outcomes and opportunities. Alex Hernandez observed that increased success and income often bring more responsibility, which many individuals struggle with, leading them to miss opportunities for growth. Sam Abazari referred to Alex Hernandez as a "king philosopher" for their perspective on navigating challenging moments and pushing through them.

• Direct to Consumer Engine Discussion Format The speakers established that the meeting, which was recorded, was unscripted and highly anticipated by many attendees eager to learn about building direct-to-consumer engines. Alex Hernandez emphasized the value of the live call format, which allows for audience participation, asking different questions than they might, and getting granular explanations or clarifications from Sam Abazari. Sam Abazari apologized for a poor internet connection due to snow in Chicago.

• Direct to Consumer Engine Strategy Overview Sam Abazari introduced the core topic of building a direct-to-consumer channel without purchasing leads or spending money on ads, stating that the principles for this approach are highly relevant to the mortgage industry. Sam Abazari, a regular community contributor committed through 2026, outlined a tactical, step-by-step approach and invited participants to ask specific, detailed questions. Sam Abazari noted that they spent a significant amount of money to learn these strategies.

• Step 1: Defining the Ideal Client Avatar The first step in building the engine is defining the "best avatar," which is the ideal borrower type. Sam Abazari advised attendees to review past year's closings to identify clients they enjoyed working with, noting common factors like job description, income, age, and gender, to define the ideal avatar. Sam Abazari used their preference for consultants and investment bankers—who often share an MBA background, allowing for better rapport—as a personal example.

• Step 2 and 3: Creating Value and Finding the Audience The second step involves creating something valuable for the target audience by considering what they are interested in before buying a house. Sam Abazari clarified that this engine is designed to capture interest before clients are ready to buy, using the example of consultants and investment bankers being interested in numbers and market analysis. Step three is identifying where the audience is, with Sam Abazari recommending LinkedIn as the favorite platform due to its precise targeting and outreach capabilities. Facebook was mentioned for its groups, and Instagram for video content, though Sam Abazari suggested focusing on only one platform, such as LinkedIn, which is not content-reliant. Evan Zelkovich inquired about modifying an existing Facebook profile versus creating a new one, and Sam Abazari recommended modification.

• Step 4 and 5: Profile Building and the Kaka Framework The next step is building the profile to clearly state who the speaker helps and what they do for them, ensuring no ambiguity for the audience. Sam Abazari explained that this specialized focus does not entirely eliminate other deals, but it targets an audience already less likely to reach out. The subsequent step utilizes the "Kaka" framework for direct messaging: Connect, Acknowledge, Compliment, Advance, emphasizing that "the money is made in the DMs". Sam Abazari outlined that connecting and receiving an acceptance on LinkedIn (20-35% acceptance rate) signifies a lead because the person has determined the connection is relevant. The process involves acknowledging the connection, and if they engage, complimenting and advancing the conversation toward a lead magnet.

• Importance of Finesse in Direct Messaging Alex Hernandez stressed the necessity of avoiding aggressive, "pitch slapping" sales tactics, cautioning that being overly zealous will not work. Sam Abazari agreed that this approach is a skill requiring repetition and reiterated the rule of thumb: exchange a couple of messages before presenting an offer. They further advised advancing the conversation toward a lead magnet, such as market analysis or constant rate updates, which solves a problem before a loan is needed. The key purpose of the lead magnet is to gather contact information for nurturing the lead, as finding someone ready to buy at the exact moment is unlikely.

• Content, Proof, and Hyper-targeting for Effectiveness Sam Abazari identified three elements that make the approach effective: content, proof, and specialized targeting. Content creation, serving primarily as a conversion tool, should be posted twice a week and follow a structure of hook, body, and call to action, utilizing bullet points and white space. Proof, such as five-star reviews and client testimonials, must be easily accessible on social media. Hyper-targeting, specifically available through tools like Sales Navigator on LinkedIn, allows targeting individuals based on purchasing windows, such as those who have been promoted or are two years into their position.

• Sustainable Business Model and Automation Alex Hernandez emphasized that this approach, built on basic human connection and offering value, creates a "sticky" business model that is not a fad and will serve a career long-term. They contrasted this with the view of most loan officers who treat every lead as a nail, asserting that a more tactical approach builds confidence and social proof. John Jurkovich asked about using LinkedIn automations, and Sam Abazari advised against them, citing an experience of being placed in "LinkedIn jail" and noting that sending 100-200 connection requests manually only takes about 10 minutes a week.

• Expected Numbers and Financial Advantage Sam Abazari provided a calculation of expected results: from 100 weekly connection requests (25% acceptance rate), 26 leads are generated. With a 30% response rate (7.8 people), 50% taking the lead magnet (3.9 people), and 20% converting within six months, the resulting figure is approximately one client per week. This process takes about three hours of work per week, including content writing and DMs. Sam Abazari noted that these conversion numbers compound after three to six months of consistent effort. Alex Hernandez highlighted the crucial advantage of this zero-dollar acquisition cost, which bulletproofs a business against economic downturns and distinguishes practitioners from others who rely on costly third-party leads.

• Industry Context and Conclusion Sam Abazari noted that the only potential cost is a LinkedIn premium subscription (about $50/month), emphasizing that the rest is "sweat equity" and market research. Alex Hernandez and Sam Abazari agreed that the mortgage industry has an inherent advantage because people already want to buy houses and need mortgages, meaning the focus is on building trust and being competent, rather than convincing them they need the product. Sam Abazari concluded by welcoming further questions via LinkedIn DM and confirming that the next group call is planned for February.
  
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