Rethinking Video: Why Loan Officers Can't Afford to Stay Off Camera
Spend enough time in one industry and you’ll likely see just about every shiny object come and go. But I can tell you with confidence: video is not one of them. This isn’t a trend. It’s a transformation.
Loan officers who win in this market, and the next one, are the ones who show up. On camera. With consistency. And with authenticity. That’s what this new Blue Book is all about: Rethink Everything: The Power of Video for Business and Sales. I had the privilege of sitting down with the book's creators, Kyle Draper and Mike Faraci, for a special episode of the Loan Officer Life podcast. What emerged was a candid conversation about why video is the best tool LOs aren't using enough, and how to fix that. Let’s break down the key takeaways.
Video Is Not Content. It’s Communication.
Mike said something on the podcast that reframed the entire conversation: "Video isn’t content. It’s communication." That hit me. We type emails. We make calls. We send texts. But we never say we’re creating "written content" when we reply to a client. So why do we treat video like it’s a production?
The most powerful use of video isn’t public posts. It’s private, personalized one-to-one messages. Birthday greetings. Loan status updates. Referral thank-yous. Even a quick “just checking in” message. As Kyle put it: “When you show up on video, even through a screen, our brains process it like we just hung out in person."
And that’s what builds trust. Not polish. Not perfection. Just presence.
Early Engagement = Massive Impact
In the same episode, I shared new J.D. Power data that puts numbers behind the why:
45% of borrowers now engage with a lender when they first start thinking about buying a home
71 points higher satisfaction when a lender is involved before home search
80 points higher trust
133% increase in repeat business likelihood
This is the move from "point of sale" to "point of thought." And nothing gets you into that early-stage conversation better than video. People don’t want to be sold. They want to feel seen. Video lets you do that.
You Don’t Need Viral. You Need Visible.
Josh Pitts, founder of ShrEDIT, sees it every day: "Loan Officers building personal brands on video today are the ones dominating tomorrow’s market." But here’s the kicker: Visibility doesn’t mean going viral. It means showing up where your clients and partners are, consistently.
And that starts by removing excuses. Don’t know how to edit? Don’t worry. Josh’s team built ShrEDIT to take that off your plate. Camera shy? Start with one-to-one videos. Send three per day. No lights, no scripts, no ring lights needed. As Kyle said: "Video doesn’t have to be polished. It just has to be you." Because in this business, relationships aren’t owned, they’re earned.
400 Videos in 30 Days: My Own Video Shift
Two years ago, I did Kyle’s 90-Day Video Challenge. In the first month alone, I recorded 400+ one-to-one videos. Birthday messages. Client updates. Prospect follow-ups. I didn’t do it to scale. I did it to learn. And after about 50 videos, something clicked. No more retakes. No more self-consciousness. Just showing up.
Those 400 videos changed how I communicate. More importantly, they changed how people saw me. That’s the compound effect of video. You become familiar. You become trusted. You become remembered.
Final Thought: Let Your Face Be the Follow-Up
If you only take one thing from this article, let it be this: The next time you think, “I should follow up with that client or partner…” Don’t send a text. Don’t write another email. Hit record. Say their name. Be human.
You don’t need a viral strategy. You just need a video habit. Let your face be what people think of when they need what you do. Because in a market defined by trust, noise, and speed—showing up is your competitive advantage.
Questions about getting started with one-to-one video? Happy to share what I’ve learned. Brian Vieaux.
Brian Vieaux, CMB – President|COO, FinLocker & Founding ‘Expert’ MLO Live