Happy Clients = More Closings: Mortgage Retention & Referral Automation Playbook

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Why This Playbook Matters
• What You'll Learn
• Step 1: Automate Post-Close Follow-Ups
  • Why It Matters
  • 1.1 Post-Close Thank You & Check-In
  • 1.2 Annual Mortgage Check-Ins
• Step 2: Turn Every Loan Into a 5-Star Review
  • Why It Matters
  • 2.1 Automate Review Requests
  • 2.2 Catch Negative Feedback Before It Becomes Public
• Step 3: Build a Referral Engine (Without Begging)
  • Why It Matters
  • 3.1 Launch a Mortgage Referral Program
  • 3.2 Track & Automate Referral Follow-Ups
• Step 4: Lock in Long-Term Relationships with Mortgage Health Reviews
  • Why It Matters
  • 4.1 Offer Annual Mortgage Check-Ups
  • 4.2 Promote Investment Property Loans or HELOCs
• Step 5: Use AI + Smart Lists to Scale Engagement Without Lifting a Finger
  • Why It Matters
  • 5.1 Create Smart Lists of Past Clients
  • 5.2 Use Conversation AI to Re-Engage

Why This Playbook Matters

Acquiring a new borrower costs 5x more than retaining a past client.
Yet, many mortgage brokers are hyper-focused on lead generation while ignoring their #1 asset—satisfied past clients.

Every successful closing should lead to:

• At least one referral

• Long-term refinancing or investment conversations

• A steady stream of repeat business from their sphere

But instead, most brokers:

• Lose touch after closing

• Miss refinance and upsell opportunities

• Leave reviews and referrals up to chance

• Let competitors swoop in when it’s time to refi

This playbook fixes all of that.

We'll show you how to automate follow-ups, get 5-star reviews, generate warm referrals, and lock in long-term borrower relationships using HighLevel—without chasing or micromanaging.

What You'll Learn

✅ How to stay top of mind after closing with automated check-ins
✅ How to turn every funded loan into a 5-star review + referral
✅ How to set up annual mortgage check-ins & refinance alerts
✅ How to use AI to prevent churn and re-engage cold borrowers

You’ll need a HighLevel account to activate the automations—Sign Up Here

Step 1: Automate Post-Close Follow-Ups

Why It Matters

72% of borrowers never hear from their broker again after closing.

✅ Problem: You close the loan and move on.
✅ Result: 3 years later, they refinance with Quicken or Rocket because they followed up.
✅ Solution: HighLevel follow-up automations keep you in front of past clients—so you win repeat business without lifting a finger.

1.1 Post-Close Thank You & Check-In

Send an automated thank-you SMS or email after funding:

• Express gratitude

• Reinforce next steps (e.g., first payment date, support line)

• Encourage reaching out for future real estate/mortgage needs

Example:
"Hey Sarah, congrats on closing your loan with us! ? It was a pleasure working with you. Let me know if you ever need a referral for a contractor, agent, or want to explore investment options!"

Set this up once in HighLevel — and it goes out automatically after every closing.

How to Automate Customer Follow-Ups

1.2 Annual Mortgage Check-Ins

Set up 6, 12, and 24-month check-ins with past clients.

Examples:

• “Interest rates dropped — want to run a quick refinance scenario?”

• “Thinking about buying a second property or pulling equity for renovations?”

Example:
"Hi Mike, it’s been a year since you closed with us. Want me to run a quick rate check? Could save you $$$ if a refi makes sense."

Pro Tip: Use Smart Lists in HighLevel to segment clients by loan type (FHA, VA, Jumbo) and trigger the most relevant offer.

How to Set Up Maintenance Reminders

Step 2: Turn Every Loan Into a 5-Star Review

Why It Matters

Brokers with 50+ positive Google reviews get up to 3x more calls from local buyers & agents.

Yet, most brokers are afraid to “ask” or just forget.

2.1 Automate Review Requests

Set HighLevel to send a review link 2 days after funding:

• SMS + email

• Personalized with their name + the agent’s name

• Link to Google, Zillow, and Facebook

Example:
"Sarah, thank you again for trusting us! It’d mean the world if you could leave a quick review. It helps other buyers find a trusted lender like you did! Here’s the link: [Review Link]"

HighLevel handles all of it—trigger, message, tracking, and reminders.

How to Send Automated Review Requests

2.2 Catch Negative Feedback Before It Becomes Public

Use AI-powered review filtering:

• If a client is unsatisfied, HighLevel routes them to a feedback form

• Automatically notify your team for a live call resolution

• Reduce your public negative review risk

Step 3: Build a Referral Engine (Without Begging)

Why It Matters

Referrals convert 5x faster and close 22% more often than cold leads.
Your happiest clients are also connected to other buyers, sellers, and agents—you just need a system to tap into that.

3.1 Launch a Mortgage Referral Program

Set up a simple referral offer like:

• "$100 gift card for any client you send our way who closes"

• Or, "Free appraisal credit for referred clients"

Example Message:
"Sarah, if you know anyone looking to buy or refinance, we’d love to help—and we’ll send you a $100 gift card as a thank-you!"

Set up automated referral messages 2 weeks post-closing using HighLevel’s Workflows.

How to Set Up an Automated Referral Program

3.2 Track & Automate Referral Follow-Ups

• Use tags like “Referrer: John Smith”

• Automatically reward both parties after closing

• Trigger bonus follow-ups with personalized thank-you notes

Example:
"Sarah, thanks for referring Mike! We just closed his loan—and your $100 Amazon card is on the way! Really appreciate the trust."

Step 4: Lock in Long-Term Relationships with Mortgage Health Reviews

Why It Matters

Rates change. Life happens. Clients forget who helped them last time.

But YOU should be the one offering:

• Refi advice

• Investment loan consultations

• Equity-based renovation options

4.1 Offer Annual Mortgage Check-Ups

Like a dentist does cleanings, you should offer "loan reviews":

12 months post-close:
"Want to know if you're still in the best mortgage for your needs? Let’s do a free 15-min mortgage check-up."

Include loan balance, interest rate, and goals—automatically pulled into email/SMS with HighLevel custom values.

How to Set Up Subscription-Based Services

4.2 Promote Investment Property Loans or HELOCs

Re-engage past clients based on home equity growth and property value triggers.

Examples:

• “Use your equity for upgrades—ask us about a cash-out refinance.”

• “Thinking of investing in a rental? We can pre-approve you in minutes.”

Set Smart Lists in HighLevel to auto-tag past clients based on duration since close, property type, or ZIP code.

Step 5: Use AI + Smart Lists to Scale Engagement Without Lifting a Finger

Why It Matters

Reactivating a past client is 10x easier and cheaper than acquiring a new one.

But no broker has time to chase every old file. HighLevel does it for you.

5.1 Create Smart Lists of Past Clients

Segment by:

• Purchase vs. Refi

• Agent referral source

• Loan anniversary

• Equity eligibility

Send:

• Rate drop alerts

• Home value updates

• Refi calculators

• Free mortgage health review invites

5.2 Use Conversation AI to Re-Engage

Let HighLevel’s AI:

• Text your past clients

• Respond to questions instantly

• Book appointments for mortgage reviews

Example Message:
"Hi Sarah! Mortgage rates just dipped. Want to see if you could save $200/month by refinancing? I can run a quick scenario."

If they reply "Yes," the AI books them directly into your calendar.

How to Sell & Automate Maintenance Plans

How to Use Smart Lists for Customer Retention

Final Thoughts: Retention = More Closings, Less Work

By staying top of mind, automating reviews, generating referrals, and offering long-term loan support, you transform your business into a referral-generating machine.

And with HighLevel, the entire system runs in the background—while you focus on closing more deals.

Next Steps to Implement:

• Sign up with HighLevel

• Connect your CRM, reviews, and calendar

• Set up workflows for post-close follow-ups, reviews, and referrals

• Segment your database with Smart Lists

• Let Conversation AI handle re-engagement

Ready to automate your mortgage business?
Sign up for HighLevel today and build a high-trust, high-closing pipeline.