With the amount of money floating around now, it would be hard to toss a rock into any of these and not hit a legitimate lender with whom you can have a real conversation.

So I've read through several Bigger Pockets conversations with similar topics.

Here are some recommendations for you:Find and connect with other BP members that are in your area: https://www.biggerpockets.com/search/usersSet up keyword alerts to be notified of the topics that interest you: http://www.biggerpockets.com/alertsRead Beginner’s Guide: http://www.biggerpockets.com/real-estate-investingCheck out BP Podcasts: https://www.biggerpockets.com/podcastIf you wish to tag someone in the conversation on the forum, type @ followed by their name and then select the name of that person which should appear below the comments box.

Just sayin in conversation.   

Here are some recommendations for you:Find and connect with other BP members that are in your area: https://www.biggerpockets.com/search/usersSet up keyword alerts to be notified of the topics that interest you:http://www.biggerpockets.com/alertsRead Beginner’s Guide: http://www.biggerpockets.com/real-estate-investingCheck out BP Podcasts: https://www.biggerpockets.com/podcastIf you wish to tag someone in the conversation on the forum, type @ followed by their name and then select the name of that person which should appear below the comments box.

Emails, texts and even conversations: write it down with time and date.

@Benjamin Orozco You tried to take what you thought was the path of least resistance and avoiding a tough conversation by lying to him and he called you out.

Thanks for joining in on the conversation.

As @Brandon Turner's book highlights, you want to look out for any suspicious answers during that initial conversation - i.e. someone who needs to move "ASAP" and seems to be in a hurry could be someone who is running from their current situation. 

Try different meetups and set a goal for how many you'd like to attend each month/quarter.Lastly, if you could supplement your direct mail efforts with cold calling those same leads, you'll have a better chance of conversion.