Yesterday at LeadsCon in Las Vegas, Tree.com Chairman and CEO Doug Lebda spoke to an auditorium full of lead generation professionals regarding Tree’s future expansion into markets outside of the mortgage and finance industry.

Some highlights:

The platform will create a more dynamic search experience for consumers, and a more robust advertising experience for service providers.
Consumers will benefit from having a, “…destination for consumers around smart decisions.” They will be able to find information to help them make buying decisions such as quotes for comparison shopping, company ratings and reviews, and provider profiles.
Companies will benefit from an integrated interface that allows them to monitor their brand online and interact with consumers.
The platform will include over 50 categories of market areas.
Various other forms of content and media, such as videos and blogs, will also be part of the mix.
Tree.com will partner with entrepreneurs who are already established in their markets, and …

Today, Tree.com Chairman & CEO Doug Lebda met with Maria Bartiromo of  CNBC’s Closing Bell to discuss his announcement tomorrow at LeadsCon in Las Vegas. There, he will be sharing information on their new platform to provide reverse-auction marketplaces for markets outside of mortgage and finance.

From educational loans to vacation packages, consumers will be able to use this new platform to get competitive offers, find ratings & reviews and get their questions answered like they currently do on LendingTree, but on a much wider variety of ‘big-ticket’ items. While Tree.com has been involved in some of these services for varying periods of time, this marks a revamping of their overall site for a more engaging customer experience.

As of today, some competitors in these markets do exist. However, Lebda noted, Tree.com will stand apart as a site where consumers and advertisers will be working with brands they …

It’s no secret; our economic reality has changed dramatically over the last year, and may never be the same. Here at LendingTree, we’re more aware than ever of the consumer’s need for trusted financial guidance. In fact, it’s what drove me, a frustrated consumer myself, to create LendingTree over a decade ago. And it’s why we’re now doing even more to help you take control of your financial life.

The new LendingTree.com has everything you need to successfully manage your finances. You’ll still find us to be the most reliable resource around for mortgage rates and personalized loan offers, but you’ll also find new interactive tools, customized advice and added resources to help you manage your money and make smart financial decisions. For example,