Stop me if you have heard/seen this marketing:
Here is what the bond market is doing…
Rates experienced moderate to low volatility…
Last week the MBS market improved by…
Although business is good, I am always happy to help with your referrals…
Flyers on loan programs!
I see it every day on social media, and I see every day that these posts get little to ZERO engagement. Most of the time these are automated posts that are the same as every other LO that is using those services. I think we can all agree that in today's online world we need our marketing to stand out and be different.
In this industry, people do business with you because they know YOU, like YOU, and trust YOU. It is what I call the 3Ys, and all the top producers I know have this strategy down cold. In short, the 3Ys put a spotlight on your value proposition, which is a major key to getting new business. It is for this reason that your marketing should focus on projecting the 3Ys, not rates and industry news.
Don't get me wrong; there is a time and place for rates and news if you can be creative with it. With the state of our current digital world with low attention spans and the need for "thumb stopping" imagery, posting about rates and industry news alone won't cut it. But, by taking the time to learn what the consumers care about, what they are searching for and creating your content marketing strategy to match, can make all the difference.
Recently, I made this video for the members of my Agent Marketer coaching group to show them an easy way to use google to help them create content. As Loan Officers, you all have a ton of expertise and experience which happens to be exactly what consumers are searching for. Watch the video (it's embedded below) and you will see what I am talking about.
With that, here are my pro tips for Loan Officers to get the most out of their mortgage marketing:
1. Stop thinking about ROI. Marketing is a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t look for instant success with any one tactic. Have patience, try everything, and give it time.
2. Be your own customer. Think about marketing messages you respond to yourself as a consumer. Too often loan officers think about what THEY like as opposed to what their clients like.
3. Be where your competitors aren’t. I am talking social media, as many of the channels as you can manage. Right now, there is still a tremendous opportunity to grab attention and reach online. But Loan Officers and mortgage companies are starting to invest more in social strategy, especially over the last 18 months.
4. Give, give, give then ask. Based off of Gary Vaynerchuk’s book, Jab Jab Jab, Right Hook. Add value above all else. Share your knowledge. Establish yourself as a trusted resource before asking people to trust you.
5. Focus on the relationship, not the loan transaction. Don’t think of your clients as leads. These are people, and you are helping them with one of the largest financial transactions they’ll experience. Take the opportunity to connect with the emotions of buying a house and create a long-term relationship!
