10 Marketing tips for loan officers and mortgage professionals. Part 1 of 2.

Loan officers and mortgage lenders have to compete more than ever to get business, and increased regulations leave less fat on the bone for commissions. Therefore, it’s of primary importance that each independent loan officer has a marketing campaign that’s dynamic and efficient yet still personal.  Traditional methods (like cold calling or billboards) are becoming dinosaurs, and marketing needs to have more depth and offer more value than just setting up a Facebook page or sending out emails.  So here are 10 innovative marketing strategies for mortgage professionals, guaranteed to differentiate you from the herd and bring in business IF you utilize them consistently.

Loan officers and mortgage lenders have to compete more than ever to get business, and increased regulations leave less fat on the bone for commissions.

These are 10 of our favorite 20 marketing ideas.  Next week look for the next 10!

1. Blogging.

As the saying goes, “If you’re not talking to your clients, someone else is,” and the #1 way to engage and interact with your clients on a regular basis is to writing a regular blog.  It fills up the search engines with your name and keywords and will build trust and credibility with your target market.  But remember that a good blog isn’t a glorified sales pitch - it should be more about the issues, questions, and lifestyle topics your audience is interested in and less about you, other than trying to help! 

2. Social Media.

To be clear, there is content and there is platform.  Content is what you produce, and platform is how you disseminate them.  Think of this as the vehicle and the roads.  A social media campaign is fundamental to any marketing campaign these days, as consumers “hang out” more online and conduct most of their information gathering and decision-making based on online information.  But it’s not enough to push around and share other peoples’ links on Facebook, Twitter, etc. – you need your own fresh, dynamic content!

3. YouTube video channel.

Video is an amazing marketing tool and easy to set up, yet so underutilized.  Set up your own business YouTube channel and start simply – by turning on the camera in a nice setting and answering one question or talking about one topic at a time.  Edit these, add your contact information, upload them to your new channel, and share them all over social media or via email with your clients.  Video will convey our personality, expertise, and better demonstrate the 95% of communication that’s nonverbal. 

4. Charity.

Get involved with local charities as a way to help the communities you do business in, meet great people, and spread awareness for you business.  Sponsor a team for walks and volunteer to do can goods or coat drives at your office during the holidays.  It’s all about doing well and doing good!

5. Q & A.

Write down every question you get from clients and even the professionals you work with.  Write out answers and share these via your blog, social media, videos, etc. as a Q & A series.  Keep them simple and brief.  You’ll be able to handle client questions (and objections) proactively and with professionalism that impresses.  Also, most people type questions into the search engines like Google, so your online relevance will quickly grow.

6. Image testimonials.

Take each written testimonial you get from clients or business partners and incorporate them into images, or memes.  Combine them with photos of houses, you with clients, first time buyers signing loan paperwork and getting their keys, etc.  Text that is also visual is opened, read, and shared at an exponentially higher rate online and you’ll be able to utilize Pinterest and Instagram, as well.  A picture is worth a thousand words! 

7. eNewsletter.

Set up a monthly or weekly newsletter and email it your database.  Remember to include short, interesting articles that add value – not just push around generic content devoid of your personality.  There are ways to do this with plenty of images, videos, and links to your website.

8. Money-saving tips.

EVERYONE likes to save money, and if you have a once-a-week money saving tip column, you’ll be a popular person!  The key is consistently and predictability – it may start out slow, but pretty soon people will be anticipating your money saving tips and sharing them like wildfire!

9. Best Of Awards.

Set up your own Best Of Awards for your city.  Why not?  What’s your favorite restaurant?  Park?  Place to spend a Saturday with your family?  Where’s your favorite car wash, farmers’ market, and winery?  Give out plenty of awards in unique and creative categories to include as many of your referral partners and favorite businesses as possible.  People LOVE these!  And then next year, do it all again!

10. Golf shirts.

Get nice golf shirts made up with your personal logo.  Wear these during hot summer work days, when you’re out doing errands, or at community events.  Give them to clients once you close their loans as a gift.  Keep them classy without turning them into a billboard – don’t include a phone number.  Don’t skimp on these or no one will wear them – get really nice Nike dry fit shirts, black and dark blue for me, pink or purple for women – so your clients will actually wear them.