As a loan officer, making the most of your marketing is essential when it comes to lead generation. While many people turn to Facebook when it comes to social media, there is a wealth of potential available to you on LinkedIn. While many refer to this as the professional’s version of Facebook and think that it is only good for networking and finding employment, the fact is LinkedIn provides an excellent recruiting tool for lead and referral generation.
Key Takeaways
- LinkedIn is a professional social networking site that can be an excellent tool for lead and referral generation for loan officers.
- To make the most of LinkedIn, loan officers need to create a polished profile that includes a high-quality photo, an eye-catching headline, a personable summary, and recommendations from others.
- Loan officers should focus on connecting with the right people, such as professional partners, fellow loan officers, and family and friends, and should also engage with other members through comments and questions.
- Loan officers should also post regular blog posts on LinkedIn that address topics that benefit their connections and join industry-specific and local community groups to engage with other members and build relationships.
- Engaging actively on LinkedIn through comments and questions can help loan officers make a great impression and potentially generate leads.
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What is LinkedIn?
Just like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, LinkedIn is a social network. However, LinkedIn is a little different. LinkedIn is a professional networking site with the main objective being to help business professionals make business connections, share their experience and resumes, and, when necessary, find a new job. As a loan officer, LinkedIn can become a powerful tool when used correctly. While you may currently use LinkedIn to connect with realtors, home builders, or CPAs to create referral partners, when used correctly, LinkedIn can also be a powerful marketing tool.
Loan officer tips for effective LinkedIn marketing
As with any social media marketing, you need to think about your LinkedIn strategy before you even get started. What are your goals and how will you best achieve them? Here we offer some of the top tips to help you make the most out of LinkedIn.
Make the most of your profile
When starting on LinkedIn, you must turn your focus away from just the simple resume. Having a complete and polished profile is a great way to introduce yourself to potential partners and clients and can be your most valuable marketing tool. For example, if a potential borrower Googles your name, your LinkedIn profile is likely to come up in the results and a good profile provides the best introduction. Here are some tips to think about when creating your profile.
Photo
A high-quality photo goes a long way. You want your photo to be professional and not a simple selfie shot from your phone. If you do not have a professional headshot, now may be the time to invest in one.
Headline
Your headline is your initial title and introduction to a viewer. This could be as simple as your job title and company name, or it could be something more eye-catching. It all depends on the vibe you want your profile to have. Your headline is also a good place to add your NMLS number, as well as state licensing numbers.
Summary
Your LinkedIn summary is often the first chance for people to learn about you and who you are. While you want your summary to be packed full of your accomplishments, you also want to express yourself as an industry leader. In addition, you want to be sure to make yourself personable and approachable. Share your experiences and accomplishments, as well as your passion. Share why you do what you do and what makes your job so important to you. Let your passion shine through.
Experience and education
This is essentially your LinkedIn resume where you list your employment history and education. However, it doesn’t have to be a simple list. Share information about your successes at each previous employer, educational accomplishments, and more.
Recommendations
Reading recommendations and reviews is often how people choose what to buy and who to work with. LinkedIn is no different, so taking the time to add recommendations from others is essential. Consider asking industry partners, previous employers, etc. for a recommendation, and be sure to include it here.
Custom URL
Sharing your LinkedIn URL is a great way to promote your profile and this should be included in all your email signatures, on your business cards, etc. While LinkedIn generates a URL automatically, you can customize it. From the “edit profile” screen, you can edit the URL to anything you want, though we recommend something easy, short, and utilizing your name.
Making connections
Unlike other social media platforms, you don’t want to go sending connection requests to every person you can. If too many requests are declined, your profile can be shut down. Instead, you want to focus on connecting with the right people. Begin by connecting with professional partners, fellow loan officers, and family and friends to create a wide variety of connections to help establish yourself and begin to build your reputation.
If you want to send a connect to someone you don’t know but feel that it would be beneficial, take some time to check out their profile and find something you can connect with. When you send a connection request, be sure to include a note with an introduction.
Posting on LinkedIn
While many people use LinkedIn to provide career updates, there is so much more you can do that will allow you to connect, interact, and build relationships on the platform. You want to build up your reputation as an industry leader and what better way to do this than to share your industry knowledge. Sharing regular blog posts that address topics that benefit your connections, industry tips, and even industry news offers a wealth of information. But keep it simple. Avoid industry lingo and keep your target market in mind.Make the most of LinkedIn groups
Joining groups within LinkedIn is an essential part of your marketing plan. Joining industry-specific groups, such as a group for other loan officers, is a great place to start. It is a good idea to mix up the type of groups you join. Look for groups that fit within your demographic of both borrowers and partners. Also consider local community groups. Once you are in groups, it is essential that you engage with other group members.
How should you engage on LinkedIn?
Unlike Facebook where everyone is liking and commenting on posts, you will see a difference on LinkedIn. The interaction isn’t as common as it is on other social media platforms. But this presents a great opportunity for you. Actively liking and commenting on posts will not only put you out there to their connects, but you will likely make a great impression on the person who posted the original post. You may even find out they reach out to you or send potential leads your way.
Whether in your groups or through comments in general, take the time to ask and answer questions. When you share a blog post, use the headline to ask connects a question. When others ask a question that you have the knowledge to answer, take the time to answer their question. When answering, prompt follow-up discussion.
LinkedIn can be a successful addition to your lead generation
LinkedIn offers loan officers many different marketing opportunities as well as partner connections. By putting these tips into action, you can make LinkedIn a successful part of your lead generation program. If you are looking for additional lead generation, here at Good Vibes Squad we have you covered.
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