I’ve spent the past decade diving into marketing. More specifically, I’ve studied marketing techniques to help the hundreds of mortgage loan originators and mortgage brokers in our community. I’ve seen firsthand what works and what doesn’t.
As a mortgage broker, you understand that the mortgage industry follows economic cycles and can often include periods of extreme volatility. In order to survive these cycles and succeed where other mortgage brokers may struggle, it is essential for you to create a powerful marketing strategy that combines the ever-evolving and growing digital market with the tried-and-true marketing tactics that have been successful for generations.
Here we share some key mortgage marketing ideas to help you create a successful marketing strategy for 2024 and beyond. With a quality marketing strategy in place, you are armed with the tools necessary to increase your conversion of prospects to borrowers, leading to significantly more sales.
Key Takeaways
- Mortgage brokers should create a strong marketing strategy, combining digital and traditional tactics, to succeed in the volatile mortgage industry.
- Key marketing steps include identifying your target audience, creating a strong brand, and developing a quality, mobile-friendly website.
- To reach more potential clients, use content marketing, Google Ads, social media ads, and engage with influencers, industry professionals, and your community.
- Encourage satisfied clients to leave reviews and testimonials to build trust, and use direct mail and local directories to increase visibility.
Stay consistent in your marketing efforts, monitor their effectiveness, and adjust strategies as needed to maximize results.
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What does a mortgage broker do?
A mortgage broker is a licensed financial professional that acts as a liaison between a borrower and multiple lenders. Unlike a loan officer, a mortgage broker works to find the best wholesale lender and the best mortgage options available for a prospective borrower. A mortgage broker understands the application process for each lender they work with and can help borrowers through the application process.
Advantages of investing in marketing in 2024
One of the biggest benefits of marketing is that you can build awareness of your company and the services that you offer. In addition, investing in a diverse marketing strategy offers your business many additional benefits that can include:
- Marketing helps potential clients find your business.
- Regular marketing helps you build and nurture client relationships.
- Strong marketing strategies help drive leads and increase sales.
- A quality marketing strategy helps you stand above your competition.
- Smart marketing strategies can actually save you money while increasing sales.
- You can gain a better understanding of your clients through your marketing.
- Without marketing, would-be clients have a hard time finding you.
Mortgage broker marketing tips
As a mortgage broker, it is essential to have a strong, diverse marketing plan in place so that you are able to create a steady stream of new business despite the ups and downs in the market.
Here we look at different marketing ideas to help you start creating a marketing strategy that works for you and your business.
1. Have a personal brand.
Your brand is the image that customers have of your business. While many people think this is simply a well-created logo, that is only partially true. Your brand is made up of what you say, what your business values are, and the personality of your business. When creating your brand, you must consider a set of features that include your business name, the logo or symbol you use, your business tagline, and the voice your marketing material uses. You want your business brand to highlight your company and show customers your business personality.
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Identify your niche/specialty.
When creating your personal brand, it is important to identify your niche. For example, if you specialize in refinancing, you want to highlight that in your branding material. This helps ensure that you stand above the competition for those clients looking to refinance. Creating a niche allows you to focus your energy on that aspect of the business and the clients you are looking for.
Identify your ideal audience.
Once you identify your niche, you can better identify who your ideal audience is. Once you establish this, you can focus your marketing strategy on areas that will attract this audience. For example, if you specialize in refinance, your goal is not going to be to market to young, first-time homebuyers.
2. Create a quality website
If you don’t have a website already, you need to prioritize creating one. In today’s digital world, it is essential to have a strong website presence. You want to create a website that offers clear and precise information, all your contact information, a lead capture form, and a strong call to action that let your viewers know what they need to do next.
User-friendly design
When creating your website, you want to think about your audience and how they will navigate the site. Is your navigation structure easy to determine? Do you provide the information that your audience will be looking for? Is there a clear way for interested leads to contact you?
Optimize website for SEO
You could have the most amazing website in the world, but it will only work for you if potential clients can find it. In order for your site to appear high in Google searches, it must be optimized with the keywords that your potential clients and first-time homebuyers will use in their searches.
Optimize for mobile
In today’s on-the-go world, many people turn to their phones for information. This means that many potential clients are likely to find your website on their phones. Making sure your website is optimized for mobile display is essential in order to provide the best user experience.
Use Google Ads to drive traffic
Google Ads provides a way to put your name in front of viewers actively looking for mortgage information. Once you have your target audience defined, you can create ads designed for those specific target keywords. The more defined your audience is, the more defined your targeting will be. For example, the cost-per-click will be lower for a more targeted search, such as “mortgages for professionals”, than it will be for a generic “mortgages” search and will likely bring your better-qualified leads.
In addition, keep in mind that your ad will likely be displayed with other mortgage brokers using the same keywords for their Google Ads. It is important to create an ad listing that makes you stand out above the others. You might also want to consider creating a specific landing page on your website for each keyword-targeted Google Ad in order for you to see which ads are working and which ones may need adjusting. In addition, a topic-specific landing page can help your further target specific leads, such as a page for “mortgages for doctors” and a separate page for “mortgages for manufactured homes.”
3. Utilize social media platforms.
In today’s digital age, a social media presence is essential for any mortgage broker. with sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok, you have a wide variety to choose from. While you may decide to have a presence on all social media platforms, it is important to focus energy on the ones that target your ideal audience.
Engage with social media
How do you successfully engage on social media platforms? Posting regular information and educational material is a great place to start. Consider sharing new blog posts, referral partner information, and changes to interest rates, for example. In addition, you can share fun mortgage-related memes or other graphics. But it isn’t just about scheduling regular postings. You must also be willing to engage with your followers and answer any questions they may post to you.
Social media ads
The average American adult spends an average of 82 minutes per day on social media. Most social media platforms, such as Facebook, offer advertising opportunities that allow you to target your specific audience through ads while they scroll through their timeline. Taking advantage of these marketing opportunities provides yet another way to drive traffic to your website and boost lead generation. While you can create unique ads, sites like Facebook also allow you to simply “boost” one of your existing posts and use that to target and engage new viewers.
4. Content marketing
For many borrowers, the mortgage process can be overwhelming. Sharing your knowledge through the creation of regular content, whether shared on social media or through a blog on your website, can help potential borrowers understand the process as well as show your loan officer’s knowledge and expertise. When creating content, consider the questions clients frequently ask you throughout the process and address those questions in your content.
Create lead magnets
A lead magnet is a marketing term that refers to a free item or service that a company offers in order to gather contact information on potential clients. As a mortgage officer, you can exactly give away coupon codes for money off a loan, but there are services you can offer in order to gather contact information. For example, you can offer a free eBook or PDF that explains the loan origination process, including everything from the necessary documents needed to a glossary of mortgage terminology. Viewers can download this free resource when they sign up for your newsletter or follow your social media page.
Blogging and guest posting
While creating educational content for your own website and marketing tools, such as a newsletter, is beneficial, sharing your knowledge is not limited to those options. Creating guest posts can provide another venue where you can share your knowledge and increase brand awareness. For example, you can write a blog post on a mortgage industry topic that your real estate partner can share on their website. This puts your name out in front of many potential borrowers and also creates a backlink to your website from the real estate site.
5. Use email marketing.
Email marketing can be a powerful tool for mortgage brokers, especially when you use a quality CRM that allows you to automate much of your marketing campaign. Email marketing campaigns can include everything from notifying past clients about potential refinancing options to sending our birthday wishes. Regular email marketing campaigns keep your name in front of the customer on a regular basis. While they may not need your services now, they are more likely to remember your name when they do.
Build an email list
While the most well-written email may sound great, it won’t be effective if you have no one to send it to. Building an email list is an important part of your lead generation and marketing strategy. Strategies to build an email list can include offers or sign-ups on your website, signup buttons on social media, or collecting emails through applications at your location.
Email signature
An email signature is a snippet that is added to the bottom of all your email correspondence that can include key business information. Adding an email signature to both your business and personal email communication offers a great marketing opportunity.
Craft personalized and valuable content
These days, everyone’s inbox is filled with emails they never even open, let alone read. When creating an email marketing campaign, you want to be sure to create a subject line that appeals to your audience and that will prompt them to open the email. Once there, they should find an email packed full of valuable information as well as a way to connect with you if they have questions or are ready to move forward.
6. Video marketing
Video content and video marketing is another powerful tool in today’s digital age. The use of video allows you to connect with potential clients while also promoting your brand and educating your viewers.
Create educational and entertaining videos
The mortgage industry can be overwhelming to some. Offering regular educational programs and classes is a great way to share your knowledge, develop trust, and connect with potential clients. Consider talking with your local community college or Chamber of Commerce about providing educational opportunities, such as a class on “How to Improve Your Credit.” If physical classes are not an option, consider using tools like Facebook Live to provide an online seminar for your followers.
Utilize social media platforms
Adding videos to your social media platforms increases your ability to connect with new followers. When your video is shared, more people have access and can be drawn to your business. Have fun when creating these videos but still remain professional. Allow your personality to shine through and you can connect with potential clients in a way that most other marketing strategies do not allow for.
Consider live streaming and webinars
If you are really looking to engage with followers online and through social media, consider live streaming events and webinars where followers can join, interact, and ask questions.
7. Local marketing strategies
Local marketing strategies target your audience members that live in your local area. Also known as neighborhood marketing, local marketing focuses on those near you and your business as well as your surrounding community.
Connect with the community
The biggest part of marketing is getting your name and face out in front of people on a regular basis while building trust and respect from the community. A great way to do this is to sponsor and attend local community events, such as local farmer’s markets or team sporting events.
Google Business Profile
Google Business Profile is a free tool offered through Google that allows you to create a listing for your business that appears on Google Search and Maps. This creates a way for previous clients to leave testimonials, as well as a way for you to highlight your business and your services.
Local directories
Signing up for local directories, such as Google My Business, helps to improve your ranking on Google searches, as well as place your business on Google maps and local searches. Joining these local directories also helps boost your website SEO, giving you better placement in search engine ranking.
8. Generate referrals
A satisfied client is often your best source of future business. While you have already asked for testimonials, it is important that you stay top-of-mind with your previous customers long after their closing as they are more likely to recommend your business to friends and family. Creating a regular follow-up marketing campaign that includes topics such as home maintenance or refinancing information is a great way to stay connected with previous customers and generate referrals.
Build strong referral networks
Building a strong referral network is essential for the success of your business. This referral network can include current and past clients, as well as industry professionals that work with you to grow your business.
Network with industry professionals
As a mortgage broker, you regularly work with other industry professionals, such as title agencies and realtors. While these individuals are essential to closing a loan, they are also a great resource for your marketing strategy. Partnering with these professionals and creating mutually beneficial marketing opportunities can work to help both parties generate new leads. For example, if a partner real estate agent is holding an open house, you can team up together and advertise your services on the open house flyer.
Reviews and testimonials
The average person can often be wary of direct marketing campaigns and advertisements. However, they are much more likely to pay attention to the experience of others. Providing client reviews and testimonials on your website and in marketing material allows potential clients to see your success. Reach out to past clients and ask if they would be willing to provide testimonials for you to use on your site. Send out an email marketing campaign to previous clients asking them to take the time to leave a review and include a link to where they can provide this information.
9. Other strategies
In addition to the strategies listed above, these additional marketing ideas can further boost your lead generation and sales.
Connect with influencers
Social media influencers command attention on social media platforms as they have worked hard to generate a strong following. Trying to generate such a following can be a full-time job on its own. However, when it comes to social media, the more followers you have, the more your information is seen. Working with a social media influencer, often for a fee, allows your business information to be seen by its massive audience.
Retarget quality prospects
Retargeting is a marketing strategy that allows you to direct specific advertisements or email content to borrowers that have previously engaged with your site. Directing targeted ads, such as through Google Ads, to these users puts your name in front of them again, making them more likely to consider your company.
Use direct mail
Direct mail marketing has been a part of the mortgage industry for decades. While digital marketing has become the avenue of choice for many, traditional direct mail marketing still offers many benefits. For example, while email marketing may seem a cheaper marketing option, consider how many unread messages you have in your personal inbox. Your potential leads likely have numerous unread emails as well. While direct mail marketing may have a higher cost upfront, chances are that your target viewers are more likely to “open” and read direct mail than the forever-growing list of unread messages in their inboxes. And that’s if your email even reaches their main inbox and isn’t routed to a promotions folder.
Adding things like a QR code or a URL to a unique landing page also allows you to track your direct mail campaigns.
Buy leads
If you are still struggling with lead generation, buying mortgage leads is another option. Real-time leads can be expensive, but aged mortgage leads tend to be cheaper and, in many cases, will be more likely to convert at the time you contact them.
Stay consistent
When creating your marketing strategy, it is essential that you maintain consistency with your marketing tools. A great way to do this is to implement your marketing strategies through your CRM, allowing for automation.
Track and measure results
You want to track your different marketing strategies on a regular basis to see what is working and what isn’t. Maybe you need to adjust your target audience and efforts in a different way to achieve the results you are looking for. Maybe one method is working better than another and should have more of your focus.
A quality marketing strategy leads to success
Implementing these tips into your marketing strategy can help to boost your lead generation and your business success. By integrating these strategies with a quality CRM, you can not only better track your leads but also automate many of the tasks necessary to keep your marketing strategy flowing smoothly and effectively, delivering leads on a regular basis.
Boost your lead generation with Good Vibe Squad
If, despite your best marketing efforts, you are still struggling to bring in a steady flow of leads, the team at Good Vibe Squad can help with Mortgage Lead Generation and Loan Officer Marketing services.
To learn more about how we can help boost your lead generation, book a strategy call today.
