It’s true that content is king, but what type of content you’re putting out there can easily make or break your business — especially in the mortgage industry. In this field, where every originator is essentially selling the same products, it can be hard to stand out from the crowd and attract new clients.
So, how can you stand apart from other mortgage pros across the country? Easy — flip the script.
While promoting your own products and services is important and crucial for business, not every borrower is interested in hearing about that 24/7. Yes, you make loans. So do your competitors. That’s why it’s important to consider a new marketing angle.
Many originators tend to highlight their own closed loans, but does this really benefit the borrower? Instead of showing how successful you were this month, consider sharing your clients’ wins.
Shift the focus away from yourself and zero in on the topic that borrowers are most interested in: themselves. Your clients will surely want to hear about the solutions you offer, but chances are greater that they’ll want to hear about the borrower experience. Here’s how you can start.
Borrower perspective
So, you just partnered with a lender that offers a variety of products. Your first instinct may be to write about and promote all the newly minted loans you now have in your product set. While that may inform your borrowers, it doesn’t exactly help them.
Sure, borrowers want to know which loans you offer, but they also want to know how they benefit from these programs. Are they saving money? Locking in low rates? No tax returns required? Try understanding different borrower needs, then explain how you and your business can address them.
Maybe you work with borrowers who are self-employed and require alternative documentation options. Or maybe you have a list of strong-credit clients who can get low rates due to their background. Whatever the case, you should use these examples to explain how you have a unique solution that meets different mortgage needs.
When clients see how you tackle unique scenarios, they’ll most likely be willing to work with you because, after all, they want to see how you can help them. Need help learning about your borrowers? Try these easy tips:
- Hold interviews. The quickest way to learn what your borrower needs — and this can’t be stressed enough — is by simply asking them. Consider scheduling an initial appointment with a new or existing client to determine what type of loan solution best fits their current scenario.
- Send surveys. Not hyped about scheduling so many back-to-back calls during the discovery phase? Just send a quick survey to all of your contacts with a few introductory questions. Pro tip: Stick with five questions or fewer. If you make the survey too long, you risk your clients not even taking it.
- Host Q&As. You also can host a virtual meetup. Make yourself available at least once a week for a quick (30 minutes or less) session to answer any questions that new or existing clients may have about your business.
Success stories
Many originators tend to highlight their own closed loans, but does this really benefit the borrower? Instead of showing how successful you were this month, consider sharing your clients’ wins. Borrowers don’t necessarily see themselves in brokers and loan officers, but seeing other homebuyer stories can resonate with them.
Make it a habit to feature your previous successes on all of your media channels. Whether it’s a testimonial posted to your website or a closed loan case study shared on your LinkedIn account, it’s important to always be sharing these stories with your network.
One of the ways you can highlight your borrowers’ successes are with short blog posts. Detailing how you helped a client finance their mortgage can really make a difference for potential new clients. Maybe they have a similar scenario and this blog post is the tipping point that makes them choose you for the job. This also is a great time to help a prospective borrower understand what to expect at each stage of the transaction.
Remember that survey tool mentioned earlier? In addition to sending preliminary surveys to get to know your borrowers’ mortgage needs, you also can send surveys after a deal closes to get feedback from clients. Pro tip: Include an answer box at the end to gather quotes that can be used later on your website or social media channels. Just be sure to ask for permission first.
Another option is to send a monthly newsletter to your email database that includes a holistic view of your business — loan products, client successes, contact info, etc. Clients will get to see everything they can take advantage of when they partner with you. Want to get advanced? Give clients the ability to choose how often they receive emails from you. Remember, your borrower’s success is ultimately your success.
Educational tools
A main goal for any mortgage originator is to expand their market reach. Some believe that investing in ads or email campaigns is the answer, but with so many industry pros fighting for attention, these tactics may not help you retain as many clients as you want.
Instead of purchasing ads to capture attention, maybe it’s time to try drawing prospective clients in with the value you’re able to add to their lives. Consider revamping your content strategy to create material that is actually useful for your clients. Think about it: Your clients may choose to partner with you because you offer the best rates or lowest fees, but if you want to create a loyal network, it’s smart to provide trustworthy resources that keep them coming back with their refinance needs. One of these ways is with educational videos.
Fact: Most borrowers are not overly familiar with the mortgage industry. That’s why they often associate mortgages with being complicated and stressful. Be the hero they need by creating a few short videos that explain the basics to help them feel more comfortable. Pro tip: These days, you don’t need to be a Hollywood film editor to create expert-level videos. It’s easier (and cheaper) to use one of the many video editing tools available online.
And believe it or not, blog posts are here to stay — even in an age where TikToks reign supreme. A short video may not be enough for you to explain the different processes the borrower can expect during the transaction. Try writing it all down in a simple blog post. Not only will this help the borrower, but it will drive traffic to your website.
In the end, you need to think about the borrower and their needs. Sure, investing in ads can get you some exposure, but you need to make sure you’re also providing resources for your clients. Only then will they feel like they can trust you as their solutions provider.
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Your business may experience ups and downs, especially in today’s mortgage landscape. The best way to navigate these fluctuations is by always knowing your “why.” If your marketing focus is on the client — and how to provide the best solutions and resources for them — you can be sure your business will stay in the spotlight in any environment. ●
