First, you have to get people talking. Everyone talks about their friends and family members, even business associates.
It's just a natural part of communication. But what you need to do is establish something that makes you memorable, something that gets people talking. Here's an example:
A few months ago I attended a training conference. Like every other conference, we were asked to put on a name tag at the beginning of the session. When the noon break came about, I headed for lunch at a local deli, completely forgetting that I still had my name tag on.
As I was standing in line to order a sandwich I fell into conversation with another customer; it all started with a joke about my nametag. We had a great conversation where I had an opportunity to talk about my business, the seminar, etc. At the end of the conversation we traded business cards.
A few weeks later I got a call from a real estate agent, he'd been referred to me by my lunchtime acquaintance.
How comfortable do you feel talking with other's about your business? You would be amazed at how many referrals you could be receiving, just from regular folks (your dry cleaners, hair stylist, kid's teacher, etc.) Never underestimate someone's ability to help you with your business even through casual conversation. But first you must make yourself memorable to that person.
Meet More People
There's lots of ways to create recognition for your name and your brand in the public, besides simply placing advertisements.
Every time you make yourself an expert source (published in papers or journals), meet people through networking events, volunteer for projects with local charities, you create opportunities to broaden your field of acquaintances.
The more people you know, the more people talking about you through word of mouth marketing and the greater potential for referrals and business.
Make a Splash
Your marketing materials say a lot about you and your business. They firmly establish your brand image in the mind of your prospects. One way to get agents talking is to make materials that are noteworthy.
Spend some time thinking about your message and your brand.Get help from someone with a talent for creating slick brochures and business cards, something with a strong graphic punch. Don't forget your website.
You not only need to offer web content that's different from everyone else, you also need something that's going to get agents talking about you. That word of mouth marketing produces business for you; you need something that says Look at me.
Go Out for Coffee
In the last couple years, I've noticed an interesting trend. More people are using high end coffee shops as their place of business than their office. I've seen real estate agents in shops waiting to meet clients to take them to listings, discussing what the buyers looking for, even writing up offers.
I regularly take a small project to the coffee shop and plop down in one of the comfy chairs in the store. I start working on something easy, maybe writing some personalized thank you cards, with my name tag on. I make lots of eye contact with clients and try to appear approachable. I'm not there to make a sale. I'm there to chat, to make contacts, because I never know who will pass my name along through word of mouth marketing.
You'll never build your business by being a wall flower. If you want to appeal to agents and build referral business, give them something to talk about.
Become an Agent Magnet
Stop being frustrated with real estate agents. Learn how to position your service uniquely and distinct. It's easier than you think and you'll produce the results you desire. It's helped hundreds of loan officers learn how to plan and execute a marketing strategy that separates you from competitors and attracts agents to your doorstep.
Each week I try to give as much information as I can, given the space available. But if you're serious about taking your marketing to the next level, you need to take the next step. If you want to...
- develop a powerful marketing message,
- create a perception of expertise that agents clamor for,
- use campaigns that keep your pipeline overflowing,
- build relationships that are loyal for a lifetime,
- establish yourself as a guru in your community,
- get more referrals consistently,
- make marketing less of a struggle and burden...
Then the Become an Agent Magnet Program has what you're looking for - detailed, how-to action plans on growing your business with successful relationships with agents.
Learn more about it here:
Fast Path to Success Program
Do you feel confused and unsure where to begin marketing to attract more referrals from real estate agents and clients?
If so, you're not alone. It's getting harder and harder to persuade agents to refer their buyers to you and get your clients to evangelize your service to others.
But the real problem isn't how difficult it is to convince agents to do business with you - it's far worse. In working with hundreds of loan officers, I've found the main problem is that they are using outdated marketing tactics that do little to differentiate their services so they go unnoticed and experience high levels of rejection.
To help you put an end to this dead-end way of marketing, I've developed a coaching program to simplify your marketing, help you make smarter decisions, and achieve greater success.
The program is called Fast Path to Success and here is a partial list of the topics covered:
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How to answer every agent's most critical question, "Why should I do business with you?"
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How to guide your thinking on strategic issues during times of significant change or changing markets.
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How to use key marketing indicators to judge performance and improve results.
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How to examine your business to identify your strengths to create value and establish key competitive advantages.
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How to keep on track with the most important activities that grow income and develop long-term relationships.
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How to formulate a budget that tells you how much you will need to invest to achieve your goals, and learn how to track your results so you know which strategies perform best.
And that's only a partial list. The program is conducted by teleconference and limited to 12 participants to ensure a high degree of personalization.
Free TeleSeminar
Our last TeleSeminar sold out in less than 6 hours. If you missed it, I have extended the offer for another call on Wednesday, November 1st at 10:00 am (PST).
If you are serious about this offer, register today. There are only 100 reservations available for this call. You can learn more about the details here:
http://www.loan-officer-marketing.com/mortgage-marketing-seminar.html
