Financial marketing has changed dramatically in the last decade. Many loan originators have taken their money out of direct mail, newspaper ads and networking events, and have switched to investing in online leads and campaigns.
As you continue to grow as a loan officer, it becomes more important than ever to continue to broaden your online presence and find new ways to reach a larger audience.
What Is an “Online Presence”?
Your online presence is your ability to be found online from a variety of channels, not just the lending website. It’s the reach that your name and brand have, measured by how easily people can find information about you.
Your online presence includes channels such as:
l Websites about you, your products and services
l Active social media accounts, including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn
l Online news articles in which you are quoted, guest posts on industry websites and articles written by you for industry publications
Many loan originators find clients through referrals and word of mouth. But in today’s increasingly digital world, your online and offline presence have a synergy that can help you grow your business dramatically. That is because a strong online presence has many important benefits.
The Benefits
Building trust: Word of mouth is still a great way to market. Yet few clients simply call a number because a friend gave it to them. What do they do first? They Google you. They try to learn more about you. The more they see your expertise, the more trust it builds.
Branding: Even if they like what they see, they may not be ready to call. But the more they find about you online, the more they will remember you when their needs arise in the future.
Marketing: As you grow, you may discover that you are finding more and more leads through your marketing presence. If you already have a website and you’ve started building your online presence, you’ve got a head start when you decide to switch to online campaigns.
As a loan originator, your ability to network and build a client base through word of mouth is an important part of your success. But having a strong online presence will take your business to the next level.
How to Get Started
If you are new to creating an online presence, there are many opportunities out there. Here is the best way to start:
Create and manage professional social media pages Create a business page for your lender services on Facebook and Twitter.
Monitor and manage your Yelp/Google Plus reviews Be active in monitoring and encouraging reviews on all local review sites. Most sites will show your star rating in a search. If possible, try to address any negative reviews and see if there is a way to boost your star rating.
Content market your website Create a website and start adding active content, including service pages, a blog, and helpful tips and links.
Take advantage of connections See if there are websites that will allow you to post something under your name.
Create a few press releases Positive press releases can help make sure that more and more positive information is found about you for those who are looking.
There are many other opportunities to expand your online presence, but this list is the best place to start. It may seem like a lot of work, but the time you spend on it will help you build your network and convert more clients.
