The mortgage marketing space is filled with a variety of technical terms and trendy phrases, many of which are overused and not fully understood. This can lead to confusion and inefficiency when attempting to connect with potential customers and drive business growth. While some of these terms may have a legitimate role in mortgage marketing, it's crucial to evaluate their relevance and value for your specific business.
The "buyer's journey" is a key concept in mortgage marketing strategy, and it refers to the process a customer goes through before making a purchase. This journey is typically divided into three stages: awareness, consideration, and decision. From a marketing perspective, the process involves educating the customer, providing solutions, and helping them make a selection. To effectively market mortgages, it is important to understand and address the "why," "how," and "who" questions that potential customers may have before making a purchase. Optimizing your mortgage marketing strategy to align with the buyer's journey can help increase conversions and drive business growth.
In the "education" phase of the mortgage marketing strategy, the goal is to help potential buyers recognize a challenge or opportunity related to mortgage loans. During this stage, customers will often conduct research online and visit different websites. However, it is also important to provide opportunities for meaningful human interaction, such as through webinars, which can be an effective tool for reaching potential buyers. This can be in addition to non-human resources such as pay-per-click ads, blog posts, and landing pages. A 2017 study by Sirius Decisions found that live, vendor-hosted webinars that focus on addressing specific challenges are an effective way to engage potential buyers in the mortgage marketing process.
The "consideration" stage of the mortgage marketing strategy begins when potential buyers have identified a problem or opportunity related to mortgage loans and are researching different options. During this stage, buyers will compare various vendors and evaluate their solutions. As a mortgage marketer, it's essential to stay top-of-mind with potential buyers during the education phase to increase the chances of being considered as a top choice. Tactics such as offering free trials, using email marketing, and providing sales presentations can help set your business apart from competitors.
Effective mortgage marketing is not just about reaching potential buyers, but also engaging them throughout the buying journey. One way to do this is by creating a multiuser environment, such as a members-only LinkedIn group or private channel in Slack, after a webinar or sales pitch. This can be used to share valuable content such as white papers and case studies and can help differentiate your business from competitors by providing a more personalized and engaging experience.
The final stage of the mortgage marketing strategy is when a potential buyer makes a decision. At this point, it's crucial to alleviate any doubts and encourage them to take action. This can be achieved through various tactics such as offering a reassuring customer support, providing a non-committal demo period, or offering limited-time discounts. By reinforcing the buyer's decision and addressing any remaining concerns, you can increase the chances of closing the sale and converting them into a customer.
Having a clear understanding of the steps customers take when considering a mortgage loan is critical to a successful mortgage marketing strategy. The buying journey can vary for each customer, as they have different life experiences and backgrounds. However, by analyzing internal data and conducting research, it's possible to identify patterns in how a group of customers interacts with your brand. These patterns can be used to map out a "buyer's journey" and create different personas. This allows you to deliver personalized content that resonates with each buyer at their specific stage in the decision-making process, which can help increase conversions and drive business growth. Optimizing your content and targeting it to the specific stage of the buying journey can help improve your SEO and increase visibility.
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