New brokers, here’s how to get noticed, build trust and start attracting clients.
According to the latest MFAA Industry Intelligence Report there are 16,968 mortgage brokers in Australia. So how do you stand out from the other 16,967 brokers in the industry and get noticed by potential clients?
If you don’t have a solid marketing strategy, getting attention and keeping it is a tough job. Here’s what you need to consider when launching your new business to help ensure you get noticed, build trust and start attracting clients.
Know who you’re pitching to
If you want people to care about your message and for you to stand out as a broker, an important first step is to define your target market. This is the group of people you have decided to target with your services and product.
To identify your target market, think about who your ideal customer would be. Consider the types of services you specialise in, perhaps it’s helping first home buyers, or securing home loans for people who are self employed. If you already have clients look at where your enquiries are coming from and identify who’s using your services already.
Trying to create marketing messages that will appeal to everyone is too broad. Humans are not one homogenous group; we have different backgrounds, beliefs, and aspirations, we hang out in different places.
When you try to appeal to everyone you’ll end up appealing to no one. Nobody will feel like you’re talking to them directly or that you ‘get’ them. Tailoring your message to a specific target audience will help you cut through the noise and make an impact.
Once you get your target audience sorted, knowing where and how to direct your marketing efforts will become so much easier.
Establish your brand strategy
A brand is more than just a logo, it’s the entire experience that someone has when they interact with your business. Your brand influences how someone feels when they think of you.
Your brand encompasses your business’:
- Visual aesthetic, from digital and printed marketing assets, to the decor in your office (if you have one)
- The tone of voice and language used to communicate with current and potential clients
- Unique selling proposition and point of difference
- Brand values and customer service offering
- Marketing activities, including which digital platforms you show up on
You may choose to operate under your own brand. Creating your own brand gives you the creative freedom and flexibility to build something that’s truly unique to you. However, it can take time to build brand awareness and reputation. You’ll also need to factor in the (time and financial) cost of crafting your tone of voice and designing your logo, style guide and brand assets.
The other option is to start attracting new clients and establishing yourself as a trusted expert from day one by leveraging the national footprint and market positioning of an existing brand like Buyers Choice. Our members enjoy the freedom of choosing to leverage our brand or create their own.
Be where your potential customers are
Once you understand your target audience,you need to show up where they hang out (in person and online).
Perhaps your prospects are into sport, it may be worthwhile sponsoring your local footy club. If they’re parents, you could consider setting up a stand at the local Primary School’s fete or sponsoring the school newsletter.
Consider which social media platforms your target audience uses and establish a presence on those platforms. To help you identify where your potential clients hang out online, refer to the latest Sensis report which is a great source of information on Australia's social media usage habits.
Regardless of who you’re marketing to, they’re likely to use a search engine such as Google to find information and search for services. Recent data shows that over 93% of searches in Australia occur on Google, so you need to have a presence there. Start by creating a free Google My Business profile, then make sure your website or broker landing page is optimised for search engines.
If you’d like to learn more about how to stand out and attract your ideal customers check out our lead generation webinar. The webinar shares seven easy to implement and highly effective marketing ideas to generate more leads.
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