Bliss Sawyer's Marketing Blog

Updated Gas Giveaway

 

In the past, I have recommended a client appreciation event where you give away gas and have a meet and greet event at a local gas station.  Click here to see this article and a sample postcard to market the event. 

With all the hullabaloo about gas prices, I've seen gas incentives become the new marketing tool to drive business.  So of course, my brain started to see the potential for our industry.  Why not develop a new marketing campaign that offers buyers a $500 gas card with their closed loan?  This is a great way to create excitement and get you noticed.

I've used coupons for years, not so much because they bring in dozens of loans, but because they are a great second business card and a nice addition to mailings.  People are feeling trepidation about their finances and the economy, so you are offering some relief to this problem.

Marketing is all about doing something that draws attention and creates a sense of urgency.  Realtors will be thrilled that you are helping their clients with more than just their new mortgage.

We all scream for Ice Cream!

Here's an idea for a fun summer mailing to your database.  The first of June, send a free ice cream coupon to your entire database. 

Approach a locally owned store and ask if they would work with you on this mailing.  Offer to print the coupons at your expense, but then explain that you would like to only pay for the ones that are redeemed.  This is a win-win as people will likely purchase more and you are only paying for those that actually use the coupons.

Title your letter with something like:  "Summer is here... enjoy some fun on me!"  After a line or two about summer, go on to give a few points about rates or other interesting facts on mortgages.  Don't forget to ask for referrals!

You could also do this for a local coffee shop, sandwich place etc.  This is a fun value-mailing that will keep your database opening mail as it comes from you and reading the content.  This is also great business to business marketing!  Make sure the owner is then included in your database for future contact.

Sharing is good

One component to expanding your business is to continually position yourself in front of as many people as possible.  The more people that recognize your name and know what you do for a living will increase your growth opportunities.  This idea not only expands your sphere of influence, but also gives value to your referral partners.

Offer to send a free report or other information to your referral partners database.  (Click to access my free report "What is your name worth?")  Or, create your own report on anything that you feel would be timely and valuable.  Realtors, financial planners, CPA's, attorney's, insurance agents, etc. are all in the same basic business of helping people.  More than likely, they are looking to add value and strengthen their current relationships, so they will appreciate your help.

Approach it this way:  If you are like me, you are always looking to add value to your clients and prospective clients.  I've developed a report on how to protect your name and found this type of mailing to be a great way to stay in touch.  I would love to help you look good to your people and wanted to see if you would like to send this to your database.  (If you use my report, I want you to state that it is "yours",  I created this to make you look good and hey - it's ok to plagiarize if I give you permission!)

Have a copy of the report to show and give any examples you may have from your mailings and follow-up calls to this type of campaign.  Be positive and enthusiastic and you may find yourself in front a whole new group of people!

Be willling to consider the same type of mailing to your database if they have something of value to add to your clients.

Manage your database!

I often get asked for a recommendation of a software program for database management.  I've struggled with this as I feel what has been available is expensive and often not very user friendly.  Dawana Manning, a coaching client from Atlanta recently began using AllClients, an Internet based program.  Her glowing testimonial of it made me decide to look further to see if it would benefit other loan officers.

Here's what I found out:

• AllClients was founded in 2003 by a Loan Officer who also happened to be a software developer.
• Web-based so you can use it at home or in the office.
• You control and own the data.  Easy to move with you to a new company.
• EASY to track referrals, send out mail-merged letters and print labels
• Simple tickler system to remind you to call back clients down the road.
• Real people for real support

Jeff Shamus, founder of AllClients says it best, "With AllClients you won't find everything under the sun, just the stuff you really need."  The best part.... It's only $16.95/month.  Try the 14 day free trial and let me know what you think!

You can also download a FREE report on Database Marketing on my homepage:  www.blisssawyer.com

You asked my opininion....

I've had a few e-mails recently asking my opinion on newsletters to stay in touch with past clients.  So here it is - a great new resource for you!

The Ultimate Marketing Tool for Attracting More Referrals and Repeat Business (sounds perfect to me!)

One of the most costly mistakes mortgage professionals make is their tendency to focus on acquiring new clients and in doing so they neglect the largest asset they will ever have in their business: their client and referral partner database. Think about it. What other market likes you, knows you and trusts you more that your own happy clients and referral partners? Nobody! They are your raving fans. Did you know that every month that goes by that you ignore these people it is costing you thousands of dollars?

The fact is people hate being ignored and if you are not continuously staying in touch they’re likely to get wooed away by your competition. If you want to build a predictable, profitable and salable mortgage business, you can’t afford not to develop your monthly client newsletter. Your newsletter can and should become your primary marketing weapon.

So if all this is true, why aren’t you investing more time, energy and money to extract value from your client database? Perhaps no one has taught you the importance of it and shown you how to do it - until now.

Click here to discover the ultimate follow-up marketing tool for increasing referrals, and stimulating more repeat business from your client base.

Great Marketing Piece

My Mortgage Community is allowing me to share this great marketing piece.  This flyer can be sent to past clients and prospects as well as a great added value deliverable for referral partners. It talks about how the Fed has lowered the Fed Funds Rate and the different opportunities that it presents for those seeking a new mortgage. 

I firmly believe there is lots of room to come out on top of this mess we are all experiencing.  It will take hard work and "pig headed discipline and determination"  (my new, favorite phrase from Chet Holmes book, The Ultimate Sales Machine.) 

Don't spend your time working on creating new marketing pieces... use your time to develop and strengthen relationships.  Click here for your copy.

You can also get a one month membership to My Mortgage Community for only $1!

It's not too early to think about the Holidays!

If you haven't sent anything to your database for Christmas in the past, this might be a good year to start!  And if you have - we'd love to hear what you have done and what's been successful.

Hopefully, your database is up and running strong.  If not, Click Here for the 5 Secrets to Database Marketing.  Not everyone in your database needs to get the same thing, so take the time to A,B,C your list.  If you are unfamiliar with this method, consider subscribing to Doug Smith and my Competitive Edge Newsletter as the next issue will go in depth on this subject.

First, decide on a budget and how many people you want to reach.  Then search for things that fit your budget and will brand you as the Lender of Choice.  Here are a few ideas for you to think about...

• Dollar lottery tickets with a letter that says "Merry Christmas!  Call me if you win.  Or if you have questions on a mortgage."
• Christmas music CD with your info branded on the CD. 
• Promotional item that is funny or usable.  Something unique.
• Free hot chocolate at a local coffee shop
• Know a landscaper that runs a light business for the holidays?  Consider sending a discount to your database in October to drive more business his way.
• Put together a schedule of local holiday events. Information Marketing!
• If nothing else, a card!

Most originator's have more time than applications right now... use this time wisely to be creative as well as productive.  What can you do that will get noticed, appreciated and reinforce your position as a source for mortgage loans?