Page 12 - The Pulse July 18

relationship with to share their honest reviews of you on Happy Customers Make the Best and given them the right advice, this will generate referrals. materials to better facilitate Mortgage Brokers
Google can also pay off – if you don’t ask, you don’t get! It’s all about customer service. when selling your proposition to their clients?
Brand Advocates
Emma Hall, GWlegal: First thing’s first, your website Another thing that has helped is to have a raised profile Louisa Sedgwick, Vida Homeloans: We are delighted
must be modern and streamlined, containing all the What can Mortgage Brokers do to ensure their and presence in the local community. You do not need to tailor training/support for Mortgage Brokers and our
information required to sell your product in a succinct to have a high street office for this, perhaps you could breakfast briefings about Buy to Let opportunities in the
manner and, above all else, technologically-savvy (e.g. customers come back to them at the end of their sponsor a local event, award, sports team? North West of England are examples of this approach.
fast loading times, using optimised SEO with the right fixed term?
keywords, a contact form or chat function, etc.). Secondly, The recent introduction of General Data Emma Hall, GWlegal: Absolutely. Competition is tough
your social media presence must be regular and vibrant. Louisa Sedgwick, Vida Homeloans: Don’t assume Protection Regulation, has given customers and the property market complex, so providing these types
Thirdly, incentivising clients to write you positive Google they will come back. Brokers need to be contacting their more clarity on how their data is used and also of materials to brokers is no longer an option, it’s necessary.
reviews will make you stand out from the crowd. customers throughout the life of their fixed rate and no At GWlegal, brokers can benefit from our GWlive online
later than 7 months before the end date. Lenders will ensured Mortgage Brokers put more thought into case management system which also displays latest news
Carl Stacey, Assurant: Make sure your website is clear, contact customers 6 months before the end so you need ensuring they collect individual consent for each and offers to browse at their leisure between instructing
navigation around the site is easy and preferably do not to be ahead of them. channel of marketing they use, such as, email, cases, detailed property guides (printed or PDF) for each
have static pages where content never changes. Inform telephone, text message and post. What types of specialist area, toolboxes full of valuable information about
visitors about all the services you can offer and can help Emma Hall, GWlegal: It’s all about the basics - providing communications should Mortgage Brokers send complex transactions such as BTL and specialist BDM
them with, aiming this at new and existing customers. Use a full, comprehensive service with great customer service. support (you’ll have just one Account Manager who will
testimonials and look to ask for reviews of your services You should have a system in place so you are alerted to to their customers to bridge-the-gap between look after you). If we want to survive in 2018, we all must
through trusted rating engines, such as Trustpilot or Feefo the customer’s term ending and contact them prior to this, their last transaction and next transaction? assist each other to be as knowledgeable as possible, so
or Vouchedfor. Different customers will want to engage explaining why they would be crazy to leave you! that knowledge can be passed down to the happy client.
with you in different ways, even if their first point is to Louisa Sedgwick, Vida Homeloans: Never lose
check out your company online, give your customers the Carl Stacey, Assurant: Ensure you have a contact touch in the first place. You could look to pull together Carl Stacey, Assurant: Yes we do. Face to face through
opportunity to deal with you how they want to; email, face strategy and it is diarised well in advance of the end of a monthly/quarterly news bulletin covering various topics our Business Development Managers, telephone based
to face, skype, telephone etc. the customer’s fixed term, this may need to be up to 6+ of interest – generally centred around the changes in the support via our head office based Account Managers, we
months before the deal expires for mortgages. Whatever mortgage market/savings market for example – give them can be as hands on or hands off as the business would
A lot of Mortgage Brokers are nervous about other contact strategies you may have in place with an indication of the ‘best buys’. like. We also have a Resource Centre that has training
using social media to attract new customers and regards to reaching out to your customers (GDPR rules and useful information to help sell the GI proposition - a
are unsure of the type of information they should obviously apply here!), if you offer B&C insurance, a yearly Not only does this ensure you maintain contact with snapshot of this is here: https://www.assurantforadvisers.
service call to let your clients know their policy is due for
customers but it is also another way to remind them that
be posting. Can you share your top tips? renewal, works very well (probably 4-6 weeks in advance you know the industry and have the expertise to best co.uk/support-services/. We look to understand the
of the renewal date). advise them. business set up and processes to see what products best
Louisa Sedgwick, Vida Homeloans: Short, sharp and fit and also the type of training and support required.
factual! Use good news stories, re-post interesting and It is common knowledge that happy customers The main thing to remember is that you need to
helpful articles. Never post during the hours of darkness! are crucial for repeat business and introducing communicate with them in the way that they prefer, even What advice do you have for new Mortgage
And be very careful not to post a financial promotion if that means text only; you must be geared up to use their Brokers joining the industry in 2018?
without adhering to all the usual rules and regulations, more customers to you. What referral schemes choice of communication.
just as you would if you were placing an advert. have you found to be the most successful, either Louisa Sedgwick, Vida Homeloans: There has never
within your own company or those used by your Carl Stacey, Assurant: Depending on what mortgage been a better time – embrace change and make sure you
Emma Hall, GWlegal: Don’t be shy about using social key Introducers? product is sold or what diarised contact is in place, it could are educating yourself and keeping up to date on all things
media, it can transform your businesses’ image and get be a couple of years between the last and next contact for to do with mortgages!
you more customers than ever. Post content that your Louisa Sedgwick, Vida Homeloans: You could a mortgage broker. Keeping in contact through a yearly
clients will find relevant and interesting - this could be incentivise existing ‘happy’ customers with a voucher for review, a regular newsletter with different topics each time Emma Hall, GWlegal: Know your client and know your
news articles that relate to your product or fun facts referrals to family and friends. Make sure they have a or even birthday or Christmas cards can work. product. Embrace change. Always look ahead. And be
about the property-buying process, for example. Pictures small stash of your business cards to hand out or a PDF ready for everything!
of staff and inner-workings of the office can also help to email to contacts. Look for a particular sector of the As previously mentioned, you can always communicate
humanise your business to potential customers. It’s market – later life lending for example – help the parents annually at least through the renewal of a B&C policy as a Carl Stacey, Assurant: Get into good habits - Set the
important to shake it up and post a variety of different to help their children – they tend to both tell their friends! reason to contact and make it more of a servicing message scene and take your customers through the process of
content, including Instagram-style snaps, royalty-free Just be great at what you do and the word spreads! rather than a marketing one. a mortgage, the time it takes and why you need the
stock images, infographics and videos. Research hashtags information you ask for. Tell your customers about all the
(e.g #MondayMotivation) that could attract users to your Emma Hall, GWlegal: As part of our rebrand in 2018 E.g. “Your home insurance is coming up for renewal. Your services and products you can offer, review and make
accounts and utilise trends (celebrities buying houses, the we made it our goal to offer competitive new offers to provider will be sending you a renewal invite, but if you suitable recommendations regarding these products areas.
holiday season, and so forth) and theme content around our valued Introducers on a regular basis. To ensure our want any assistance in ensuring you have adequate cover Make sure this is reflected in your file every time whether
them. It’s all about staying relevant! Relevant businesses loyal partners remain committed working with us as well and at a competitive price, please contact me on …” the customer takes your advice or not.
attract relevant customers. as encouraging newbies to get in touch, we offer our
Introducers opportunities for potential earnings wherever This is a marketing email under GDPR so consent will be Know a “man that can” – even if you do not want to
Carl Stacey, Assurant: Social media is not going away possible. needed, however it comes across as a service and gives advise or are not authorised to advise on certain product
but thought does need to go into how you portray yourself the broker an opportunity to communicate and solidify lines, let your customers know you can help. You can find
and your company online. If you have a brand image, try Carl Stacey, Assurant: If you have helped save your their relationship between mortgage discussions. out through your Network/Club, contacts or providers
to reflect that in your postings. If you do decide to go customer money, perhaps you can help a member of subsequently.
down the social media line, try to regularly engage with their family or a friend or a neighbour? Asking customers
posting useful and relevant material with your followers or to refer family or friends has and will always work to Look for support – this could be through an experienced
potential followers, don’t just “sell”. generate business for you if you have given them the right Support for Mortgage Brokers colleague, a peer or fellow advisers within your Network.
service. Ultimately if you have looked after your customer It may even be someone that is outside of the industry.
Do you offer any training, support or marketing
11 12