Direct Mail Marketing Tips for Mortgage Brokers
by Brandon Cornett
1. Be professional
The mortgage industry is a detail-driven business. The smallest mistakes can put the entire transaction off track. Your potential customers know this, so don’t ever show them mortgage direct mail piece that’s less than perfect.
2. Add value to your marketing message
The more value you build into your direct mail message, the more likely your recipients will be to respond to it. Give them a good, solid reason to call you. Offer a high-value report on mortgage refinance, a free home-buying seminar, little-known mortgage secrets, etc. Whatever you offer, just be sure to keep it legal and legit.
3. Write an irresistible headline
Many of the mortgage-related direct mail pieces I have seen had weak headlines, or no headline at all. A direct marketing piece has seconds to make an impression. This is the job of the headline. A good headline will grab the reader and pull him or her into the body copy. A weak headline — or a lack of one altogether — gives the reader a good reason to ignore your message.
4. Make your offer clear
Now that your offer stands out, you need to make sure the reader understands it. This is not the time to flaunt your vocabulary or use clever language. Make your offer clear, easy to understand, and loaded with value: “Free 15-page guide on common mortgage mistakes (and how to avoid them). Call or email today for your free copy.”
5. Leverage your website
Your website should be an integral part of your mortgage marketing program. Try using your direct mail postcards in conjunction with your website. For example, the postcard might offer a web-based article or report on mortgages, such as the 15-page guide mentioned in tip #4 above. But in this version of the strategy, people can also download the guide directly from your website (after signing up for it with name and email address).
Direct mail mortgage marketing requires constant improvement. You have to try a particular strategy, learn from it, make modifications, try it again, learn from it again, etc. It’s a perpetual process, but a necessary one as well. Stand still in this industry, and you may end up getting left behind.
