Put Some PR in Your Mortgage Marketing

Public relations, or PR, is often the forgotten side of mortgage marketing. When you say “marketing” to most mortgage folks, they think of things like direct mail, print advertisements and the like. These are legitimate components of a mortgage marketing program, but PR can be equally effective (if not more).

People define PR in different ways. In my opinion, PR is when you put yourself in front of your primary audience through techniques other traditional advertising. Conducting home buying seminars can be a form of PR, as well as the media exposure you could generate through such seminars. Publishing mortgage-related articles online or in your local newspaper is another form of PR. And, of course, there is the press release.

PR has changed over the years. In the past, PR meant pitching a story idea to journalists and hoping they picked it up. But these days, you can publish press releases intended for your audience, not for journalists. You can use services like PRWeb.com to publish press releases that match the Internet search terms of your target audience.

Adding Value to Your Mortgage Marketing
When you incorporate PR into your marketing program, you are adding value through legitimacy. PR helps you build credibility by spreading your message beyond traditional advertising channels. When somebody reads about you online or in the newspaper, or attends one of your seminars, they will be more inclined to trust you (than if they had only seen your advertisement).

A mortgage marketing program should be well-rounded. You never want to put all your eggs into one basket. Sure, run some ads if it has worked for you in the past. But be sure to incorporate other marketing channels, such as PR.

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