Many business owners say finding their perfect client can be difficult, but it is an essential part of marketing. Many successful mortgage professionals will work with anyone, but they fail to create a marketing strategy that speaks to their specific type of customer. It’s time for you to stop guessing and start defining the person or family for whom you want to provide services.
Start with Your Successes
Think about your most rewarding experiences helping someone find the right mortgage. What was the person like? What made them successful in buying a home? How did they approach their search for financing? Thinking back on your most successful experiences will help you define the characteristics of your ideal client.
Move on to Your Dreams
Once you know who you’ve most enjoyed helping in the past, think about who you want to help going forward. Are you hoping to move into more jumbo loans? Would you prefer to work with new families or older couples? Is it time to move into commercial loans rather than primary residence mortgages?
Figure out the Common Elements
Once you’ve begun to think about who you want to work with, it’s time to create an avatar—a representation of your ideal client. What characteristics do these borrowers share? Are they a certain age? Are they looking in a particular area you serve? What types of homes do they prefer? How do they like to communicate with their mortgage broker?
Write down these characteristics. Consider using visuals to help you keep this customer avatar top of mind. Cut pictures out of magazines or create private Pinterest boards to gather photos representing your customer avatar. Images can be more powerful than written text in this case.
This strategy will help you figure out what marketing strategies will work best for finding more people like them. The avatar doesn’t have to be perfect, but it should include common characteristics of your most successful clients.
Go After Your Target Market
Now that you know who you want to work with and what they look like, it’s time to look at your target market. How can you connect with your ideal client? What marketing tools will resonate most with them? How can you show them you’re the right broker for them?
Write down a list of online and offline tools to help reach potential clients. For example, if you want to attract younger families looking for new homes, consider using Facebook advertising or attending low-cost events like home shows. If you want to focus on more affluent borrowers, consider targeting luxury publications or sponsoring a charity event.
The more you can adjust your marketing to speak to your ideal client’s needs, the easier it will be to find them. Defining your ideal client is an essential step in finding more success in your mortgage business.
No strategy is perfect, but by taking the time to define your ideal client and target market, you’ll be able to grow your mortgage business and help more people pay for homes they love.