Generating Loan Officer Leads Online
by Brandon Cornett, 10/8/08
Did you know there are more than a dozen techniques for generating loan officer leads through your business website? It's true. And in this article, I'll explain some of my favorite methods for producing loan officer mortgage leads on a consistent basis.
Some of the techniques on this list may not be practical for your business, for one reason or another. But don't worry. You don't have to use all of them. When properly executed, any one of these strategies could help you generate loan officer leads through your website. Combine two or three of them, and you could take your business to the next level of success.
More Web Traffic = More Website Leads
In terms of website marketing, traffic is the first step to generating loan officer leads for your business. To succeed with any of the strategies listed below, you first need to generate a steady stream of visitors to your website.
There are many ways to increase traffic levels. In my opinion, search engine optimization (SEO) is one of the best methods. It's the long-lasting approach to web traffic, as opposed to paid advertising techniques that disappear the moment you stop paying. Thus, SEO goes hand in hand with a loan officer lead generation program.
Whatever you do to generate website traffic, just realize it's the first step to success with mortgage leads. It's the main ingredient needed for all of the techniques outlined below.
Internet Lead Generation Techniques
Let's talk about some of the ways you can get more loan officer leads through website. Here are five strategies I've used in the past to produce inquiries from mortgage shoppers through my Home Buying Institute website:
1. FAQ Software
Did you know you can install a software program on your website that allows your visitors to type their mortgage questions into a box? The program will then send you an email whenever somebody asks a question, and your response will be automatically added to the website. It's also a way to capture loan officer mortgage leads because the FAQ form will ask for name and email address.
2. Online Chat
Do you have a receptionist, officer manager or customer service person, somebody who is near a computer most of the day? If so, then you could also put an online chat program on your website. This tool allows your visitors to click a button and chat live with the person on the other end. This is yet another way to generate loan officer leads through your website, by leveraging current software technology.
3. Blog Comments
A blog is a content-management tool that allows you quickly and easily publish information online (as easily as you would type an email message). But it can also be an effective strategy for generating leads online, because people can leave comments on your blog entries. They can include their name and email address for follow-up purposes as well, and that's how this technique serves as a mortgage lead generator.
4. Request a Quote
This is a strategy for connecting with the most important audience of all, people who are ready to move forward and get loan quotes from a mortgage broker or company. Of course, you need to have some way for people to request this information. Having your basic contact information on the website is not enough. To maximize your loan officer leads you should have convenient forms located in highly visible areas on your website.
5. Free Information
Home buyers and mortgage shoppers are an information-hungry bunch. And rightfully so! There's a lot to learn about the process. You can use your website to offer free information, and you can do it in such a way that produces leads from interested parties. For example, you offer an educational e-book on the mortgage process, and allow people to request it by email. Or you could conduct a seminar for home buyers and promote it on your website.
The Quality of Your Loan Officer Website
Up until this point, we have talked about specific techniques and tools you can use to get more leads from your mortgage website. But there's another important topic we need to address, and that is the overall quality and usability of your website.
In order to get the best results from the strategies listed above, you need to make sure your website is well organized, easy to use, and professional in appearance. This will make it easier for people to navigate the site, which has a direct influence on the number of loan officer leads your website produces.
A professional website will also help you earn the trust of your visitors. And let's face it — mortgage professionals can use all the trust they can get in this economy.
Related article: What Is Mortgage Lead Generation?
About the Author - Brandon Cornett is the publisher of this website. He also provides a variety of Internet marketing services to mortgage brokers, such as search engine optimization for better website ranking.
