Today's piece will be something of a follow up to last's week's entry. As we continue to deal with pricing changes at a rapid pace, let's not lose focus and start marketing based only on price. It's important to remember that we all have marketing strategies in place and long after these pricing shifts are behind us, our seniors will still look to us as a source of information and advice. Stay on pace with your current plan- do not deviate. You are in this for the long term and the commitment to your well thought out marketing plan is crucial. That being said, remember these tips to reach out to your prospects who may have been on the fence, or simply did not qualify-
1) Your website is one of your best outreach tools right now. Get the word out via your site AND your social media outlets- seniors are online more than we think and they will appreciate this "breaking news"
2) Personal follow up- there is still no substitute for that one on one phone call. Go through your list of prospects, re-run the numbers and then call them with the good news. I expect you'll pick up a few transactions this way, simply because you made the effort and over-delivered like the professional you are.
3) If you do a monthly (or other interval) newsletter, make a big splash with this news- and it is big news- In addition, offer to write a short piece for your referral partner's newsletters- CPA's, financial planners, etc.
4) Any on-going seminar series- use this info as a promo for your next seminar- my guess is you'll pick up a few more attendees when they hear about the possibility of increased benefits from a reverse mortgage.
You'll notice that none of these suggestions ask you to start a new marketing initiative- just use this "timely news" and incorporate it into the strategies you are already employing. Don't get "analysis paralysis" trying to figure out how to promote this exciting development. The tools are already in your arsenal.
Sue Haviland is a reverse mortgage consultant in Baltimore and the founder of Reverse Mortgage Success, a leader in the training and education for originators around the country in the rapidly growing reverse mortgage arena. Ms. Haviland has worked in the lending industry since 1981. She has been originating reverse mortgages for the last six years and still originates loans every day. She has helped hundreds of families all over the country in the last several years. Sue also shares her knowledge of this market in presentations before the Women's Council of Realtors, Mortgage Bankers Association, National Association of Professional Mortgage Women, and SRES - Senior Real Estate Specialists, Brian Sacks' Insider Seminars, as well as the public. Sue is a Certified Senior Advisor and is active in many professional organizations. Sign up for her free seven-part mini-course at
