Mortgage Marketing & Lead Generation Blog

Please note: this is a re-blog of a post originally written by Frank and Sharon Alters. The last paragraph contains a very helpful tip for those of you who can’t seem to make the time to get some rest.

Jackie, Mortgage Virtual Assistant

30 Posts in 30 Days – Pros, Cons, Recap, Thank yous, Lessons Learned

By JC Kiadii, Internet Marketing for Mortgage Professionals

In August, I set a goal to blog for 30 days straight. Towards the end of the month, I wasn’t able to blog for several days. Then, Karen Bernetti, CT Realtor and Home Stager contacted the powers that be at Active Rain to initiate the 30 day blogging challenge. Thanks, Karen!

Yes, I know this seems shallow, but with 5,000 points on the line there was no way I wasn’t going for it! So, I started the blogging process all over again.

Finally, it is done! Whew! There were some days that I didn’t want to hear the words Active Rain, but I persisted anyway.

A few lessons learned and benefits gleaned from the challenge:

• Meeting some really good bloggers in the Rain.
• Speeding up my blogging so I am no longer the slowest writer on earth.
• Proving the blogging tips in my mortgage marketing blog and  mortgage blogging webinar really work. On the days I really didn’t want to be bothered or could not come up with one topic idea, I simply took my own advice.
• I finally received another featured post. (Thanks!)

Disadvantages of 30 posts in 30 days challenge

• There were times I spent blogging when I really should have been working on a higher value activity (such as finishing work, prospecting or following up).
• My blogging wasn’t as focused as it should have been. Despite the fact that I know better, there were days I just posted an article to get it done, instead of posting an article that would have helped with my marketing or SEO.
• There were some days I didn’t have the time to comment on other blogs. I think commenting, sharing, and forming relationships is far more valuable than earning points. On the days I didn’t have the time to comment, I felt as if I missed out.

Here’s a recap of my blog posts. On the days I made more than one blog post, I just chose one.

1. 30 Days of Blogging – Reboot. Restart.
2. Outlook 2007 Tip – Assign a Category in One Click
3. Marketing your Mortgage Business on LinkedIn – Tip 1 of 5
4. Marketing your Mortgage Business on LinkedIn – Tip 2 of 5
5. Mortgage Marketing Tip – What’s Involved in Closing More Loans?
6. Marketing your Mortgage Business on LinkedIn – Tip 3 of 5
7. Stumped for blog ideas? Thar’s gold in them thar comments! (Update)
8. Making the Case for Mortgage Email Marketing
9. When Your Accountability Partner Makes You Drink Cod Liver Oil
10. Do you have a “bright idea” book?
11. Marketing your Mortgage Business on LinkedIn – Tip 4 of 5
12. Did you know – you can export your LinkedIn contacts?
13. Task List Thursday
14. Localism Post Idea
15. Do you survey customers after closing a loan?
16. Want to quintuple your closings? 2 words you should live by.
17. 7 Signs – It’s Time to Upgrade from Excel to Access
18. Outlook 2007 Tip – How to Create Templates (with Attachments & Text)
19. Outlook 2007 Tip – How to Use Email Templates (with Attachments & Text)
20. Productivity Tip – 15 Minute Friday
21. Excel 2007 Tip – Highlight Duplicate Values
22. Marketing your Mortgage Business on LinkedIn – Tip 5 of 5
23. Mortgage Marketing with LinkedIn Answers – Time Saving Tips
24. Maybe the reason you aren’t getting enough done is – you don’t have the time!
25. What’s the most valuable thing you can do on Active Rain? A question for Ambassadors and all Active Rainers.
26. My #1 Tip for Smart Saving on Business Spending
27. The most valuable thing you can do on Active Rain
28. Dare to Dream – If Your Business Was Perfect, How Would It Look? Feel?
29. A Few Favorite Browsing Shortcuts
30. Mortgage Social Media: 5 Places to Use Keywords in your Social Media Efforts

In closing, I’d like to say “Thank you!” to all of you for commenting on my blog posts.
Your encouragement kept me going.

http://www.twitter.com/mortgageva

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JC Kiadii, Mortgage Internet Marketing Services . 770-469-7385. Are you reaching out to the 87% of new buyers who start their search online? Our team provides results-driven mortgage Internet marketing services. Visit our website and sign up for the More Closings email newsletter to receive the report 6 Steps to More Referrals.

Mortgage Social Media: 5 Places
to Use Keywords in your Social Media Efforts.

By JC
Kiadii, Internet Marketing for
Mortgage
Professionals

Keywords are the terms prospects type in the search engines when they
are (a) actively seeking your services or (b) in the market for your
services. For example, targeting someone who types “buy a home in
Atlanta, GA” is a good idea – if they are looking for a home, they
probably will also need a mortgage. The selection of the
right keywords for your mortgage web site
involves identifying keywords that (a) get enough traffic to make the
effort worthwhile (b) show an interest in your mortgage services and
(c) don’t have a lot of competition.

Once you’ve selected your keywords and are using them on your mortgage
web site, don’t forget to use the keywords in your social media
marketing efforts.

Here are 5 places you can use keywords in your social media efforts.

1. In your bio and/or profile on social
   media sites.
2. As your social media username.
3. In the titles and content of your blog
   posts.
4. As anchor text in links from your blog
   posts to your web site.
5. In the titles and content of
   articles you submit to other web sites.

Where
do you use keywords in your social media marketing efforts?

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A Few Favorite Browsing Shortcuts

By JC
Kiadii, Internet Marketing for
Mortgage
Professionals

Do you track the amount of time you spend online? Scary, isn’t it?

Here are a couple of my favorite tips & tricks for Internet
Explorer or Mozilla Firefox.

• Tip #1 – Search within a site:

  This feature allows you to search for specific terms within a site. I
  use this all of the time for research.

  In Google, type the search terms, followed by site: and the site’s url

  Example: “Georgia fha”
  site:activerain.com
  

• Tip #2 – Open a site in a new tab.

  Enter the url, followed by ALT
  Enter.

• Tip #3 – Open a search in a new tab.

  Enter the search term, followed by ALT
  Enter.

• Tip #4 – Open a link in a new tab.

  Click on the link with your middle
  mouse button.

• Tip #5 – Add all of the open tabs to
  your favorites.

  This creates a folder in your bookmarks (or favorites). The folder will
  contain bookmarks to all of the pages you have open in your browser. I
  use this when I’m doing a task that involves surfing multiple sites,
  such as checking a client’s search engine status and submitting
  articles or press releases to multiple sites.

  In Internet Explorer: Click the Favorites
  menu, then Add tab group to
  favorites.

  In Mozilla Firefox: Click the Bookmark
  menu, then Bookmark all Tabs
  (or CTRL
  SHIFT D)

Happy
Surfing!

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Daydreaming Exercise – If your business was perfect, how would it look? Feel?

By JC Kiadii, Internet Marketing for Mortgage Professionals

Reflecting on this powerful post by Loreena Yeo, It Began with a Mindset Change has me thinking about my perfect or ideal business.  Her post, which I highly recommend you read if you haven’t already, encouraged me to expand what I think is possible.

My accountability partner and I decided to challenge each other to daydream – If my business was perfect, what would it be?

Here are a few questions to get you started. 

• When would you start your day?
   
• How many hours would you work?
• How many days would you work each week?
• What kind of clients would you work with?
• What kind of team would you work with? If you are a mortgage professional – would your team include loan processors, assistants, and virtual assistants so that you can focus on your top value activities?

• Where would you work? Would you work from a home office, own an office condo in a particular part of town, or rent space in an executive suites?

• How would you spend each working day? Would you spend most of your time out of the office meeting people, or would you spend most of the time in your office?
• What services would you offer? Would you stop offering certain mortgage loan products, and instead refer that business? Would you expand your mortgage offering portfolio? 
• How much revenue would you generate each month?
• How would you contribute towards your retirement plan? Will you have stocks, real estate, a combination of each?
• How many weeks of vacation would you take each year?

Photo Credit: Sera_leaving – Flickr
Feel free to daydream. If your business was perfect, how would it look and feel?

http://www.twitter.com/mortgageva

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JC Kiadii, Mortgage Internet Marketing Services . 770-469-7385. Are you reaching out to the 87% of new buyers who start their search online? Our team provides results-driven mortgage Internet marketing services. Visit our website and sign up for the More Closings email newsletter to receive the report 6 Steps to More Referrals.

The
most valuable thing you can do on Active Rain

By JC
Kiadii, Internet Marketing for
Mortgage
Professionals

A couple of days ago, I asked Rainmakers and Ambassadors to answer the
question: “What
is the most valuable thing you can do on Active Rain?”

Well, I have my answer. In my opinion, the most valuable thing you can
do on Active Rain is not post blogs, or win at the points game. The
most valuable thing you can do on Active Rain is connect.
Connect with your fellow members. Connect with potential prospects.
Connect with the Active Rain team.

Here are few ways to connect:

Connect with prospects by writing blog posts with them in mind. What
benefit will readers get from your blog posts?

Connect with fellow AR members by subscribing, commenting, re-blogging
and suggesting their best posts for feature status.

Connect with fellow AR members by picking up the phone. After a while,
you’ve got to stop emailing and make a personal connection.

Do you agree with my answer?
 

Thanks for
contributing!

http://www.twitter.com/mortgageva

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My #1 Tip for Smart Saving on Business Spending

By JC Kiadii, Internet Marketing for Mortgage Professionals

Revenue minus expenses equals profit. It follows, therefore, that one way to increase your profit is to lower your expenses.

Of course there is a marked difference between an investment in your business and an expense. The money I spend on subcontractors, computer equipment, software, training and marketing are all investments because they help me serve clients better or improve my business.

Anyway, back to the topic.

My favorite way to save on business expense involves searching the Internet for a vendor, followed by the term “coupon,” “code” or discount.

Today, for example, I will purchase binders to create training materials for an upcoming class. The best coupon I had was for $10 off $50 (20% discount). By searching the Internet, I found another coupon for $10 off $25 (a 40% discount). It took me all of 30 seconds to find this deal.

What smart tips do you have for saving on business expenses? 

Thanks for contributing!

http://www.twitter.com/mortgageva

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JC Kiadii, Mortgage Internet Marketing Services . 770-469-7385. Are you reaching out to the 87% of new buyers who start their search online? Our team provides results-driven mortgage Internet marketing services. Visit our website and sign up for the More Closings email newsletter to receive the report 6 Steps to More Referrals.

I’m reblogging this post by D. Bass of Alpha Mortgage Training because it contains information about Active Rain I am sure a lot of people don’t know.