A customer relationship management (CRM) platform can help more than your existing customers. It can also help you find new ones. Mortgage CRM systems are changing the industry for good. Here’s how you can leverage these tools to generate leads and grow your customer base.

What Are Mortgage CRM Systems?

A customer relationship management platform is a centralized means of engaging your customer base. Mortgage CRM systems can be used for communication and marketing, but they can also handle advanced tasks such as:

• Digital loan applications
• E-signatures
• Interactive chatbots
• Online portals
• Customized video content

These features help you stay connected with your customer base. And they can also help you collaborate with your team members. Best of all, these features help you develop a lead pipeline so you can grow your lending practice.

How to Use Mortgage CRM Systems to Grow Your Business

How can you use a CRM platform to generate leads? Here are some of the ways lenders are using mortgage CRM systems to transform their businesses.

Develop a Web Presence

A professional website gives your lending practice greater legitimacy. It can also provide a central location for customers to access things like:

• Application forms
• Educational resources
• Customer portals

A CRM system can help you develop a clean, modern website that’s easy to use on every device. The best CRM platforms offer pre-built templates to help you get up and running even faster.

Additionally, you’ll gain traction by implementing search engine optimization (SEO) strategies. By using the right keywords and phrases, your website will rank among the top results of today’s search engines. Consequently, you’ll gain greater visibility among those looking for lending services.

And if you integrate Google Analytics into your website, you’ll gain greater insight into your online performance. Are you turning clicks into customers? If not, your data can help you learn what to improve.

Respond to Inquiries with a Chat Feature

A staggering 44% of online shoppers have expressed appreciation for having a live person respond to their questions. Mortgage CRM systems allow you to integrate a chat feature into your webpage.

A chat feature may be particularly helpful for first-time buyers who are unfamiliar with the lending process. Answering questions in real-time can increase the chances that they’ll choose you as their lender. Afterward, you can drop the customer into your mortgage pipeline to follow up later.

Connect the chat feature to your phone, and you and your team can respond to customer inquiries from anywhere. The latest CRM systems even offer AI-powered chatbots for greater responsiveness.

Build Your Brand Through Pre-Built Marketing Content

What’s your current marketing strategy? Small lending practices don’t always have the resources to execute massive campaigns.

Mortgage CRM systems can help. The best CRM platforms offer pre-built marketing content, including:

• Monthly newsletters
• Property market updates
• Customizable video content
• Personalized e-cards
• Social media content
• Email marketing templates

With more in your toolbox, you’ll be better equipped to reach your target market. Additionally, these pre-built resources save you time, helping you focus on the execution of your plan.

Target Customer Segments

Not all leads are created equal. Quality leads are those that are likely to follow through with a mortgage application.

Mortgage CRM systems allow you to create unique customer segments. Lenders can then adjust their marketing approach to each segment.

For example, explainer graphics can form something of a roadmap for understanding the lending process. Borrowers (and potential borrowers) can use these graphics to learn more about what to expect. Lenders might also tailor their email marketing by including promotional offers or follow-ups to continue engaging potential clients.

Automate Your Email Marketing

A mortgage CRM provides a centralized email marketing platform. With this tool, you can standardize your email marketing efforts, saving time and boosting efficiency.

Keeping your emails organized in a central location will prevent you from missing any customer inquiries. You’ll be able to keep logs of all of your contacts, and your employees will also gain visibility into past communications.

Automated features empower you to send emails automatically. This can be great for email marketing campaigns. It also ensures that you maintain open lines of communication with new mortgage leads.

Mortgage CRM systems can also provide analytics to help you improve your performance. What types of emails are seeing the greatest results? A CRM can optimize your communications to maximize your performance.

Follow Up with Text Messaging

Email isn’t the only way to follow up with potential leads. You can use a CRM platform to send text messages as well.

So if a website visitor asks a question or signs up for an introductory offer, you can send an SMS text to follow up. Sometimes simply asking: “Do you have any additional questions?” can be enough to keep the relationship moving forward.

Alternatively, a text message might provide more information. Follow up on refinancing requests with messages that explain the process in more detail — this may prompt a commitment.

Create a Resource Library

As a lender, you possess a wealth of knowledge. Why not share it with the world?

Content marketing is the art of creating materials that educate and engage potential clients. For example, you might create a blog post or video outlining loan options for first-time homebuyers. Customers searching for answers can learn from your content, and they may follow up by requesting more information.

Mortgage CRM systems can help you organize and curate this content. They can also help you create material like explainer graphics and videos to engage your audience. If you create just one piece of content each week, then in only a year you’ll develop a resource library of 50 pieces of original content.

Provide a Customer Portal

Borrowers will be drawn to lenders who use the right technology. A mortgage CRM system can offer an online portal to stay connected with your clients.

A customer portal makes communication a breeze. You and your customers can keep in touch in the following ways:

• Borrowers can submit documents through the portal
• Borrowers can upload signatures from their phone or device
• Lenders can send important documents to clients
• Lenders can provide updates about the borrower’s progress

And yes, the customer portal is available as an app. Borrowers gain access to their loan application status from anywhere in the world. This feature also eliminates the need to make an appointment to sign off on important documents.

How does a portal secure new leads? Offering this level of convenience gives your lending practice a competitive edge. Mortgage customers may be more likely to commit to your services when you offer this level of support.

Connect with Community Partners for More Leads

An online portal isn’t just for borrowers. You can also connect to other community professionals.

For example, you might connect with local real estate agents who meet new home buyers at an open house or networking event. If they believe your services would be a good fit, they can drop a new lead into your mortgage pipeline. You can review this new contact and follow up later.

You’ll also gain the ability to track the leads submitted by each partner. Doing so will give you a greater understanding of how each piece of your business is performing.

Publish Testimonials and Reviews

Mortgage CRM systems enable you to gather and manage customer feedback. Custom surveys, for instance, can prompt your former and existing clients to review your services.

You’ll have the opportunity to learn from what’s working well and adjust things that aren’t. But more importantly, customer testimonials make great marketing content. You can publish favorable reviews on your website or social media channels.

After all, prospective clients may be more persuaded by real-world feedback than by other promotional materials. Soliciting reviews can build your reputation, and a good reputation can go a long way in the eyes of new clients.

Use Your Extra Time to Expand

Don’t overlook the greatest benefit of a CRM platform. With so many automated and collaborative features, you’ll be more efficient than you ever dreamed.

In other words, you’ll have more time on your hands. How you invest that time is literally your business. Mortgage CRM systems let you get more done. This means that you can serve even more clients without overburdening yourself or your staff.

Technology can help you grow your business by increasing your customer volume. You might even invest your time into offering a wider range of mortgage products or moving into new markets, such as commercial real estate.

Take the Next Step

Are you ready to take the next step? BNTouch can help. Our innovative platform can help you improve your efficiency, reach a wider range of clients, and scale your business your way.

The BNTouch CRM system offers prebuilt marketing materials, an online customer portal, and a robust array of important features. You’ll have all the advantages of a larger lending practice while retaining a personal touch.

To see these features for yourself, contact BNTouch today to request a demo.

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