By leveraging engaging online content, this broker has been able to reach new business opportunities
Shore Financial associate credit adviser Christian Stevens has learned how to leverage social media to build his career.
He’s considered the most-followed Australian broker on Instagram, and the most viewed broker on LinkedIn with more than 5,500 skill endorsements and over 13,500 followers that grow by a hundred each week. He gets 30 to 50 organic leads each month, which make up half of his business, and he holds the highest social selling index score in finance in Australia.
His Facebook group “First Home Buyers Australia” is another impressive story. Growing weekly by more than a hundred people, the closed group for first home buyers is set to hit 10,000 members by year-end.
Making it easy for clients
About a year ago, just after he became an accredited broker, Stevens launched the group to get leads and to answer queries he regularly gets regarding the property market.
“The most important part of being a good broker is the ability to educate and help clients navigate the complex lending environment,” Stevens told MPA.
“Government grants, stamp duty exemptions, special first home buyer finance options, and the steps involved in purchasing a first property can be a lot to understand. I make it easy by providing regular content on all aspects of the purchasing process.”
Content is king
To make a private group front of mind for its users, it needs to serve up relevant content to its target audience on a daily basis, according to Stevens. Results may not come overnight, but they become easier as followers grow. He posts about anything to do with first home buyers, with property and finance issues the easiest because they directly relate to the group’s interests.
“There are so many great sources for engaging content, including mountains of data to help support your views,” Stevens said.
For him, the great thing about private groups is that it gives the administrator full control. He makes sure members are not bombarded with advertising from dodgy sales people, and they feel comfortable asking anything.
No selling required
By leveraging his online presence, Stevens was able to crack the tough broking industry with less difficulty. “I don’t need to ‘sell’ my services,” he said. The group supplies leads, even though these leads may just be followers of his content for months before they decide to reach out.
Just start
Stevens’s biggest piece of advice to anyone wanting to begin an online marketing presence is to just start. Every thought leader launches their online presence with nothing, at the same point you are at now, Stevens said.
“It doesn’t matter what your age is, how long you’ve been a broker, or how much business you’re writing. If you don’t have a good online marketing campaign, you’re missing out on a huge amount of business.”
