Top broker Joshua Vecchio shares seven ways you can 'super-charge' your personal brand.
Director of Red & Co., Joshua Vecchio, has written over $250m using techniques and tips being shared on his website Top Broker.
All too often new brokers will contact me asking, ‘who makes the best referral partners?’.
They want to know who they should hit up first asking for leads – the local real estate agents, accountants or financial planners – without adding any value and expect it instantly to start raining new business. While we have covered strategies in the past that I have used to generate lots of leads from these partners after having built a relationship with them, I think far too often brokers are overlooking their most valuable asset – their personal brand.
If you think about the best real estate agent in your own area, they aren’t the best because of the software they use or the agency they work under – they are the best because of the way they have crafted their own personal brand in the minds of everyone in their market.
So why don’t more mortgage brokers take this approach? Here are 7 strategies that I use (and continue to use) to build a personal brand.
Use the Power of a Story
Harness your communication skills so that no matter where you are, your brand creates an emotional impact with your clients.
The best way to explain this is Apple computers – When Steve Jobs initially left Apple they lost significant market share.
Why?
Because they stopped telling stories and started talking about computers. Rather than just speaking to your clients and telling them you have over 30 lenders and can find them the best deal (the universal broker catchall), use stories of how you have helped other clients achieve their dreams.
Action point 1: Make your brand story based
People forget words that are said, but stories resonate. Clients don’t want to know how many lenders you have access to, they want to know your story, your hardships and your real life experiences. Gather settled clients case studies and testimonials that tell compelling stories about your clients.
You want them to describe the initial problem, how you solved that problem for the clients as well as the positive impact this has had on your client’s lives – and then continually refer to these stories in your new client meetings.
Action point 2: Work to your strengths (and then double down on them)
When it comes time to communicating your story to new clients, you want to do this on a platform you’re most comfortable with.
Lots of brokers have told me they don’t like writing articles and seem to get writer’s block every time they try to write a blog article – but when they are in front of customers they can easily tell great stories.
If that’s the case with you, why not try using video to communicate your brand? Or if you prefer audio why not try a podcast? Using your phone to do this is easier than you think – pick it up right now and give it a try.
Action point 3: You don’t need to be perfect
Your clients are going to you because you’re approachable, and a human! So if you’re debating about whether the lighting of your video or the sound quality of your podcast is good enough, don’t get caught up in the details – just get started rather than put it off until tomorrow.
These parts come across as authentic and honest, so if you say the wrong thing or something doesn’t go to plan, don’t worry. I remember in one my podcasts, I quoted Warren Buffet COMPLETELY wrong! A few of my listeners emailed me after poking a bit of fun at me – which opened up opportunities to talk about their lending and personal situation.
Leveraging and Cross promotion
Ok, so this is when you can start talking to referral partners or what I think of more as strategic partnerships. How can you use the networks of your referral partners to create a win/win for them and your personal brand?
Don’t just limit yourself to accountants or real estate agents – think bigger. Think of anyone that has a database of clients who own properties. Gardeners, pool makers or even upmarket hairdressers!
Have a think about their clients, how you can add value and ultimately leverage each others networks – this will help cement your status as the go-to expert in this market.
Action plan 4: Find where your audience is
Consider your ideal client, what do they do in their spare time? Where are they and more importantly where are their eyeballs! Look at which groups your clients, or strategic partners clients are members of on Facebook and what sort of influencers they subscribe to on LinkedIn.
Action point 5: Reach out to them
There’s no point in researching potential collaboration partners, then forgetting to reach out to your influencers. Consider what’s in it for them, how you can add value to their client base without spruiking them. What are some topics you know more about that can benefit them? As Gary Vaynerchuck says – Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook. In a brokering sense, this translates to: Add value, add value, add value, and then ask for the business.
Action point 6: Choose a platform and GO!
When it comes to social media, I find it’s best to just stick to two platforms and focus your efforts there. Anymore, it can begin to feel like a full-time job posting, tweeting and taking photos! If you’ve opted for the podcast option, stick with uploading them to Soundcloud and iTunes, then get them transcribed into articles (great for your SEO) and publish it to Facebook. The aim is for regular content, so make sure that you set a time in your diary each week to create and collate it.
Cohesiveness and Consistency
Keep your brand and your message consistent! Don’t confuse people by changing it and trying to be all things to all people. One of the most important things you can do is to have a clear understanding of what you represent.
When McDonald’s first started, their proposition was “the menu was simple and cheap but the hamburgers were good”. Does their brand still match this? If Macca’s started selling flowers and body lotion they’d soon begin to fall under a different brand category and confuse their audience.
Don’t forget this, it’s a really critical point.
Action point 7: Audit yourself
Now that you know what your personal brand represents, it’s time to audit your entire process and any bit of content that your clients have access to about you. Every touch point and part of the process your customer goes through is a reflection of your personal brand.
Make sure these reflect you. From your colour scheme to the wording on your website, all the way to your Facebook posts and images you want it to be consistent, reflect who you are and align with the image you want to portray.
And it’s that easy!
Now you’ve got your 7 actionable strategies, it’s time to bring it all together and create your personal brand that’s stronger than ever. Equally, if you do work with referral partners you need to first think about how you can add value to their clients, and businesses before asking for them to start sending you leads.
For me, the most important element was really knowing who I was, the audience I want to speak to and what I had to offer.
Remember as a broker you are a trusted expert to your clients and add so much value in helping grow their financial future.
This article originally appeared on Top Broker, an online space where tips and strategies are shared by Australia's top mortgage brokers.
All too often new brokers will contact me asking, ‘who makes the best referral partners?’.
They want to know who they should hit up first asking for leads – the local real estate agents, accountants or financial planners – without adding any value and expect it instantly to start raining new business. While we have covered strategies in the past that I have used to generate lots of leads from these partners after having built a relationship with them, I think far too often brokers are overlooking their most valuable asset – their personal brand.
If you think about the best real estate agent in your own area, they aren’t the best because of the software they use or the agency they work under – they are the best because of the way they have crafted their own personal brand in the minds of everyone in their market.
So why don’t more mortgage brokers take this approach? Here are 7 strategies that I use (and continue to use) to build a personal brand.
Use the Power of a Story
Harness your communication skills so that no matter where you are, your brand creates an emotional impact with your clients.
The best way to explain this is Apple computers – When Steve Jobs initially left Apple they lost significant market share.
Why?
Because they stopped telling stories and started talking about computers. Rather than just speaking to your clients and telling them you have over 30 lenders and can find them the best deal (the universal broker catchall), use stories of how you have helped other clients achieve their dreams.
Action point 1: Make your brand story based
People forget words that are said, but stories resonate. Clients don’t want to know how many lenders you have access to, they want to know your story, your hardships and your real life experiences. Gather settled clients case studies and testimonials that tell compelling stories about your clients.
You want them to describe the initial problem, how you solved that problem for the clients as well as the positive impact this has had on your client’s lives – and then continually refer to these stories in your new client meetings.
Action point 2: Work to your strengths (and then double down on them)
When it comes time to communicating your story to new clients, you want to do this on a platform you’re most comfortable with.
Lots of brokers have told me they don’t like writing articles and seem to get writer’s block every time they try to write a blog article – but when they are in front of customers they can easily tell great stories.
If that’s the case with you, why not try using video to communicate your brand? Or if you prefer audio why not try a podcast? Using your phone to do this is easier than you think – pick it up right now and give it a try.
Action point 3: You don’t need to be perfect
Your clients are going to you because you’re approachable, and a human! So if you’re debating about whether the lighting of your video or the sound quality of your podcast is good enough, don’t get caught up in the details – just get started rather than put it off until tomorrow.
These parts come across as authentic and honest, so if you say the wrong thing or something doesn’t go to plan, don’t worry. I remember in one my podcasts, I quoted Warren Buffet COMPLETELY wrong! A few of my listeners emailed me after poking a bit of fun at me – which opened up opportunities to talk about their lending and personal situation.
Leveraging and Cross promotion
Ok, so this is when you can start talking to referral partners or what I think of more as strategic partnerships. How can you use the networks of your referral partners to create a win/win for them and your personal brand?
Don’t just limit yourself to accountants or real estate agents – think bigger. Think of anyone that has a database of clients who own properties. Gardeners, pool makers or even upmarket hairdressers!
Have a think about their clients, how you can add value and ultimately leverage each others networks – this will help cement your status as the go-to expert in this market.
Action plan 4: Find where your audience is
Consider your ideal client, what do they do in their spare time? Where are they and more importantly where are their eyeballs! Look at which groups your clients, or strategic partners clients are members of on Facebook and what sort of influencers they subscribe to on LinkedIn.
Action point 5: Reach out to them
There’s no point in researching potential collaboration partners, then forgetting to reach out to your influencers. Consider what’s in it for them, how you can add value to their client base without spruiking them. What are some topics you know more about that can benefit them? As Gary Vaynerchuck says – Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook. In a brokering sense, this translates to: Add value, add value, add value, and then ask for the business.
Action point 6: Choose a platform and GO!
When it comes to social media, I find it’s best to just stick to two platforms and focus your efforts there. Anymore, it can begin to feel like a full-time job posting, tweeting and taking photos! If you’ve opted for the podcast option, stick with uploading them to Soundcloud and iTunes, then get them transcribed into articles (great for your SEO) and publish it to Facebook. The aim is for regular content, so make sure that you set a time in your diary each week to create and collate it.
Cohesiveness and Consistency
Keep your brand and your message consistent! Don’t confuse people by changing it and trying to be all things to all people. One of the most important things you can do is to have a clear understanding of what you represent.
When McDonald’s first started, their proposition was “the menu was simple and cheap but the hamburgers were good”. Does their brand still match this? If Macca’s started selling flowers and body lotion they’d soon begin to fall under a different brand category and confuse their audience.
Don’t forget this, it’s a really critical point.
Action point 7: Audit yourself
Now that you know what your personal brand represents, it’s time to audit your entire process and any bit of content that your clients have access to about you. Every touch point and part of the process your customer goes through is a reflection of your personal brand.
Make sure these reflect you. From your colour scheme to the wording on your website, all the way to your Facebook posts and images you want it to be consistent, reflect who you are and align with the image you want to portray.
And it’s that easy!
Now you’ve got your 7 actionable strategies, it’s time to bring it all together and create your personal brand that’s stronger than ever. Equally, if you do work with referral partners you need to first think about how you can add value to their clients, and businesses before asking for them to start sending you leads.
For me, the most important element was really knowing who I was, the audience I want to speak to and what I had to offer.
Remember as a broker you are a trusted expert to your clients and add so much value in helping grow their financial future.
This article originally appeared on Top Broker, an online space where tips and strategies are shared by Australia's top mortgage brokers.
