Using tools like social media can help advisers transform their relationships with clients.
Kevin Roberts (pictured) is director at Legal & General Mortgage Club
The mortgage journey for borrowers is changing.
The average first-time buyer is now in their late 30s, borrowing into retirement is no longer an exception, and customers with complex circumstances are a new normal in the mortgage market.
But while ‘traditional’ milestones might appear to be a thing of the past, advice still needs to be timely to meet the needs of present-day borrowers.
With this in mind, how can advisers ensure they are delivering the right advice at the right points in their clients’ lives?
Scheduling annual or even half-yearly reviews are already tried and tested methods advisers use to identify their client’s mortgage or protection needs.
Plenty can change for borrowers within a year – they might be planning to move home, get married or even start a family.
Advisers will also be familiar with using other important dates, such as when a protection policy is due to lapse to maximise the value of advice to borrowers.
Traditional contact points aren’t the only option, though.
Using tools like social media can help advisers transform their relationships with new and existing clients.
Whether it’s keeping customers in the loop on new deals or changes in the market, advisers can use social media to increase their visibility amongst customers and potentially catch their interest at the right time.
Email communications and marketing tools can also help advisers to stay front and centre in their clients’ minds.
Ideas for creative and regular content could include sharing monthly regional house prices, mortgage deal updates or even top tips for borrowers looking to take their first steps onto the ladder.
Advisers can use these tools to keep clients engaged and informed, and while it might not be relevant for everyone in their back books, there may be clients who refer friends and family based on the info they’ve seen.
At Legal & General Mortgage Club, we recently launched our ‘Value of Advice’ marketing toolkit, giving advisers everything they need - from social media posts and images to email templates - to keep in touch with their customers.
Finally, advisers can also use their knowledge of current affairs to support clients in a timely way, particularly as ongoing political uncertainty could be weighing on the minds of borrowers.
Helping clients to navigate what Brexit could mean for their personal circumstances or putting the spotlight on upcoming industry changes can add value far beyond helping a customer to find a great mortgage product to begin with.
