Payam Azadi is head of marketing at the Mortgage Times Group
This year will mark The Mortgage Times Group’s fourth year at Expo, and one of the most striking things to remark about the evolution of the event is just how much the show grows and diversifies each time.
In our first year at Earls Court, the focus of the event was mainly on core mortgage lenders and packagers, but in recent times Expo has opened up more to the world of financial services with the emergence of other offerings such as networks, loans, commercial mortgages, bridging finance and lead generation. Every service that a mortgage broker can now offer to a client is now all under one roof for the two-day event.
Expo 2006 will see over 230 exhibitors vying for adviser attention, so it’s critical that a firm’s stand stands out. We see Expo 2006 as a major part of our marketing outlay – the sheer size of Earls Court, coupled with the fact that every key player from the mortgage market and any adviser who gives good advice will be attending, makes the event a vitally important showcase for displaying our proposition.
Mortgage Business Expo is also a key arena for us due to the central London location. With Head Offices on Tottenham Court Road and 16 business development managers (BDMs) in the South East region, the event offers an opportunity to display our proposition in the area where most of our core business takes place.
Offering real value
Most brokers will inevitably gain some benefit from the Expo experience, but in putting as much effort into a stand as possible, exhibitors can offer intermediaries real value to their visit.
Our stand will reflect our ‘one-stop shop’ philosophy, with all areas of our service on show to the broker in one stand. The stand we have organised for the 2006 Expo is a two-level juice bar covering 42 square metres, where intermediaries can meet several key representatives from the Mortgage Times Group, and enjoy a range of cocktails. There will be sales BDMs, compliance support, secured loans and new business figures from the Mortgage Times Group all present to offer advice and answer any questions. Also this year there will be a Financial Promotions officer on-hand to give discussions and answer any questions you might have about any promotions that you may wish to offer, and ensuring these are compliant.
At Expo, sales BDMs will be available to offer some insight into the key role they play to organisations. Their position has emerged as an important point of contact to ensure that a company can keep in touch with brokers on a daily basis. Through frequent visits to intermediaries, the BDM aims to meet all their business development needs, and overcome any problems while enhancing client relationships.
With the recent passing of the two-year anniversary of ‘Mortgage Day’, regulation is still a pressing issue for every mortgage firm in the market. The Expo will offer the chance for directly authorised (DA) brokers to seek out network propositions and the benefits that this can offer. Appointed representatives will be given the opportunity to look at other propositions and get the best offering suited to their needs.
Furthering business potential
Elsewhere at the event, there are a number of key seminars that brokers will find useful for their development and further business potential. The buy-to-let market is a key area of market growth, and a review and update of the progress including Council of Mortgage Lender (CML) statistics and the latest market research will give an insight into future possibilities. Also the seminar will look at market drivers, coupled with an investigation into the impact that future legislation would have in this currently unregulated market. Also this seminar will take into consideration lenders’ and landlords’ perspectives in a maturing market, and the opportunities, issues and confidence that buy-to-let offers.
Many firms have been seeing a sharp increase in secured loans applications of late, and Expo will also offer the opportunity to gain insight into the evolution of the marketplace, as well as self-regulation and the key role that Finance Industry Standards Association plays in the process. The future of the market, including the regulatory changes that are imminent will be examined in detail.
There will be a seminar on self-certification and non-conforming lending, incorporating non-conforming statistics, trends and consumer attitudes, as well as the market opportunities for self-certification mortgages. Intermediaries will view the potential problems arising from offering self-certification products, and what exactly customers want from these products. Also covered will be the ways that lenders can assist mortgage brokers to advise on non-conforming products.
In addition to this, there will be a seminar on building your business, with regards to introducing the intermediary to specialist sectors that they may make additional income from. Here you will discover just how to succeed in commercial mortgages, equity release, investing in overseas property and secured loans as industry experts talk you through these sectors.
Included as well will be an analysis of the government homebuying reforms including Home Information Packs (HIPs), and how this will have an impact on intermediaries, maybe providing new opportunities as well. Explored too is the range of residential and commercial lending areas that may provide advisers with profitable channels for new business.
Additional benefits and features
A new feature of this year’s Expo is the Equity Release Pavilion, where intermediaries will gain perceptive information on how to offer clients advice on the best products available, by visiting some of the UK’s best providers. Equity release is one of the fastest growing areas of personal finance, and the Mortgage Business Expo will provide all the information you need to ensure your business keeps growing too.
Another benefit to intermediaries is the fact that Mortgage Business Expo also qualifies as a Chartered Institute of Insurers Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activity, where relevant to an individual’s CPD development needs. Also, surgeries will provide visitors who have attended seminars with an opportunity to ask more questions to speakers, away from the theatres.
Stepping up to the task
The importance of the Mortgage Business Expo simply cannot be overlooked. Most lenders will see this as a calendar event, reflected in the fact that many wait until Expo arrives to release their new product. This year is no exception, with a wide variety of product launches arriving around this time where lenders are able to provide the best possible offering at the event; lender strategies are reviewed and changed just before the exhibition arrives. Expo also provides the ideal platform for new market entrants hoping to attract and promote new innovations.
However, with so much emphasis placed on the two-day exhibition by leading financial organisations, Expo organisers have now got to step up to the task of continuing to attract intermediaries through marketing activities. The key to the success of the event is to have more advisers attending than ever before. This will only happen however if the concepts and offerings available are fresh and can add real value to an intermediary and their business. You can offer a fancy array of mugs, key rings and pens, but the bottom line for every provider is to ensure this year surpasses the last.
Looking at the development of the Mortgage Business Expo, along with the implementation of statutory regulation, exhibitions have become much more serious and productive affairs; although who could ever forget the infamous pole dancers at the Expo a few years back?
The exhibition has changed the way brokers can engage under one roof. It has been interesting watching Expo grow to become the biggest show in financial services.
We hope this year will prove to be the most successful event yet, which I’m sure will turn out to be the case.
