Ever wonder how many advertising messages we are exposed to in any single day?
Here are my search results: Each of one of us is exposed to an average of 3,000 advertising impressions per day. To tell you the truth...there are some days when I feel that I've received that many advertising messages by noon time. But that's a subject for another day.
The point here is...How do you make your mortgage advertising and mortgage message standout from this never ending unrelenting horde? And, specifically, how can you make your mortgage information so totally different and so appealing than the mortgage folks down the street (or on the internet) just don't stand a chance?
Advertising and marketing "gurus" have long promoted the idea that certain words such as "guarantee," "free," or "limited time" act as physiological triggers that cause us to take pause and closely evaluate the offer before us.
If you have been in the mortgage business (or any business) for any length of time, you probably already know that there are no magic mortgage systems, no magic mortgage origination techniques, and more to the point...no magic advertising words or phrases that will drive countless prospects and customers to your mortgage business.
There are however, a few words that you shouldn't use at all in your mortgage marketing:
1. Service - Have you looked closely at mortgage advertising and websites? Everyone is touting "service." Have you ever seen anyone promising "terrible service" in their ads? Of course not, and that's why advertising "good service" today, really has no effect on our consumers' senses. Most consumers today are intelligent enough to know that promising "good service" doesn't necessarily make it happen.
2. Quality - Another one of those meaningless over used words! Is it quality service, or quality information, or a quality loan program you're promoting? Everything has quality. It's what you compare it too that determines its quality.
3. Value - Value has been over used just as much as service and quality have. Is a Cadillac or a Volkswagen the better automobile value? It's the buyer that makes that decision and not the advertiser or marketer. The buyer makes that determination by evaluating the features and benefits of the product coupled with their economic position at the time of the purchase.
4. Integrity - Integrity means honesty. Most people recognize the fact that you and your company are honest. Otherwise, you would be writing your advertising material from mortgage jail. If you feel a need to advertise integrity, folks will think you're either covering up the fact you've got a problem...or you're implying your competitors do.
5. Rate - Today everyone is promoting low rates, and I mean everyone. In fact, so much so that our mortgage prospects and customers now ignore this approach and just move on.
All five of our words (service, quality, value, integrity, and rate) fail miserably today in mortgage advertising and promotion. They have become overused and totally abused.
It's admirable that you would want your mortgage prospects and customers to view you and your company as having quality service...exceptional quality...tremendous value...strong integrity...and, low rates. But, so does everyone else in the mortgage business.
The next time you're tempted to use one of these words, stop, and ask yourself if there isn't a better way to provide the information that your prospect/customer truly needs? Remember, your prospect/customer is exposed to some 3,000 advertising messages each and everyday. To get your message through that maze, your mortgage marketing really needs to be different.
