How to Build a Strong Personal Brand as a Mortgage Broker

We’ve all seen it; the local start-up company that starts fast and fails faster, or struggles for years to build momentum. We’ve also seen the slow burn start-up that grows at a controlled incremental pace and eventually levels out as a success.  So what’s the difference? Why do some companies attract an audience that never stops growing, while others slowly fade away?

In a time where business competition is fierce and attention is hard to come by, strong personal branding can make all the difference. But what exactly is branding? And how does it make an impact on mortgage brokers’ success?

What is Branding?

“Branding” is one of those broad terms that’s constantly thrown around in marketing and entrepreneurial circles. Although the definition continues to morph and expand, at its core it’s simple: a brand is another word for identity. A company’s brand sets the standard for what its’ customers can expect. It’s a statement of who you are, how you’ll show up, and what you’ll get accomplished.

For mortgage brokers and other entrepreneurs in people-centric industries, you have to work on building your personal and business brand.

Why Is Branding Important?

Because the internet changed everything! Before the internet, businesses and entrepreneurs could capitalize on the lack of options in their local market. There was no real pressure to provide consistent results or service because customers only had access to local businesses.

The digital age has turned business complacency on its head. Today, business owners and entrepreneurs are competing with similar tech-enabled businesses around the world (a number that grows daily).  Without a strong brand, even the most fundamentally sound businesses can get lost in a sea of search results. Or even worse, get stuck in a perpetual cycle of cutting your prices, and your profits to win customers.

But there’s hope. The best time to start building your brand was two years ago. The second-best time? Right now. Here are four simple steps you can take right now to grow your brand:

4 Steps To Establish Your brand

1. Define Your Brand

It’s tough to build trust with a brand that seems unstable, so taking the time to define it is step one.

Here are a few questions to ask as you start to shape your brand:

• What’s your mission? What impact do you hope to make?

• What are the benefits of your services? What are your clients getting out of the deal?

• What qualities do you want to be remembered by? What do you want your reputation to be?

Do your research and use your resources. Learn about the needs of your audience, and think about leveraging educational services like BeAMortgageBroker.com to shorten the learning curve.

2. Be Unique

Being unique as a brand isn’t much different from being unique as an individual. There’s no one way to do it. Your voice and communication style, the aesthetic of your marketing materials and your workflow/process are all opportunities for you to differentiate yourself from similar businesses. This is where the research and the defining questions above come into play. Once you’re clear on the impact you want to make, the reputation you want to establish, and the benefits of doing business with you, finding ways to stand out won’t be hard.

3. Provide Value

Delivering value may look different from industry to industry, but the concept remains the same. Think back to your benefits. Are you the best of the best? The fastest? The most customizable? The most convenient? Whatever the unique features and benefits of your brand and business are, here’s where they shine.

4. Deliver Expectations

This is pretty simple, but you’d be surprised how many bad reviews boil down to a business owner who didn’t keep their promise. Word of mouth goes both ways, and in the digital age, the word of mouth can last forever. Keeping the promises you make as a brand helps you build trust with your clients and within your industry. People do business with companies they know, like and trust. If you put in the effort to define your brand and stay true to it, it’ll win you new business while you sleep. 

Are you ready to jump-start your career in the mortgage industry? Our team at BeAMortgageBroker.com is here to help you every step of the way.