Right now, I’m going to go out on a limb and assume that if your phone is not ringing, your fax machine is not buzzing and the only people coming through your door are you and your staff then you are probably not generating much new business. I think we can all agree that those actions are very important to the success of your business. When you use the Internet as a marketing tool, the number of visitors looking at your website is analogous to the number of people calling your office or walking through your door for information. If no one visits your site, you won’t generate new leads from this advertising source and eventually you will give up on using the Internet as a marketing tool and in the process give up what could possibly be one of your top lead generation sources.

Now, I have a confession to make. Getting traffic to your website is NOT hard!

I am very confident that I could take any website you throw at me – even if it is 1 day old – and flood it with traffic.

The caveat is that the traffic would not be TARGETED Traffic and would probably cost a ton of money. By targeted traffic, I mean visitors that are interested in what you are offering and that you can actually service. For example, let’s say you are a Loan Officer in Ohio and you are licensed to do business only in Ohio. You receive call from a company that says they can setup an advertising campaign for you that they guarantee will send you thousands of leads from people interested in obtaining a home loan and they have tons of proof that their campaign works. Plus, the price is 10% of what you normally pay per lead. Sounds like an amazing deal right? Then they go on to say that these people are all Texas residents looking for homes in Texas! Now assuming you are not in the business of brokering leads to other people, the great deal doesn’t seem so great because you would be paying for leads that you can’t service.

On the Internet, you can easily find companies that are willing to sell you 10,000 visitors for $20 or less. I beg you to understand that if you choose to test these traffic sources, the visitors will be very untargeted and will most likely have been tricked to visiting your site. Which means the odds of you making money even if you buy a million visitors is very slim. I am not saying that you shouldn’t test some of these sources (we do it all the time) just make sure you go in assuming the traffic will be untargeted and make certain you can afford to lose the money you are using for the test.

Over the next few articles, I will cover often overlooked and rarely used low cost strategies you can use to drive targeted traffic to your website. I will be going into a little more detail on each strategy because I really want to make sure you understand why you should implement the strategy, how to implement the strategy and resources we use to put them into practice.

Two major traffic generation strategies that I will not discuss in this article series are Pay Per Click Traffic and Search Engine Traffic. Although these two strategies can bring in a lot of highly targeted visitors to your site, they are not only very difficult to master in a competitive market such as the financial sector, they also rarely have a low startup cost.

Low Cost Traffic Generation Strategy #1 – Online Press Releases

It’s tempting to think that press releases are “old media” and have no part to play in the digital world. This myth can be used to your advantage. This fact is that we have seen press releases generate significant spikes in site traffic, and generate hundreds or even thousands of links back to your site from other sources (these are called back links and are considered very important for free rankings on the top search engines – I consider “back links” a bonus of using press releases as a marketing strategy)

Benefits of Online Press Releases…

Statistics show that almost 30 million people in the U.S.A use Google News and Yahoo News each month to find the latest information about a wide range of topics that interest them. When they conduct a news search, they often find relevant press releases along with articles from thousands of news sources. In fact according to Neilsen / NetRatings, the unique audiences of Yahoo News and Google News now rival the online audiences of other current events and global news destinations such as CNN and BBC News.

Other benefits include:

• Low cost
• Always a demand for news releases
• Can generate positive publicity in addition to traffic
• Effective way to build incoming links to your site
• Can get your site noticed quickly by the major search engines

What Do You Include In Your Press Release?

A press release should technically be a newsworthy story about your business. Although a press release should never be written as a blatant advertisement, you can still sell your services while still making the release appear newsworthy. A well-written release can not only dramatically increase your leads but also greatly enhance the image of your business.

Press Releases do follow a specific format so it is important that you understand the major components. I will briefly list them below and for more information you can just go to your favorite search engine and type in: “writing press releases” or “components of press releases” and you should be able to find all the information you need as well as possible sources for getting your press release created for you. You can also just search on Google News and view press releases they have posted on their site.

Major Sections of a Press Release

• Date You Wish Release To Be Released
• Your Contact Information
• An Attention & Targeted Headline
• A Summary/Description Of Your Release
• The Body Of Your Release
• An About Us or Resource Section

You should try to use a mixture of timely and evergreen topics in your press releases. For example, you could create a release that could be used when rates go down and a release for when rates go up. Here are a few example headlines to get you thinking about possible press release topics…

Possible Headlines For Timely Press Releases

• Mortgage Rates Fell by [X Amount] Last Week But [Your City] Mortgage Broker Says ‘Watch Out!’ You Still Have to Shop for the Best Available Loan
• August 14 is National Financial Awareness Day Are You Among the Thousands of [Your City or State] Residents Stuck With a Bad Mortgage?

Possible Headlines For Evergreen Press Releases

• [Your City], [Your State] based Mortgage Broker [Your Name] reveals 3 things you should watch out for when shopping for home-finance products on the Internet.
• Warning…Local [Your City], [Your State] Mortgage Broker Finally Reveals The Insider Secrets Other Mortgage Brokers Don’t Want Consumers To Know About Obtaining A Mortgage

As you can see from the examples above, I normally try to make sure the press releases are targeted for at least the city or state you are serving. If you want to find other reasons to send timely releases, just type in “odd holidays” or “obscure holidays” in your favorite search engine and you will find that there are daily or monthly observance for just about anything you can think of. So, you never have an excuse for not sending out a press release.

Where Do You Submit Your Press Release?

There are many options you can choose from for submitting your press release online. I have tried many and have found 3 that I work best for us so far. My team and I are currently testing several others but at this point, here are the top picks:

1. Sbwire.com – Sbwire is a smaller company but very Cost Effective. At the time of this writing, you can order 1 release for $19.95 or buy credits to decrease your cost. Most of the options you will need are included in the price such as adding images, files and related links. We have never had a press release denied by SBWire and find that Google News picks up their releases very quickly.
2. PrWeb.com and PRWebDirect.com – Very well-known company that distributes to many search engines and as a bonus Media Professionals go there for research. A press release submission will probably average around $80-$200 depending on the options you select.
3. PrLeap.com – Although not as popular with Media Professionals as PRWeb, PrLeap is a little cheaper than PRWeb and still distributes to many search engines. A typical press release submission will normally range between $30 and $60.

There are also several press release distribution sites where you can actually submit your release for free. This may sound like a good idea but we find that the paid submissions get much more exposure and also allow an active link back to your site whereas the free releases normally do not allow an active link to your site.

How Often Should You Submit

Press release submissions should become a monthly marketing strategy for your business. An ongoing press release effort can create a steady stream of targeted visitors to your site, increased publicity which we have seen lead to interviews and news coverage. Plus, a bonus is that you will receive a boost of incoming links to your site, which in turn can increase your long term natural (free) search listings.

At Mortgage Web Success, we believe in this strategy so much that we even had stock press release templates created that even populate our member’s contact information within the release, so our members can just copy and paste the press release content and submit it to a press release distribution site. We even now offer a service to our members where we will submit the press release for you so all you have to do is select the press release you want, make slight modifications if needed and click “submit”.

Bonus Strategy – Regurgitate Your Marketing Materials

Your press releases should always be added to your website as separate pages. Also, press releases can normally be converted articles and published online or converted to emails and sent out to your prospect list. A mistake most originators make is NOT reusing marketing materials.

KEY POINTS: Press Release submissions should be added to your overall marketing strategy because they not only create a direct influx of traffic to you site, they can also increase your publicity, leading to interviews and news coverage as well as boost the incoming links to your website, which in turn can lead to increased rankings in the major search engines.

Each month, I will be sharing with you the “secrets” to having an online presence that can actually generate business for you. Each and every month, I will give you another secret tip, strategy or resource and show you exactly how to implement it to grow your business. Next month, I will talk about another overlooked low cost strategy you can use to drive targeted traffic to your website!

Last month, I talked about how your visitors are primarily looking for helpful content and at first don’t care too much about you or your company. I also talked about how you only have seconds to grab the attention of your visitors so you really must make it easy for them to find and receive the information they are looking for. Finally, I explained why offering no other “Call-To-Action” option besides filling out an application is a huge mistake that many Loan Officers make online.

We received more feedback on the final point than anything else so I want to talk in detail about that topic in this article.

But first, I want you to think about how you would react to the following…

Imagine that it is past 3 am Saturday morning and you hear the phone ring. At first, you think you are dreaming but then it hits you that this is real. Who in the world would be calling you this early in the morning? Your heart is racing as you scramble to the phone and then you hear her on the other end.

That voice is your 18 year old daughter, a college freshman. You automatically switch to “concerned parent” mode and then your daughter says something that sounds so ridiculous that you pinch yourself to make sure you are not still asleep and having the worst nightmare of your life.

“Mom/Dad remember that blind date I was telling you about this week? Well, it was earlier tonight and I’ve got some really great news! My date and I are at the Elvis Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas and in about 10 minutes, we are getting MARRIED!”

“Are you CRAZY!?”, you scream! “That’s ridiculous! Stop joking and go back to sleep.”. Unfortunately, 15 minutes later you find out that she is not joking and your worst nightmare is officially confirmed.

That is a far-fetched story right? No way would a “non-celebrity” do something this crazy!

Well, if this story is so unbelievable, why is it that most Loan Officers marketing online try to marry their prospects within seconds of their first date? Don’t believe me? Just look at all the websites that ask for the application without giving any other option to the visitor.

Most of these sites make the long-term-profit-killing mistake of asking a complete stranger (a blind first date) to marry them. In essence, you are saying, “Hey Mr. Prospect, I know you don’t know anything about me, my product or service but just TRUST me anyway by filling out this application with your name, address, phone and social security number. Oh! And don’t forget to tell me how much money you make, how many kids you have and how much debt you have!

If we all agree that this is a mistake, why are so many people still doing it?

I think the answer is two-fold.

1. Most website companies and even some Loan Officers think that since the most preferred action is to get the application then everything else is just a waste of time
2. They just don’t know how to set up and manage a follow up process without hiring 3 or 4 more staff members to handle it.

Unfortunately, we sometimes don’t think like our prospects. We let our egos get in the way. Of course the application is the most preferred action…without it, there is no way food will get on the table! Just because you know what they need, it doesn’t necessarily mean that is what they want.

I think a quote from the movie Joe Dirt says it best:

“Well that might be your problem, it’s not what you like, it’s the consumer.”

And studies clearly show that the consumer wants helpful information!

Well, the simple solution to this problem is that you just start dating more! Yes, you heard me right. The next time a first time visitor lands at your website, don’t go directly for a marriage proposal (getting the application). Instead, make sure you offer them the chance to receive some additional information thus allowing them to get acquainted with you.

So how do you convince your website visitor that you are worth building a relationship with?

The quick answer is “Ethically bribe them with something of high perceived value”. It must be something that has enough perceived value to your visitor to get them to exchange their contact information for it (this is called ‘opting in’ or giving you permission to contact them later via email). At first, the offer should be something that can be delivered online and offers some “insider information” that addresses or solves one or more of their problems, issues or concerns like a free special report, free mini-course, a home buyers guide, an e-book about home buying strategies in your city, or even access to an audio or video file that you have prepared.

How do you go about collecting the contact information, storing it and then delivering the ethical bribe?

I’m pretty sure you don’t want to go out and hire a staff of people to manage this follow up process. And if you are like me, you are just not that great at following up with prospects that have only dipped their toe in the water. You are too busy following up with people that are already in the pool. As my good friend Brian Sacks would say: “Am I Right, or Am I Right?”

Thankfully, technology has been developed that allows you to capture and store your contacts’ information after they have filled out a form on your website. Furthermore, the system will automatically send a series of emails that you set up once and then walk away to let it work its magic all by itself. You load your messages, designed to build one upon the other…the prospect requests your free information through a simple form on your website…and without any other work on your part, that prospect receives a series of mailings -personalized with their name- on the schedule you’ve set-until the series is complete or until that prospect unsubscribes.

What if you could do all this without paying any salary, commissions, or almost any overhead-not even any postage? Do you think this might help your bottom line?

The system I am referring to is called a “Sequential Autoresponder” which is just a fancy name for an Automated Follow up System.

There are several popular companies currently offering this solution and you can find them just by typing “sequential autoresponder” into your favorite search engine. If you are a current Mortgage Web Success subscriber then you have sequential autoresponders built directly into your system along with default messages already waiting for a prospect to opt-in at your site.

How much contact information do you ask your visitor to provide in exchange for the offer?

Since we are going to deliver the initial offer digitally, we only ask for their first name and email address. We have found that the number of people accepting the offer is highest (aka the opt-in conversion rate) when only the name and email address are requested. There are several strategies that you can test which will allow you to get more information. The key is that if you request more information, you should make sure your “ethical bribe” is so high in “perceived value” that giving the additional contact information is a no-brainer for the prospect. OR if the offer has to be delivered by mail then it makes complete sense to ask for the address information…Just make sure you clearly explain why you need that additional information on the opt-in form.

What information should we give in our follow up (autoresponder) sequence?

It is important to lead your prospects down a path with your messages. Try to put yourself in their shoes while still keeping in mind that you want them to contact you when they are ready! You should definitely give solid information they can use but try not to give away so much information that they end up thinking they don’t need you! Also, you want to make sure that each message ends by leading them to contact you for a free consultation and don’t forget to let them know to watch for the next message with more valuable information. I would even go as far as tease them with the title of the next topic and give them an option to contact you to get the information quicker.

TIP: If the current offer is not converting well (meaning - not many people are giving their contact information), you may need to offer something of higher perceived value. This can be in the form of something mailed to them like a CD a real book, etc. Of course, you will then be able to get their mailing address and probably phone number which is much more valuable to you than just their name and email address because it gives you other ways you can market to them. Another secret strategy is to offer something digital at first in exchange for their name and email address and then on the next page, you would ask for their address information so you can mail them another “Special Gift”. The most important thing you need to know is how much each prospect is worth to you. Then you will know how much you can spend to acquire new prospects. How you figure out and accurately track this number will be covered in a future issue.

KEY POINTS- Experts have shown that it often takes 7 or more marketing exposures before prospective customers purchase and many of us just don’t have or take the time to follow up like we should so remember to date your prospects before you propose to them using an automated follow up system called a “sequential autoresponder”. At first, ask only for Name & Email Address and deliver the information to your prospect digitally.

Each month, I will be sharing with you the “secrets” to having an online presence that can actually generate business for you. Each and every month, I will give you another secret tip, strategy or resource and show you exactly how to implement it to grow your business. Next month, I will discuss low cost strategies you can use to drive long term targeted traffic to you website.

I thought I would start off by telling you some of the results of the National Association of Realtors® survey that came out earlier this year. It showed that over 77% of all home buyers used the internet during their home search compared to 74% in 2005 and just 2% in 1995. Needless to say, this number will continue to grow in the years to come. The question is…will you be able to take advantage of this trend and if so how?Our industry is full of website providers. Whether you are a seasoned veteran or new to the business, I am sure you have already been bombarded with many solicitations from them.

You may even currently have a website. If so, what I will share in this column each month will either enable you to transform your current website into an actual marketing system OR educate you enough so you will be able to tell if you current site even has the possibility of being transformed. Either way, YOU WIN!

So let’s dig right in. We need to first realize a few things about our visitors.

1. Why are they coming to our site in the first place?
2. What will make them stay long enough for us to even have a chance at getting their business?
3. What is our Call To Action (CTA)? In other words, what is it that we want them to do NOW?

Statistics have shown that most people are going online just to get information. Think of what you do. Once you have a problem, concern or curiosity you go to Google™ or one of the other search engines and type in keywords related to that topic or problem. That is exactly what your prospects are doing. If they are in Erie, Pennsylvania they might be typing in keywords like “Erie Mortgage”, “Erie Loan Help”, “Erie Home Loan”, etc.

For the most part, when they initially come to a site they are looking for one thing - Information. REMEMBER, everyone is tuned to W-I-F-M. WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME? And you must catch their attention instantly. The web has become very similar to TV. People like to “surf” websites just like TV channels, so you must have information they are looking for or you will lose them…Forever. In fact, the following are startling statistics proving that you do not want an ineffective website. Fact #1: 65% of website visitors give up before they find what they came for. Fact #2: 40% of users who abandon a website NEVER come back. (Source: Boston Consulting Group). So, your job is to provide them a quick and easy way to obtain the information they are seeking and then continue to over deliver so you become the only and obvious choice in their minds. This information may include tips on what mortgage product is best for them, ways to shop for a loan without being taken advantage of or any other content that helps them make the right mortgage decision.

As long as we are talking about what they are looking for I felt I should also mention what they are NOT looking for. See they really don’t care about you or your company. (Sorry if that is harsh, but it is true) They don’t care about the awards you have won or the 53 programs you have listed that you can offer. If you were searching for insurance would you care about the agent or the company? OR would you primarily be looking for information on how to make an informed decision and which insurance product is best suited for your needs. Would you also like to know all the things to watch out for when obtaining a policy? I am not saying that your professionalism and building trust and credibility is not important. Far from it. I am simply saying that is not the PRIMARY reason your visitor clicked on your site!

Bottom Line—you must provide your visitors with the information they are looking for and the tools that will keep them on your site and MORE IMPORTANTLY have them coming back. I will cover these ideas in more depth in future issues so stay tuned.

This brings us to # 3 on our list – What Do You Want Them To Do?

Most of the websites I see being offered today ask for an application immediately and give no other option to the visitor. I believe this is a big mistake. Think about the first time you meet a real estate agent or client you want to do business with. Do you say “Hi, How Are You? How Much Do You Make? How Much Do You Have In The Bank? How Is Your Credit?” Of course you wouldn’t say that to a prospect you don’t know! So why would you do this on your website? Instead, you should be building value in your services by over delivering with solid helpful content, building rapport with your prospect and AUTOMATICALLY following up with them so when you do get them as a customer, you have them for life!

KEY POINTS—Your visitor is primarily looking for helpful content and does not care about you or your company…YET. Secondly, you only have seconds to grab the attention of your visitor so make it easy for them to find and receive the information they are looking for. Finally, you should NOT be asking for the application without first building rapport and trust along with providing them the information they came for in the first place.

By now I am sure you are asking “But if they leave my site without filling out an application then won’t I will lose them anyway?” Don’t worry. In a future issue, I will cover a technique you can use to entice your visitor to happily give you their name and email address and technology you can use to automatically follow up with your prospect as if you were writing every email message directly and only to them….all WITHOUT them needing to fill out a 1003.