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a la mode
news & marketing tips — posted
June 20, 2005
Are we there yet?
Keeping your clients informed on their loan status
"Did you get my W-2s
yet?"
"Has the appraisal been
scheduled?"
"What other documents do
you need from me?"
Do these questions sound
familiar? Without doubt, getting a mortgage can be nerve-wracking,
especially if it's your client's first time. Keeping clients informed
every step of the way can be the key to quality customer service and
getting referrals from existing clients. Fortunately your XSite comes
equipped with features that notify clients of every step of the loan
process.
The best part? Your
XSite does all the work for you by sending your clients daily loan
status updates and reminder e-mails to keep the loan on track and on
schedule for closing. You (or your loan processor) can also send out a status update ad hoc to
any of your clients at any time during the loan process and you can
customize the e-mail messages however you like.
To set up your
notifications, click on the Configure Borrower Status link found under
Configuration in the Loan Apps menu box. We've set up a couple of
default trigger points such as loan application and closing to get you
started, but you'll likely want to create your own checkpoints to meet
your particular workflow (e.g. flood cert, appraisal).
In addition to the
status update feature, your XSite's client login feature makes it
easy for clients to see the status of their loan any time they want.
To activate the client login feature, click on the "Customer login"
content page in Step 7 in your XSite's Wizard. When your clients
submit their 1003 to you, they'll receive an automatic e-mail with
login information that allows them access to your XSite so they can
view the status of or add to their application and see any documents
sent in via Direct Fax or uploaded manually. You can edit the default
e-mail by clicking on Customize Text and E-mail, which is also located
under Configuration in the Loan Apps menu box.
Last year we reported on
a
perplexity poll
by brand strategy firm Siegel and Gale that found that 60 percent of
participants ranked mortgage applications as one of the most
complicated documents to understand. Giving your clients the ability
to know what's happening with their loan at any given time will ease
their stress and, can likely result in more referral and repeat
business for you!
To learn more about
client status features, click on your XSite Online Manual located in
the upper right-hand side of the My Office area of your XSite.
The dos and don'ts of the e-mail subject line
As you know, a good
subject line is what encourages people to open your e-mail
—
whether it's a marketing ad or a simple note to a client
— but you
need to be careful when creating your subject headings to prevent them
from being filtered into the spam or bulk folder. Here are some subject line "don'ts"
to consider when writing e-mails to clients and prospects:
Don't use
the "F" word. By that we mean the word "free" used alone or in
combination with words like "trial," "money," "quote," "access," etc.
Don't use
words and phrases from the following list. They're common terms
associated with the mortgage business that are likely to be zapped
by spam filters:
Don't use
capital letters. When you use all capital letters, there is no
differentiation in your words and that makes them harder to read. It
also comes across like you're shouting, which increases the likelihood
that it will be considered spam.
Don't use
excessive punctuation or symbols. One question mark is okay, three or
more may send your e-mail to the spam folder. Also, avoid using
exclamation points and symbols such as $ or % as they're often counted
as spam.
Don't give
commands. Filters often consider words like "Open now,"
"Download," "Buy," and "Save" as "aggressive" subject line language. Save your calls to action for the body of your message.
So what can
you do to ensure your e-mail gets to the recipient's inbox? Here are some
things you can do to your subject line to improve deliverability:
Do try to brand
your subject line. Place your name or company name at the very
beginning of the subject line so your message is easy to identify (e.g.
"Walker Mortgage: Documents still needed to process your loan"). Branding your subject line also gives the recipient an easy keyword to
add to their filters' white or "permitted" list, ensuring that your
messages are sent to their Inbox.
Do be as
specific as possible. Some spammers try to trick filters by using
common work-related phrases such as "The document you requested" to
get through. So, whether you're sending them a marketing ad or a
reminder of your meeting next Tuesday, try to be as specific as
possible in your subject line (e.g. "Closing meeting scheduled
for June
10").
Do ask their
permission. It's always easier to get e-mail through if you have
permission first, so encourage your clients to add your e-mail address
in their address book, trusted sender list or approved sender list
(whatever the name may be in their e-mail client).
Once you've got
subject writing down, the rest of your e-mail marketing is a piece of
cake if you're using the XSellerate marketing system. XSellerate's e-mail and print library
consists of ads designed around your marketing needs that you can edit
any way you like. Or, create your own ads that will boost your sales
to the next level.
Don't have XSellerate yet? Get
it
today!
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