As all budding entrepreneurs know, it's essential to promote your loan consulting business. More and more people are seeking loans of all types as they struggle to make ends meet, so put some effort into attracting potential clients. Following are 5 different methods for promoting your loan consulting business:
1. Business Cards
Business cards may seem like an old-fashioned way to promote a business, but you can use them in fresh, unexpected ways to make a greater impact. As a WAHM, you can use a business card when sending notes with your child to school, or when scheduling a playdate with another mom. Send them out in all your correspondence--even your personal bills! You can also try making your business card something useful, such as a magnet, luggage tag, or pen that you can hand out. If you are multilingual, make sure to have business cards printed that showcase your language skills. And finally, try attaching a vcard (virtual business card) to your outgoing email.
2. Website
Even the most basic website is an invaluable tool for promoting your business. If you specialize in certain types of loans such as mortgage consulting, then make sure your website reflects this unique knowledge. You can add a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to your site that helps potential clients prepare for and understand the lending process. You can also allow clients to schedule appointments online--a convenient service that keeps you from being on the phone all day.
3. Podcasts
Once you have a website, you are just a step away from podcasting. Podcasts are audio files that clients can download; think of them as radio-type programs that you can use to educate and inform your clients about changes in the lending industry. Clients can subscribe to your podcasts, which means they are delivered directly to your audience as soon as they are uploaded. Podcasts are a great way to show your clients that you are dedicated to keeping them up-to-date about new trends or products.
4. Blogs and Vlogs
Blogs are hugely popular right now, and rightly so--they are a great way for you to keep in touch daily or weekly with your readers. You can discuss new trends, answer questions, or discuss ways in which loans can assist your clients. V-logs take blogging one step further--by adding video. V-logs can be used in any format you choose; think of the most effective way you can reach your audience. Perhaps you can interview someone within the lending industry for an "insider perspective" or perhaps you can film a video journey of how just one loan changed a family's life.
5. Newsletters
Email newsletters are another great way to reach your audience and promote your business, without the extra technological leaps that podcasts and v-logs require. You can put together a monthly newsletter that discusses trends within the industry, or spotlights particular loan products. Keep your readers engaged by showing how your loan consulting service will help them navigate the often scary process of securing a loan.
Don't be afraid to brainstorm some truly creative ways to promote your loan consulting business. Thanks to the internet, we are light years beyond taking out an ad in the local paper. Try some of these methods, and most importantly, have fun with them!
______________________________
Sarah Baker is a documentary filmmaker and writer currently living in New Bern, NC. Her first book, Lucky Stars: Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell, will be published December 2009. Read more about her.
