LinkedIn: A Valuable Resource for Small Businesses

The past decade has seen the explosion of social media, as more and more individuals are turning to Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. But the benefits of social media aren’t just for individuals. Social media—and in particular, LinkedIn—offers many advantages to those trying to grow their businesses. Consider the following statistic: 77% of B2B companies in a recent survey stated that they had acquired a customer through the LinkedIn website. LinkedIn is also responsible for 64% of all visits from social media channels to corporate websites; compare that to Facebook which only accounts for 17% of such visits.

To take advantage of LinkedIn for lead generation and client acquisition, experts recommend the following:

Create a Comprehensive Profile. Sell yourself by creating an engaging profile. It should be detailed; make sure you fill out all sections. LinkedIn states that users who have a complete Products and Services section tend to have twice as many followers. So, be thorough.
Join Groups. Don’t be a LinkedIn lurker. Instead, join groups that are applicable to your industry. The more groups that you join, the more potential networking opportunities you’ll be awarded. To increase the likelihood of acquiring more LinkedIn followers, strive to contribute regularly to the groups that you join.

Connect. Offer links to your website and other social media accounts. You want to provide multiple avenues for your followers to keep up-to-date with what you’re doing.
Use Engaging Content. The more engaging people find your content, the more likely they will (1) revisit your social media accounts and (2) refer other people to them. So, use LinkedIn to offer links to your blog posts or online newsletters. It’s a good idea to use the 80/20 rule when developing the content—create content that is 80% for the benefit of the user (not sales-oriented) and 20% that touts your products and services.

By providing rich content, making connections, and joining groups, you’ll increase the likelihood that LinkedIn will become a valuable resource for maximizing your business opportunities. And since it’s free to use, it’s a great avenue for selling yourself without incurring any expenses.

Titan List is a full service Advertising and Design agency specializing in Direct Mail, Mortgage Marketing, Internet Marketing / Graphic Design. Titan List has been around since 1998, and has a team of highly qualified individuals with experience in the marketing trends that fit your business. Unlike other agencies that source their work out, Titan List & Mailing handles the entire campaign in-house. Looking for a special list of data for your business? We can customize any data list for your company.

Appreciate Your Employees with these Cost Saving Ideas

Everyone likes to feel appreciated, and employees are no different. In fact, studies show that more than half of employees would leave their current job for a company where their efforts were clearly appreciated. Fortunately, there are things that you can do to make your employees feel valued that cost little but mean a lot.

Say Thanks. People want to feel that their hard work is recognized. If you notice an employee worked over the weekend to meet an important deadline or stayed late one night to solve a problem, say thank you. Although it’s a small thing, employees do enjoy knowing that their hard work is recognized and appreciated. You may even want to consider a handwritten note of appreciation; recipients find these even more meaningful.

Offer Incentives. Everybody loves incentives. Fortunately, there are nice things that you can do for your employees that won’t end up breaking the bank. For instance, you could allow casual Fridays or offer up a prime parking spot to the employee of the month. Tell your hardest worker to go home a couple of hours early one Friday. Think in terms of things that will be appreciated but make little impact to your office budget.

Reward Group Successes. It’s far more cost effective to reward a group than an individual. So the next time a group in your office meets a major milestone, consider a pizza party or bring in donuts as a treat. Again, these things don’t have to cost much but they will make your employees feel like valued members of the team, and happy employees will reduce turnover while improving office morale.

Additionally, your happy employees may even result in greater revenue, says Dr. Noelle Nelson, author of the book, Make More Money by Making Your Employees Happy. “When employees feel that the company takes their interest to heart, then the employees will take company interests to heart,” she says. Furthermore, she cites a Jackson Organization study which indicates that “companies that effectively appreciate employee value enjoy a return on equity and assets more than triple that experienced by firms that don’t.”

As you can see, creating a workplace where value is recognized and appreciated is win-win for everyone and can be done at minimal expense. Use the tips above for improving the atmosphere at your office.

Titan List is a full service Advertising and Design agency specializing in Direct Mail, Mortgage Marketing, Search Engine Optimization and Website / Graphic Design. Titan List has been around since 1998, and has a team of highly qualified individuals with experience in the marketing trends that fit your business. Unlike other agencies that source their work out, Titan List & Mailing handles the entire campaign in-house. Looking for a special list of data for your business? We can customize any data list for your company

6 Tips for Creating Better Mortgage Marketing Letters

A successful mortgage marketing letter is a great way to capture new leads. But oftentimes, letters in this industry can come across as dull and lackluster. Fortunately, we have some great ideas for improving the content of your mortgage marketing letters. Read below for our top tips:

Don’t Be Boring. You only have a few seconds to capture the attention of your reader. Make sure that you do so with compelling content. For instance, use a captivating story or a glowing testimonial. These can be far more engaging than the typical dull sales pitch.

Offer Incentives. Everyone likes to get something for nothing. To attract potential clients, consider offering something for free—like a download of an e-book, access to an interesting webinar, or an entertaining podcast. Another option is to offer a contest. For example, you could give out gifts to the first 5 people to respond to your letter.

Use a Clear CTA. Your letter should contain a clear call to action (CTA). Do you want the reader to sign up for your monthly newsletter? Would you rather they return a postage-paid mailer requesting more information? Or are you interested in getting them to sign up for a free consultation? Whatever your call to action is, make sure that it is clearly articulated in the text of your letter.

Don’t Ignore Visual Appeal. Not only should your letter offer a compelling headline, but it’s also important that it appears visually appealing. Use bullet points and call-outs so that key information can be spotted quickly. Don’t use overly-long paragraphs that busy readers will be inclined to skim.

Have a Deadline. Create a sense of urgency around your call to action. The longer people wait to take action, the less likely it is that they will do so. To prevent that from occurring, use a deadline. For example, you might say something like, “Hurry, Act Now—This Free Offer Only Lasts until June 1st!”

Include a Post Script. Studies show that as many as 80% of your readers will read the PS first. Take advantage of that by using the PS as an opportunity to make a convincing appeal to the reader to take action.

Titan List is a full service Advertising and Design agency specializing in Direct Mail, Mortgage Marketing, Search Engine Optimization and Website / Graphic Design. Titan List has been around since 1998, and has a team of highly qualified individuals with experience in the marketing trends that fit your business. Unlike other agencies that source their work out, Titan List & Mailing handles the entire campaign in-house. Looking for a special list of data for your business? We can customize any data list for your company.

Six Important Landing Page Design Tips

People spend an average of 3-5 seconds viewing a landing page and if something doesn’t strike them as interesting, they move on. That’s why it’s so important to create an effective landing page that appeals to your customer base at first glance. And it goes without saying that the better your landing page is designed, the more conversions you’ll gain.

So before creating your next landing page, keep these considerations in mind:

Visual Appeal. Think carefully about the design of your landing page. Avoid creating a page that is cluttered with too many graphics. The design should be clean, well-thought-out and attractive. Arrange information in a way that is easy to read by using bullets, call-outs, and the like.

Direct Language. Now is not the time to be wishy-washy. Use personalized, action-packed language—the type of direct verbs that you would use on a resume, for example. Think in terms of phrases like, “Sign Up Now” or “Download Here.”

Don’t Bury Your CTA. The call-to-action (CTA) should be clearly visible and above the fold i.e. no scrolling required. Most people who visit your landing page will be reviewing its contents quickly. Don’t bury the CTA by forcing viewers to scroll for the “Sign Up Now” button.

Consumer Focused. Your landing page should focus on what you can do for your clients. Remember that your goal is to get a conversion. So, focus on the services that you provide and how you can help them meet their goals. In the process, avoid language that could be construed as pushy or condescending. Instead, aim to be personable and helpful.

Clearly Identifiable Contact Info. Be cognizant of the fact that not everyone is comfortable signing up for things online like newsletters. Make sure that your landing page indicates other ways that potential clients can reach you—for example, by telephone or email address.

Use A Testimonial. In the mortgage industry, trust is crucial. One way to earn trust is through the usage of testimonials. If you have a glowing testimonial from a former client, consider using a call-out and sticking it above the fold on your landing page. This is an effective way to sell your services without bragging directly.

Titan List is a full service Advertising and Design agency specializing in Direct Mail, Mortgage Marketing, Search Engine Optimization and Website / Graphic Design. Titan List has been around since 1998, and has a team of highly qualified individuals with experience in the marketing trends that fit your business. Unlike other agencies that source their work out, Titan List & Mailing handles the entire campaign in-house. Looking for a special list of data for your business? We can customize any data list for your company.

Get More Bang for Your Buck with Marketing Automation

In the mortgage industry, how well you market yourself can be the difference between achievement and lackluster results. And while marketing automation makes selling yourself easier, there are some key things to consider if you want to be successful with it.

But before we go any further, let’s clarify what automated marketing is. Quite simply, it’s software coupled with marketing tactics to deliver customized content to clients to increase sales. If you’ve ever placed an order on a website that recommended items to buy based on past purchasing history, you’ve been on the receiving end of automated marketing.

Perhaps you’re already using automated marketing in your business. If so, the following suggestions will help you to increase your success with it, ultimately getting more bang for your buck:

Evaluate. Based on past experience, what marketing tactics have you used that were most effective in generating new leads? Did you, for example, use content that emphasized your experience in the industry? Or perhaps you highlighted your ability to get loans for people who are traditionally difficult to obtain funding for. Your marketing strategy should focus on the selling features that have been most successful for you in the past.

Test. Before sending out any automated marketing pieces, you should always test them to eliminate errors. You don’t want to send out a piece, for example, that is addressed to “Dear FirstName LastName.” Also, you can test not just for errors but for content as well. To try this, create 2 automated marketing pieces. Send one to half of your contacts and the other one to the remainder of your contacts. See which one garners greater success and use it as the basis for developing further marketing materials.

Time Appropriately. Think carefully about when you want to deliver your message. For instance, a message delivered Saturday at midnight is likely to go straight into the trash bin. Instead, time messages for weekdays during business hours for maximum efficacy.
Share with Social Media. Some marketing automation systems have social media sharing built in. If your system includes this, make sure that you are taking full advantage by scheduling regular updates to your social media accounts.

Be Patient. As with any marketing initiative, you need to give automated marketing time to see results. Trust that if you pay regular attention to maintaining your strategy, the effort will pay off, resulting in more leads and greater revenue.

Titan List is a full service Advertising and Design agency specializing in Direct Mail, Mortgage Marketing, Search Engine Optimization and Website / Graphic Design. Titan List has been around since 1998, and has a team of highly qualified individuals with experience in the marketing trends that fit your business. Unlike other agencies that source their work out, Titan List & Mailing handles the entire campaign in-house. Looking for a special list of data for your business? We can customize any data list for your company.

Energy Saving Tips for Telecommuters

Approximately 45 million Americans telecommute at least one day a week. If you’re one of them, you may find that your electric bill has increased since you began using your home office. Fortunately, there are some excellent energy saving tips for telecommuters that can slash utility costs while having a beneficial impact on the environment.

Look for ENERGY STAR home electronics. Electronics with the ENERGY STAR certification offer a dramatic reduction in power consumption over traditional electronics. For example, computers labeled with this designation reduce energy use by 30%-65%.

Select Multi-Functional Devices. Rather than having a separate fax machine, copier, and printer, consider an all-in-one device to lower your electric bill. If you are printing in house flyers or direct mail postcards having a multi function all in one can save you a ton of money. s

Use Power Management Settings. Your laptop or desktop has power settings that can be changed to reduce your energy consumption. Rather than using your screen saver—which doesn’t affect energy usage—opt to set your computer to automatically use sleep mode when it’s been inactive for a certain period of time.

Invest in Power Strips. If all of your electronics are plugged into a power strip, they can all be easily turned off with the flick of a switch. Or, for even more energy savings, consider a smart power strip. These eliminate the use of standby power which accounts for 5% of electricity usage in the United States.

Purchase Energy-Saving Light Bulbs. It’s estimated that an Energy Star compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) saves $30 over its lifetime and pays for itself in 6 months. It also uses 75% less energy and lasts approximately 10 times longer than an incandescent light bulb.

Choose a Laptop. If possible, use a laptop rather than a desktop computer. Laptops use about one-third less power than desktops. Also, it’s estimated that a laptop will reduce your electric bill by $19 annually, compared to a desktop.

Use Fans and Space Heaters. Rather than keeping the entire house heated or cooled throughout the day with expensive air conditioning or home heating, keep a fan and a space heater in your home office. The savings on your heating and cooling bill will be substantial.

Caulk Windows. With air often leaking through older windows, caulking will reduce drafts, making your home office less expensive to heat.
By applying these simple energy saving tips, you might find that your utility bills are even less expensive than before you began telecommuting.

Titan List is a full service Advertising and Design agency specializing in Direct Mail, Mortgage Marketing, Search Engine Optimization and Website / Graphic Design. Titan List has been around since 1998, and has a team of highly qualified individuals with experience in the marketing trends that fit your business. Unlike other agencies that source their work out, Titan List & Mailing handles the entire campaign in-house. Looking for a special list of data for your business? We can customize any data list for your company.

5 Marketing Ideas for the New Year

With the new year upon us, you’ve probably thought about how you’d like to grow your business in 2014. If that’s your goal but you’re still struggling to identify a strategy, here are some useful marketing ideas to help you generate additional revenue this year.

Start a Newsletter. It can’t be said often enough how helpful a newsletter can be for mortgage brokers trying to attract new clients. Providing useful information—that people actually want to read—can keep you in the forefront of potential clients’ minds. Avoid hammering people over the head with sales pitches. Instead, offer them articles on changes to the tax law that affect home owners, how to be better savers, and fun family activities. Good content means that your contacts will look forward to your mailings, rather than pitch them in the garbage unread.

Keep a Blog. A blog is a great way to build inbound traffic to your website. For inspiration, check out other business blogs, carry a notepad to write down interesting topics as they occur to you, and stay abreast of industry trends. The content that you post on your blog can also be used on social media websites.

Use Social Media. Admittedly, it can be time-consuming to use multiple social media channels. That said, if you’re new to social media, a great place to start is LinkedIn, a professional networking site. Build a profile and join industry groups so you can start building your network of contacts. As time permits, you can also consider adding Facebook and Twitter. Having multiple ways for potential clients to reach you via social media will increase your visibility.

Get Active. It’s a simple principle—the more individuals that you meet, the more potential new clients you encounter. So, don’t just sit home and channel surf in your off hours. Instead, get to the gym, join professional networking groups, offer to speak at business luncheons, and volunteer. Increased social interaction can be a boon to your business.

Ask for Testimonials. Testimonials from former happy clients are a great item to add to your marketing pieces. They build trust and confidence and carry more weight than slick marketing materials. Additionally, soliciting testimonials offers you the opportunity to get in touch with past clients, see how they’re doing, and remind them that you’re available should they require your services again.

Titan List is a full service Advertising and Design agency specializing in Direct Mail, Mortgage Marketing, Search Engine Optimization and Website / Graphic Design. The company has been around since 1998, and has a team of highly qualified individuals with experience in the marketing trends that fit your business. Unlike other agencies that source their work out, Titan List & Mailing handles the entire campaign in-house. Looking for a special list of data for your business? We can customize any data list for your company.