Make Sure you Have a Great Reputation Online!

It’s time to “Google” yourself. Go to google.com right now and type in your name. Click “Enter” on your keyboard or “Google Search” on your screen. The result that is displayed is your online identity or profile. You can search using my name for a comparison…Chris Hallmark. If you don’t believe some of your mortgage prospects are checking you out using Google…think again! Thanks to Google, it’s become ridiculously easy for prospects and customers to find out more about you as a mortgage marketing professional, just by typing your name into the Google search engine. Here’s the thing…they’re looking for search results of you on the internet, to see what third party references will reveal about your mortgage business. Essentially, they are “checking you out.” They are looking to evaluate your “online identity or profile” which is a collection of all of the information about you on the Internet, and whether that information is mostly positive, or negative. Here’s a quick review of what a prospect might find when they “Google” you, and what impact that information might have on their decision to do business with you.

1. Positive identity/profile – Your prospect finds numerous mentions of you online including the website you set up using your name.com as your mortgage site. They find articles you may have written about mortgage and credit issues. They may also find your name associated with the city they live in, local newspapers, as well as any professional associations you may be connected with. Congratulations, your prospect found you. This goes a long way in establishing credibility and trust in their eyes. I’m sure they won’t hesitate contacting you and discussing their mortgage requirements with you.  You could even show that you have some mortgage training skills under your belt for credibility purposes.

2. Negative identity/profile – Your prospect found negative comments or testimonials about you from previous customers, or your name was found associated with a negative website or negative group or association. This one is trouble…your prospect can form a pre-conceived opinion of you and may then pass you by and contact another mortgage professional.

3. Neutral identity/profile – Your prospect can’t find any information about you. Neutral is not good – Despite your attempt to make your mortgage business look successful, your prospects may decide that since they couldn’t find any record of you…you are a very small cog in the big mortgage wheel…and may decide to go elsewhere.

 Warning…In the months and years ahead, your desire to remain anonymous on the internet will cost you and your mortgage business big bucks. The chances are good you need to establish and/or improve your online identity/profile. The best way to do this is to focus your efforts and some time on actually building that positive online identity/profile.

Chris Hallmark – http://www.loanofficermarketinglab.com