Broker marketing starts at home

When you’re up against a 22,000‑strong army of healthy competition, broker marketing can feel like a Darwinian survival of the fittest. Social media is awash with slickly produced content by brokers at the top of their games, garnering hundreds of impressions on the daily.

Of course, social media doesn’t always reflect reality; but the reality remains that, with so many brokers on the beat, marketing can make or break your business.

Speaking to the experts, it’s clear that, despite living in the social media age, effective marketing starts with the people around you.

“The right marketing strategy depends on your stage of business,” says Blake Buchanan (pictured right), general manager of mortgage aggregator Specialist Finance Group (SFG).

New‑to‑industry brokers are far more inclined to lean on family members, friends and professional networks to help grow their portfolios. “That might mean phone calls, emails and legally obtained marketing lists that feed into CRM‑driven newsletters,” says Buchanan.

For its part, SFGconnect gives brokers access to in‑built marketing tools that automatically tag and group clients – from first home buyers to investors, renovators or any other type of client – and then place them on targeted communication journeys.

“As a broker matures, so should their marketing,” Buchanan continues. Social media – whether that’s TikTok, Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn – becomes far more important, but regardless of platform, “the focus should shift towards higher‑quality, more polished content.”

“Over time, marketing evolves from ‘getting your name out there’ to positioning yourself as a trusted expert in your niche,” he adds.

“Too many brokers still view marketing purely as lead generation. In reality, the goal should be reputation, education and trust” - Blake Buchanan, SFG 

Regardless of what stage of your career you’re at, Buchanan stresses the power of using your existing network to your advantage. “Every client, every interaction and every partner connection is a marketing opportunity. A single home loan transaction typically involves a real estate agent, a solicitor or conveyancer, an accountant and of course the client’s own family, friends and workplace.

“When you think about that network, the potential reach of one client multiplies quickly. SFG systems enable brokers to record and tag these associated contacts, allowing automated marketing to extend to the wider circle.

“Don’t just market to your client – market through them by staying visible to the people they already trust.”

Be your true self

Sally Chadwick (pictured left), executive manager corporate communications, events and franchise marketing at Mortgage Choice, says, “It’s so important that brokers can identify what’s unique about their business and the service they provide. It’s a crowded marketplace, and you need to stand out in a way that’s true to yourself.”

Chadwick stresses the importance of finding ways to showcase your unique skill sets, but you should also show your customers and potential leads “the real you”, she says.

Chadwick cites examples of Mortgage Choice brokers who speak languages other than English. “Many of them highlight this in their marketing to appeal to different cultural demographics,” she says, although it could be as simple as posting pictures of your beloved pet to project your authentic self.

“It’s so important that brokers can identify what’s unique about their business and the service they provide” - Sally Chadwick, Mortgage Choice

In a time when 22,000‑plus brokers are all jostling for attention, differentiating yourself from your competitors is only becoming more important.

“Being strategic with your marketing is what will help you truly stand out in a competitive marketplace,” says Chadwick. “Brokers aren’t just competing with each other; they’re competing with lenders, including the big banks and their multimillion‑dollar marketing budgets. What helps brokers truly stand out is the personal connection they nurture with their customers and local community.”

It’s also essential to be clear on who your target market is and to make sure your content is showing up where they are looking. “For example, if you’re trying to attract younger first home buyers, social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok will be key to connecting with this audience,” says Chadwick.

LinkedIn, notes Buchanan, works better for targeting high‑net‑worth and professional clients.

Be money wise

As professionals to which Australian homeowners entrust the largest financial decisions of their lives, brokers are expected to have their own finances in order. This surely doesn’t include investing in marketing ventures that provide poor returns. Buchanan believes brokers often make the mistake of rushing into marketing without measuring returns or understanding the “cost of noise”.

He says, “Search‑engine optimisation [SEO] and paid lead generation can be expensive, and when the big players are also ramping up their ad spend, your own cost per lead can skyrocket.

“Unless you’re playing at a high level in that space, those funds might be better directed towards strategies that are more personal, measurable and community driven. Sponsoring a local sports team, hosting a free‑coffee morning or collaborating with nearby businesses can often deliver a far stronger return on both relationships and reputation.”

This community‑ and/or niche‑driven element is where Buchanan is seeing a lot of success across the SFG brokerage network.

St Marys‑based Mortgage Choice franchise owner Nicole Nation, meanwhile, has found a lot of success in co‑hosting seminars with other western‑Sydney‑based brokers.

Nation explains, “When I brought up the idea to run the webinars, a few other local brokers said they’d love to do something similar. So we started planning our first seminar together, targeted at first home buyers. We split the cost and the workload, which made it easy to manage, and we leaned on each other for support.

“The Mortgage Choice marketing team provided the materials to help us promote our first seminar, including email invites to send to our customer databases, and the seminar deck that we used for our session,” Nation says. “This meant we could focus on local networking, like encouraging customers to bring their adult children. That personal approach was highly effective.”

The results speak for themselves: Nation settled two loans directly from that first seminar, with another opportunity in the pipeline. “We’re already planning our next seminar – targeted at investors,” she adds.

But while marketing campaigns are inevitably measured in dollar returns, it’s important to understand that it’s not just a numbers game.

“Too many brokers still view marketing purely as lead generation,” says Buchanan. “In reality, the goal should be reputation, education and trust. People researching you online should find a professional, credible presence – great website, helpful videos and genuine client reviews.

“Even before a conversation begins, your online footprint should make clients feel like they already know and trust you. Marketing isn’t just about getting found; it’s about being believed once they do.”

Tools of the trade

“At Specialist Finance Group, marketing enablement is built into the way we support brokers,” says Buchanan, reiterating the benefits of SFGconnect intelligent tagging and automated campaigning capabilities.

Recent upgrades to SFG’s CRM and analytics systems “have made it even easier for brokers to track engagement, segment their audiences and measure real‑world impact”, he adds.

Many SFG brokers are also combining SFG’s in‑house tools with professional content‑creation support. “Using creative agencies or freelance editors to cut and repurpose content can add real polish – and it’s often more affordable than people think,” Buchanan says.

As franchise owners, Mortgage Choice brokers “benefit from our ongoing investment in one of Australia’s most recognisable broking brands”, says Chadwick.

Mortgage Choice runs national brand campaigns to boost brand awareness and conducts regular incentive campaigns to drive leads, while national partnerships like its sponsorship of the NBL help brokers connect with new audiences.

“However, our support doesn’t stop there,” adds Chadwick. “The real power of a franchisee’s marketing is at the local level, so we equip brokers with the support and tools they need to run powerful local campaigns and events.”

All in all, while social media has made it easier than ever to reach global audiences, brokers should not forget the power of thinking locally. This is the area where most brokers will succeed or fail in the first place.

As Buchanan says, “Do it well and your marketing will not only generate new leads but cement long‑term trust – the kind of trust that turns one client into many.”