The title industry will always be relationship based. While sales and marketing should go hand in hand, there is often a disconnect on what effort should take priority and if a title company needs one or both. The simple fact is, for most businesses and certainly in the title insurance industry, sales and marketing should be working toward the same goal: creating new business to grow closing volume. But in our industry, even seasoned title agents are not fully leveraging both activities.
How can title companies effectively leverage sales and digital marketing to grow their business? We’ll unpack that, but first, let’s ground ourselves on what sales is verses marketing.
Typically, sales refers to direct relationships between a rep for a title company and its potential clients, often real estate agents. Their sales and outreach efforts may consist of calls, in-person meetings and networking events with the overall goal of establishing a relationship between real estate agent and title company so that real estate agent recommends title company for a policy for real estate agent’s clients.
Marketing, on the other hand, and digital marketing in particular, is a more holistic approach that is designed to increase the brand and awareness of a title company to potential clients. The tactics and strategies involved vary but often consist of content marketing, social media marketing and brand assets including title company websites.
Let’s see how they can work together. Below we outline 3 ways that digital marketing can support sales efforts for your title company.
1. Establishing Credibility
Your real estate agent clients are like anyone else, they make decisions based on perceptions. If your title company does not “look the part”, so to speak, you’re already starting off on the wrong foot.
A sales rep for a title company works hard to make connections with new clients. However, given the nature of the industry, there typically is not a contract to sign in order to close a deal. Rather, there’s an informal agreement that the real estate agent will refer its clients to write a policy with the title company. To that end, it’s important that the title company looks professional and this often starts with its online presence. Your title company’s website and other digital assets are all part of a potential client’s research and can often make a difference in determining whether they will do business with you, or not.
Having a solid digital marketing foundation including a professional website, signals to prospective clients that you’re established, savvy, and keeping up-to-date with technology – something that is increasingly important to real estate agents. This can help your sales reps as this will be a positive first impression in your client’s research and due diligence.
On the flip side, if you have an outdated website and little in the way of an online presence, this may be a turn off for a prospective client and your sales rep might not even get an appointment booked to speak with them. One of the first things a prospective client is going to do is Google your title company, it’s important that you show up and have your best (digital) foot forward.
As an example, we have heard feedback from real estate agents that they won’t do business with a particular title company because “they didn’t look legit” online. The title company sales rep had a difficult challenge to overcome just to start a conversation with this agent. This happens often and unfortunately, many title companies overlook their online presence. Looking legitimate online including a professional website is inline with the importance of having a clean, presentable office. It’s all about impressions.
Take Action Today
If your title company’s website hasn’t been updated in several years, there is a good chance that you’re not meeting expectations of your potential clients and that your sales reps may be having a tough time overcoming that obstacle from a potential client. Websites, like clothing, homes, and cars, can go out of style and will look outdated. Contact us for a free evaluation of your website or online presence.
2. Nurture Current and Prospective Clients
The day in the life of a title company sales rep can vary, but most spend their days trying to establish new relationships with real estate agents on the phone, via email, or at events. That direct, personal approach is tried, true and effective but there are ways that digital marketing can help bolster those efforts.
Content marketing is an efficient way to nurture new and existing clients. Rather than calling on a prospect weekly asking when they might give your title company a shot at a policy, which can get daunting for both the rep and prospect, leverage content marketing to provide value-added, education content to your prospect. Content such as industry blog articles or FAQs about the closing process can be helpful to a real estate agent to share with their client and it’s a great non-salesy way to get in touch and stay top-of-mind with your prospect.
Content marketing can take many forms, which we talked about in a previous article, but the main takeaway is that it can help you be seen as a thought-leader, build your brand, and is an effective strategy to nurture your clients. Need a reason to call a prospect? Call and ask them if you can send them a new article. Need a reason to email them? Send a direct link to the article or use marketing automation and a content nurture campaign to maximize effectiveness.
Take Action Today
If your title company consistently produces content, you likely have an arsenal of articles, tips, blogs and more at your fingertips. Start sending content rather than picking up the phone without anything new or valuable to say to your prospect.
If you don’t have any content created, schedule a strategy session with us. Dalton Digital helps title companies develop industry content to support their direct sales efforts.
3. Stay Top of Mind With Social Media
In a previous post, we did a deep dive into the importance of a social media marketing strategy for title companies. We know that your clients are on Facebook, LinkedIn and other platforms and that having an effective social strategy can increase awareness of your title company – that’s why many successful title companies are not only on social media, but also very active. You have to be where your customers are.
Title company sales reps can leverage social media to start conversations and increase awareness as well. If your title company is actively posting value-added, education content on social media, you can monitor the social channels for any engagement from potential clients. Just like the above example of emailing content, social media is a great tool for pushing out content. You likely have connections and followers who consistently like, share or comment on the content that your title company is posting. Use that as an opportunity to reach out and start a personal dialogue.
In addition, you as an individual likely have just as many connections on social media as your company. If your title company is active on social media, take that opportunity to share those posts and content on your own social channels to expand your reach. Having employees and sales representatives in particular share content is a great way to amplify the message.
An added benefit of social media is that it can be an effective feedback channel. Clients will often comment, ask questions or provide other feedback that is important to them. You, as a sales representative can take that feedback to craft a message or even a piece of content to help you with your sales and outreach efforts.
Take Action Today
Check to see how active your title company is on social media. If they are, monitor the channels to see what type of engagement they are getting with their connections. Also, be sure to share their content on your own channels for an even wider reach.
If your title insurance company is not on social media or is not very active, we can help. Dalton Digital develops post content and manages social media marketing for title companies and we’d love to speak with you.
The Takeaway
Title insurance sales and marketing should work together with the goal of growing the business. While many of the traditional sales strategies are effective, there are several ways that sales reps can leverage digital marketing to support their efforts and make more connections. Having a professional website and digital presence can go a long way in building your brand which will ultimately help your sales reps succeed. In addition, providing content to your clients and prospects through direct channels and on social media is an effective way to nurture the relationships and keep you top-of-mind during your sales process.
Want to learn more about how marketing can support your sales efforts?
Dalton Digital is a marketing agency exclusively focused on helping title companies grow their closing volume by getting their digital marketing right. Contact us today for a free strategy session to discuss your goals and learn how we can help support your sales efforts.