Video series paying off for broker

One broker took a chance on a new video marketing initiative and it’s already paying out in the form of an increase in business leads.

One broker took a chance on a new video marketing initiative and it’s already paying out in the form of an increase in business leads.

“I just want to be innovative,” Shawn Allen of Matrix Mortgage Global told MortgageBrokerNews.ca. “You can’t be doing what everyone else is doing; people don’t like to read, people don’t have time to read … Youtube is the most popular platform out there right now so you might as well put yourself where everyone is.”

Allen uploaded a video – a polished cartoon explaining the company’s second mortgage products – to Youtube a week ago and on the first day alone it drew seven new business leads.

“It’s only been up a week and we got seven leads the first day it was up,” Allen explained. “Now we’ve been averaging 3-4 leads consistently (per day); it’s bumped up our lead generation, for sure.”

Online marketing is nothing new, with many brokers uploading videos, Tweeting information and regularly blogging. Allen’s approach is different in that it explains products in simple terms using a friendly design that is easy to understand – even for potential clients whose first language isn’t English.

And this video is just the beginning, as Allen has plans to record 24 more.

“It’s just one video in a series of 25 for that set on debt consolidation, refinance videos, online testimonials; that’s just the first of many,” Allen said. “All the other videos are going to be (about) the other products that we have; whether it’s a refinance, or debt consolidation, or purchase-plus improvement. Every product we offer is going to be (featured) in a video.”

The first video cost $500 to produce – including the software cost -- but subsequent editions are estimated to cost around $200-$300. As for what the software is called, however, Allen is playing his cards close to his chest.

“If people want the video they have to come to me and I’ll do it for them for $300,” he said. “I don’t mind helping people out; we’re all in it together.”

To view the video, click here.