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Summary
Alex Hernandez announced a massive template and rate update with new features, including margin and color customization, and introduced Deven Gillen of Hov Digital as a new integration partner. Deven Gillen, a mortgage marketing expert, provided comprehensive strategies for loan officers on reactivating databases, building personal brands with lead magnets, utilizing video content for real estate agents and database engagement, and establishing a strong Google My Business presence. Alex Hernandez emphasized leveraging Rate Update as a lead magnet and offered six months of Rate Update for free to those who sign up with Deven Gillen’s full-service monthly package of $397, which Spiro Hishmeh confirmed could be integrated with existing GoHigh Level accounts under specific conditions.
Details
Notes Length: Standard
- Massive Template Update and Rate Update Features Alex Hernandez announced a massive update to the ability to customize templates, a feature that the community had been requesting for a year. They highlighted two specific enhancements: the ability to update the margin in rate updates and the customization of colors in the graph. Additionally, Alex Hernandez mentioned that the LO card, including the headshot and contact information, can now be positioned at the top of the email for customer visibility.
- Reactivating the Database and Integration Partnership Alex Hernandez introduced Deven Gillen, the co-founder of Hov Digital, as a new integration partner with Rate Update. Deven Gillen's purpose for the call was to guide attendees on how to reactivate their databases, emphasizing that loan officers should focus on converting existing leads and reactivating clients and partners, rather than solely seeking more leads.
- Deven Gillen's Background and Value Proposition Deven Gillen shared their background in mortgage marketing for nearly a decade, focusing on helping loan officers manage their CRM, and their transition to building loan officers' personal brands. Deven Gillen is now running their own full-time venture and has onboarded 120 loan officers in a few months. They stressed the importance of providing value and offered free weekly training on CRM usage, often featuring special guests like Alex Hernandez, and highly recommended GoHigh Level for its unbiased value.
- Recommended CRM Setup: Personal Branding and Lead Magnets Deven Gillen recommended that loan officers create a personally branded website within their CRM, such as GoHigh Level, as a central hub for all marketing, since clients research the individual, not the company. They advised against making the primary funnel goal application submission for cold leads and instead suggested building out custom lead magnets for specific audiences, such as real estate agents and different types of home buyers. Deven Gillen outlined the components of an effective lead magnet, including a social media word workflow, a specific survey/funnel, and a multi-stage landing page sequence for capturing information and scheduling calls.
- Utilizing Rate Update as a Lead Magnet Alex Hernandez added that Rate Update users can leverage the platform as a lead magnet by inviting potential refinance clients to join a "rate alert target" list. This allows the loan officer to watch the rates for the client and set "strike rate alerts" based on the client's current interest rate, enabling automated follow-up or contact when rates drop to a desired level. Alex Hernandez confirmed that rates can be embedded via iframe into landing pages for dynamic display.
- Video Content Strategy for Real Estate Agents and Database Engagement Deven Gillen suggested loan officers differentiate themself from competitors by sending weekly market updates in a video format to real estate agents. They noted that this video approach is effective in generating new realtor relationships, and the videos should also be posted across all social media accounts. Furthermore, Deven Gillen advised using video to answer common mortgage questions, posting them as blogs on the website, and emailing them to the entire database every two weeks to grow authority and avoid unsubscribes.
- Personalization and Video in Workflows Deven Gillen emphasized the importance of personalizing communications, noting that standard holiday emails often lead to high unsubscribe rates, and suggested using 30-second personalized videos for holiday updates to increase response rates. They also recommended recording custom videos for loan anniversaries, birthdays, and other loan milestones and integrating them into CRM workflows to stand out. Deven Gillen highlighted the improved click-through and response rates when video is integrated into lead campaigns, such as a year-long credit repair workflow.
- Webinars and Google My Business Recommendations Deven Gillen endorsed conducting monthly or quarterly training webinars, with one specifically targeting real estate agents. They stressed the necessity of a strong funnel to capture information and workflows to manage reminders and post-webinar follow-ups. Additionally, Deven Gillen strongly recommended setting up a Google My Business page that includes the loan officer's personal name, as people search for the individual when looking for them.
- Devon Gillen's Full-Service Offering and Pricing Deven Gillen provided a comprehensive overview of their custom, one-on-one services for loan officers, which include building custom websites, setting up lead magnets, providing weekly market updates with video scripting and editing, and custom workflow builds for various campaigns. Deven Gillen also offers assistance with custom AI agents, calendars, power dialer setup, live training webinars, co-branded open house pages, Google My Business automation, and database cleanup/segmentation. The service is priced at $397 a month.
- Loan Officer Efficiency and Partnership Benefits Alex Hernandez praised Deven Gillen's hands-on offering, arguing that loan officers' time is best spent on high-profit activities like console calls and selling, rather than building workflows and automations. Alex Hernandez affirmed that a key career insight was delegating tasks to professionals to advance further. They also announced that anyone signing up with Deven Gillen will receive six months of Rate Update for free, with direct CRM integration and the ability to segment audiences via tags.
- GoHigh Level Flexibility and Contract Terms Spiro Hishmeh confirmed they could work with Deven Gillen even with an existing, well-built GoHigh Level account with another agency, as long as the current agency permits the import of Deven Gillen's snapshot. Deven Gillen confirmed that they are the only known GoHigh Level agency that allows clients to take everything built back to their own agency if they cease working together, ensuring clients are not held hostage, and the service is month-to-month.
- Timing for Implementation Alex Hernandez concluded by emphasizing that the current time of year is ideal for slowing down, taking a step back, and onboarding or dialing in systems and automations for a strong start to the following year. Alex Hernandez agreed with Deven Gillen that December is the best month for loan officers to focus on building automations and workflows, preparing them for success.