Noel Collins from Equitydirect.com wrote:
“With the imploding “Real Time” search driven internet leads and many sub-prime shops shutting down we’re actively recruiting suppliers and forcing a sharpened pencil approach with them all. Direct mail responses seem to have dropped to a unmanageable ROI. What are your thoughts on continued presence of the lead generators/affiliates?”
To Noel and all readers: I agree with you, you should find lead marketing vendors who are willing to partner up with you to get results. And, despite the fact that I am about so say something self serving, I seriously doubt that lead generation programs and/or lead generation companies are going to go the way of the dinosaur any time soon.
Sure, some lead gen programs and lead companies will not survive, but that’s all part of the natural selection process.
At DMA we are not only surviving, but flourishing. Since 1999 we’ve seen outstanding year over year growth. Quarter 1 of 2007 has been exceptionally strong despite some instability in the market.
Why?
We don’t just rest on our laurels. We’re constantly innovating.
In the last 6 months we’ve developed 2 new powerful data models for telemarketing and direct mail in the form of an ALT-A and ARM Adjustment Predictor models. We’ve also developed our own live transfer company, called Intelegen.
Additionally, our direct mail programs ARE still getting our customers the ROI they are looking for. We’re still seeing strong response rates for our direct mail customers. Especially the ones who take advantage of our turnkey mail package and our internet based call tracking system.
I recently wrote a white paper report on direct mail basics and posted it on this site. You need to register to read it, but it is free to you once you sign up.
You can read the report here:
http://www.dmaleads.com/blog/index.php/2007/02/02/mortgage-direct-mail-is-dead-long-live/
My next white paper will specifically address the analysis of direct mail and other lead generation programs. It will be a how-to guide on how to determine your ROI. It will address the critical metrics you need to understand to evaluate your programs and determine whether the tests REALLY failed… or really succeeded!
Incidentally, in my 26 year career in direct response marketing, I’ve seen intelligent companies incorrectly implement direct marketing programs more times than I care to remember. I’ve seen many solid direct marketing efforts were incorrectly “read” and scrapped. And I’ve seen just as many failing direct mail programs rolled out for the wrong reasons, which have wasted time and money.
That’s why I’m going to teach you to read your results properly.
Another factor that the report will address is training your Loan Officers. Let’s face it, the person who answers your phone calls is the person who makes the program work… your last line of defense.
The truism we use in direct marketing is this: your mail campaigns can make the phone ring, but it’s the people who answer the phone who make the cash register sing!
Make sure you have well trained personal answering your lead calls. You’d be surprised at how many mortgage companies don’t train their reps on how to answer calls at all. There is an art to it, which I will address soon.
Hope this post answered your question. If not, feel free to email me at jgilbert@dmaleads.com or post your comment here.