Many experts will tell you that your website is just an additional "tool" in your marketing tool kit. It could be your hammer; in addition to your business cards, post cards, newsletters, homes magazine advertising, and whatever else you do to market you and your company. Directing consumers to your website is a challenge these days, but I would like to suggest that you could be successful in doing so by using some of my consumer-direct marketing methods.

My consumer-direct marketing methods use provocative headlines to attract the niche client that I wanted to do business with. It says-"Free Report Reveals the Mistakes People Make in Shopping For a Mortgage". I would like to provide you with some ideas on how to use "headlines" to direct people to your website to read a copy of your free report.

Let's dissect the headline so you know where I'm coming from with this type of ad. First of all, the people who will be reading this headline are people who "have access to the Internet". If they don't have Internet access, then the headline will turn them off right away.

Secondly, you are asking if they "need a mortgage". It's not good enough to ask about Internet access without asking the second question! The online mortgage report gives them a reason to visit your Internet site.

Finally, your Internet address is provided, usually in the same (or larger) font because you are attempting to direct them to your web address. Notice that the name of the mortgage company, phone number, loan officer's name are NOT provided in the ad. Free Report Advertising usually directs a prospect to call a (prerecorded) 24-hour toll free number to obtain a copy of the report. Instead of the toll-free number, you are substituting your Internet site.

You need not go through the expense of buying a full-page ad in your local homes magazine. A half-page or even a quarter page will do. Show lots of "white space". You want the prospect to read the headline and direct them to the website, period! Your Website and Free Report should then do the selling for you. Here are four things that should be on your site:

1. Your Free Report. You know the mistakes people make in shopping for a mortgage! Tell a story about some of them you have encountered and how you can save them time and money. Talk the about the dangers of not being pre-approved ahead of time; not obtaining an in file credit report to clear up any problems ahead of time (and check out their credit score); where to get money for their down payment and closing costs and that you are the only one they need to see about Realtor referrals.

2. A Special Offer - like a free copy of their credit report. You have already addressed the potential problems that could happen by NOT reviewing their credit report ahead of time. This offer gives them an incentive to call or email you, obtain the credit report, and a reason for you to contact them again to review the data.

3. Make it easy to contact you. I can't tell you how many websites I have visited-only to find that it was difficult (if not impossible) to find the "contact us" button. If you are offering a free credit report, then make it easy for them to request information while they are visiting that screen.

4. Include a "send to a friend" button. Statistics will tell you that within a person's sphere in influence, they will have friends and relatives who will be buying a home within a certain time period also. Why not increase the possibility of people visiting your site by asking the prospect (basically for a referral) "if they have a friend who will be buying a home within a 1-year time period" and "if they would like to forward this information to a friend too". This is key to reducing your consumer-direct advertising costs and increasing "virtual" referrals.

My belief is that your company name, phone number and web address should be the same sized fonts. Don't use a smaller font as I feel that you are subtly giving less importance to the phone number and web address. So, with that in mind, here are a few more suggestions:

1. On your business cards, print your name, phone number and email address all in the same size font. This draws attention to the 3 most important things on that card.

2. If you do post card marketing, write a headline intended for the prospect you wish to attract, and provide only your web address.

3. In your yellow page ads-provide your web address too. Most phone books now have section called "Internet listings" as well. Make sure you get that listed under the "mortgage" heading.

4. Classified ads in the real estate section of your newspaper. People look there when buying a home-or usually when selling their home For Sale By Owner. Why not use the headline "Don't Sell Your Home Until You Visit www.mymortgagecompany.com".

One more thought! I know a builder who also owns his own mortgage company. When he has a customer, he encourages the use of his website and email when working with them. In fact, he provides them with $500 off the price of the home if they agree to use his website for most of their questions. By directing them to the site, he receives - and answers - their questions in writing and can direct their correspondence to the proper personnel (if he is not the one to answer them).

Best of all, he has a record of all correspondence and mail sent/forwarded-so no more "he said, she said" communication problems. He feels that the $500 is well worth the "cost" of miscommunication. My thought here is that since you have initially directed them to your website-and they end up applying for a mortgage with you, why not take the extra step and encourage them to continue to use your website and email throughout the entire process. You will benefit from the ability to communicate with them (any time during the day or night), but could use this as an additional marketing tool to keep in contact with them long after the loan has closed.

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Karen Deis is considered an expert in consumer-direct marketing for the mortgage business. Visit her website at: www.consumer-direct-marketing.com to order her marketing program which contains an Audio CD and 6 different consumer-direct marketing campaigns. She can also be reached at 715-426-3647.

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