Marking the launch of their consultancy firm Brand That Broker, mortgage broker Serena Smith (pictured, right) and PR expert Rachel Bayley (pictured, left) said advisers getting on social media could help them capture future clientele and combat misinformation from ‘finfluencers’. 

Brand That Broker has been created by the two women to coach advisers on creating a personal brand online. 

Smith has been an adviser since 2016 and runs the advice firm Mortgages with Serena. She holds certifications in CF1, CF6 and R05 and previously worked at Skipton Building Society as a trainee business development manager. 

Last year, Smith spoke to Mortgage Solutions about acquiring 99% of her business leads through Instagram. 

 

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Mortgage brokers not utilising social media 

Smith said: “We came up with the idea of Brand That Broker due to both of our experience[s] working in the UK mortgage sector. 

“It is clear, not just from statistics but also personal experience, that many UK mortgage brokers and their wider firms do not utilise social media or their personal brands effectively to boost their network, sales and future client pipeline.” 

She added: “You may currently get most of your clients through your already established network, and that’s great. But circumstances change, clients will naturally require fewer financial products as they get older and it would be narrow-minded to presume your next wave of clients will follow the trends you have witnessed over the years. 

“The younger generation, aka your future clients, actively seek out financial information online. They do not resonate with or trust faceless brands that hide behind generic Financial Conduct Authority [FCA]-compliant wording and the same corporate messaging.” 

 

A ‘moral duty to combat finfluencers’

Bayley is a trained journalist who worked at Computershare Loan Services for eight years in its marketing division. She also runs PR agency On The Avenue Communications. 

She said she left the corporate mortgage world because she was “frustrated at the lack of creativity and acceptance that having a personal brand and using social media is essential as the world evolves”. 

Bayley added: “We believe that brokers have a moral duty to combat the growing ‘finfluencer’ trend online, where people with no qualifications in finance are telling – often younger – consumers how to invest or get mortgages. 

“Brokers need to trust themselves; they’re experienced, well-qualified and know the Financial Conduct Authority rules, which are easy to stick to. Our online training takes brokers through real-life examples of effective social media and personal branding, as well as how Serena gains an impressive 99% of her leads on Instagram.” 

Pricing for Brand That Broker’s services ranges from £99 to £499.