Advisers Assemble - Lead Generation For Financial Services

Alex Curtis

How to generate leads and market your financial services business. Alex Curtis from The Lead Engine interviews industry experts and marketing professionals to discuss how you can get more leads that create more business.

  1. 4d ago

    GET MORTGAGE LEADS USING CAPITAL LETTERS

    In this episode, we dive into a recent landing page experiment where a single formatting change—switching the main H1 headline from sentence case to ALL CAPS resulted in a 59.82% increase in leads for a mortgage broker's website. We break down the test methodology, the results, and the psychological reasons why this simple, low-effort tweak outperformed the status quo. Key Talking Points The Experiment Setup: We ran an A/B test over 23 days with 216 visitors from Google Ads. The only variable changed was the H1 headline; every other element (form, photos, content) remained identical. The Results: The ALL CAPS headline generated 59.82% more leads per click. Conversely, when the sentence case version was live, the blended cost per lead increased by 59.39%, and the conversion rate dropped by 21.10%. Dispelling the "Shouting" Myth: Contrary to the belief that ALL CAPS feels like shouting or aggressive, bounce rates were identical. Visitors didn't leave the page; they actually spent 27.54% longer on the ALL CAPS page, indicating higher engagement. The Psychology of Clarity: Capital letters are processed faster by the brain because their shapes are more distinct and uniform. In a high-stakes search context where visitors have one question—"Am I in the right place?"—ALL CAPS provides instant clarity and signals authority, much like road signs. The Caveat: A headline change is not a "silver bullet." This experiment succeeded because it was backed by a high-quality page, including 5-star Google reviews and content tailored to user intent. The headline simply served as a more effective first impression. Actionable Takeaways Run Your Own Split Test: If you're running Google Ads, create a duplicate landing page with a capitalized headline and split your traffic. Monitor Performance: If you aren't running ads, simply apply the change and track your leads over the next 30 days. Low Effort, High Impact: This is one of the lowest-effort tests you can run. No developers or designers required—just hit Caps Lock on your headline and measure the results. Brought to you by the team at The Lead Engine who specialise in generating mortgage leads.

    15 min
  2. Jun 22

    Getting Calls For Mortgage Advice From Google Ads - How Many Leads Can You Expect?

    In this episode, explore the role of inbound calls in Google Ads campaigns for mortgage leads. He argues that businesses often overlook the power of immediate phone contact, treating it as an afterthought rather than a primary conversion channel. The discussion covers why these leads are unique, the importance of operational processes, and how to effectively track call performance. Key Takeaways The Urgency of Inbound Leads: When a user clicks to call directly from an ad, they have a clear intent: they want answers immediately. They are bypassing the standard web form journey because they are ready to talk now. Abolish the Phone Menu: Complex phone menus (IVRs) act as a barrier to potential clients who are already in a "solve my problem now" mindset. Alex advises businesses to remove these menus for ad-driven traffic, or use a dedicated phone number that connects directly to an adviser. Availability is Critical: Running Google Ads without a plan to answer the phone is "throwing money in the fire." If you miss the call, the lead will almost certainly move on to a competitor. If you cannot answer, consider outsourcing call handling, though speaking to an adviser directly remains the gold standard for conversion. The Power of Tracking: Use Google’s call tracking numbers to get the full picture. This enables you to report on which specific keywords, ads, and landing pages are driving the most calls, allowing for better ROI analysis. There is no "Standard" Split: The ratio of web forms to inbound calls fluctuates wildly depending on the business. Data from various clients shows ranges from 80% forms to 80% calls. Don't assume a standard conversion ratio; track your specific data to understand your business reality. Actionable Advice Audit Your Process: If you are running ads, ensure someone is available to answer the phone immediately. If it's just you, prioritise availability during your active campaign hours. Clean Your Data: When reviewing call reports, filter out calls shorter than 10 seconds. These are often accidental "fat finger" clicks and will skew your conversion data. Be Accessible: Don't overthink the "professionalism" of being a small team. People want to know who they are working with; they don't need a corporate phone menu to feel secure. Connect with Alex For more insights into content experiments and lead generation data, subscribe to The Lead Engine newsletter on LinkedIn via Alex Curtis's profile. Brought to you by the team at The Lead Engine who specialise in generating mortgage leads.

    20 min
  3. Jun 15

    Be Boring And Get More Mortgage Leads

    Summary: In this episode, we explore why "boring," straightforward, and simple content is far more effective for generating mortgage leads than "jazzy" or highly entertaining marketing copy. Mortgage clients aren't looking to be entertained; they are seeking safety, reassurance, and clear answers to their problems. We discuss why stripping back your content to the essentials helps you convert strangers into clients. Key Takeaways: The Path of Least Resistance: Users on search engines and social platforms are looking for quick, easy-to-read answers. Complex, wordy copy often feels like high effort and leads users to scroll past. The Power of "Boring" Content: Data from our experiments consistently shows that plain, factual, and direct content increases click-through rates on Google Ads and time-on-page metrics compared to more exciting, sales-heavy copy. Less is More: Extra words act as a tax on the reader's time. We discuss the benefits of short-form emails and direct, concrete language over abstract adjectives like "amazing" or "incredible." The Q&A Strategy: Building your content around simple, frequent questions (like "Joint Borrower/Sole Proprietor") provides immediate value. This approach builds trust and helps your content rank better in search and AI results. The "Well" Analogy: When a potential client has a mortgage problem, they are "stuck in a well." They don't need entertainment; they need a clear, direct ladder to get out. Brought to you by the team at The Lead Engine who specialise in generating mortgage leads.

    8 min
  4. Jun 8

    Do Adviser Photos Get More Leads?

    In this episode, we dive into a cost-free, highly effective strategy to boost your mortgage website's performance. We explore why adding a simple adviser photo is one of the most powerful changes you can make to increase trust and lead volume. Key Highlights: The Experiment: We break down a recent test on a mortgage broker’s website that compared identical web pages—one with an adviser photo and one without. The results? The page featuring the adviser's face generated 11% more leads. The Science of Trust: Ambiguity Aversion: People feel uncomfortable discussing private financial matters with strangers. Seeing a face reduces this uncertainty and builds immediate rapport. Hard-Wired for Connection: Our brains are evolutionarily designed to assess trustworthiness through faces, making them a more powerful trigger for trust than logos alone. Eye-Tracking: Studies show that when a user lands on a page, their eyes are naturally drawn to human faces immediately. Authenticity Wins: We discuss why generic stock photos are easily identified by users as "filler" and ignored. Real, authentic photos of your team members are essential for improving credibility. Practical Implementation: Every Page Counts: Don’t relegate your team to just the "About Us" page. Every page is a potential meeting point with a client. Equipment Doesn't Matter: You don't need a high-end photoshoot to start. A simple, well-lit photo taken on an iPhone is significantly better than no photo at all. Avoid the Fake: A genuine iPhone photo will always outperform an AI-generated image that looks "too perfect" or fake, as visitors are naturally wired to spot authenticity. The Bottom Line: While showing your face is a major conversion booster, remember it works best as part of a solid foundation that includes persuasive copy, 5-star reviews, and a clear call to action.   Brought to you by the team at The Lead Engine who specialise in generating mortgage leads.

    10 min
  5. Jun 1

    Do Rates Tables Get More Mortgage Leads?

    The Problem with Too Much Choice Decision Paralysis: More choice makes it harder for people to make a decision, even though they may feel helped by having options. The Jam Study: An experiment showed that while 24 flavours of jam drew more viewers, only 3% bought. When only six flavours were offered, 30% bought jam (10 times the sales). Simplicity outweighs options when the goal is to influence a decision. The Mortgage Experiment Results The experiment compared a website with a mortgage rates table (offering many choices) against a simple web form (offering one choice: get mortgage advice). The rates table cut lead volume by 100%, meaning no calls or callback requests were generated. Presenting a selection of mortgages causes confusion for clients who are actually seeking expert advice. What Mortgage Brokers Should Do Instead The website should function as a tool to persuade people to book an appointment with an adviser, not to sell the mortgage itself. Offer a Single Choice: The only option presented on the website should be to get advice. Make the Form Prominent: Do not hide the form behind a button. The form should be at the top of every page, as many visitors are returning, and a prominent form leads to more conversions. Build a Strong Foundation: Removing the rates table is a major part of the solution, but it is not a "silver bullet" on its own. Successful pages in the test included a variety of elements alongside the form: Recent Five-Star Reviews: Google and Trustpilot reviews are crucial assets, as they are sources people know and trust. Persuasive Copywriting. Niche Content: Tailoring content to a specific mortgage scenario (e.g., first-time buyers with a self-employed partner) helps address the client's exact problem and increases their likelihood of reaching out. Brought to you by the team at The Lead Engine who specialise in generating mortgage leads.

    13 min
  6. Mar 10

    Convert More Mortgage Leads - David Thomson - Suada

    Handling Leads and "Flash to Bang" Time: Learn why contacting a lead instantly is "massively important" to prevent competition. David explains how to open the call with high energy, demonstrating that you are an expert and are "cool, social, relevant, interesting and intriguing".1 The Science of Sales: Understand how to utilise principles of influence, such as reciprocity, framing, negotiation, and future pacing, so clients say yes to your requests at a higher case value.1 Protection Conversation: David shares his highly effective technique for introducing protection early by asking, "If you lent me £250,000 and I died, would you want your money back?". He stresses the need to always present a client with three choices: a good, a better, and a best option.1 The Open Loop Referral System: Discover how to get more recommendations than you can "ever dream of" by neutralizing reciprocity. The system involves telling a client, "Don't thank me now, Alex," and setting up an "open loop" for them to repay the favor later by providing referrals.1 Recruiting and Training: David explains that he looks for four key traits in advisors—energy, an edge, the ability to execute, and a winner’s attitude. He details how systemised training, using models he learned as a top financial advisor, can get an advisor banking £12,000–£15,000 a month within two to four months.1 If you're ready to build a strong, systemised business that can scale and sell, this is essential listening. Brought to you by the team at The Lead Engine who specialise in generating mortgage leads.

    43 min
  7. Feb 11

    Book More Mortgage Appointments - Mortgage Lead Management & Protection Sales Processes With Terry Blackburn From The Wealthy Adviser Club

    Your phone just pinged with a new lead—now what? Stop losing potential revenue by waiting. This episode with Terry Blackburn reveals the critical, almost instantaneous action you must take to increase your conversion rate by up to 80%. You will learn the secrets of a repeatable phone process, including how to master six different tonality types to immediately influence the conversation and why speed to the appointment is as crucial as speed to the call. Discover the single closing technique that eliminates objections, ensuring clients book the fact-find immediately. Finally, find out why leaving a descriptive voicemail is one of the biggest mistakes you can make, and the simple, counter-intuitive calling strategy that guarantees a return call because, as Terry asserts, a lead is never truly dead until one specific condition is met. Terry Blackburn is the founder of The Wealthy Advisor Club, a community and group coaching platform for brokers that has grown to over 692 members in just over eight months. After selling his firm, bespoke, Terry started the club to coach and help more brokers. The club offers three training sessions a week, typically covering lead generation, sales training, and other industry-related topics like mindset, habits, or building a property portfolio. Terry shared testimonials of clients who have seen significant results after implementing his processes: Two businesses doubled their revenue within three months, adding hundreds of thousands of pounds to their turnover. One advisor increased his biggest ever written commission month from £40,000 to over £100,000 as part of the Sesame Network. The ROI for the paid version of the club ($97 a month) is described as overwhelmingly high. The Wealthy Advisor Club can be found by searching on Google, LinkedIn, Insta, or Facebook, and is hosted on the SKOOL platform. A free version is available, which provides one training session a week. Brought to you by the team at The Lead Engine who specialise in generating mortgage leads.

    39 min
5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

How to generate leads and market your financial services business. Alex Curtis from The Lead Engine interviews industry experts and marketing professionals to discuss how you can get more leads that create more business.

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