Digital Durables - HECMWorld.com Skip to content
Advertisement

Digital Durables

Advertisement

Part Two: A Picture is Worth… 

The topic is as old as the hills, but the platform is relatively new: time management in the digital landscape. In response to Digital Durables, in which we explored multitasking webinar participants, one astute reader wrote,

“The problem is not just that of attendees. Many moderators and speakers are just as badly distracted. On several occasions in recent years I have heard a speaker on a panel react to a question as if he/she had just awoken from deep sleep in outer space. Jet lag, a late night client outing, an emergency back home, last minute client demands, alarming emails, hunger; any number of things can disrupt us.

“Digital is both a blessing and a curse. I knew a bookkeeper who, for more than half a decade, rejected the idea that handwritten journals and ledgers would become obsolete. Many seniors are caught up in this same mindset when it comes to digital.

“The trouble with digital is the general lack of control in its use. We have a long way to go before we master our time using digital.”

Well put. While travel can indeed be enervating, HECM professionals have a responsibility to give their best to an audience that may also have traveled, as well as paid a fee, to learn the information you have to share. Using digital communication requires the same kind of focus and organization that business leaders need to master for traditional communication.

reverse mortgage news

Let’s Get Visual

For starters, get visual. Though the Internet appears to be a world of words, 90 percent of the information transmitted to our brains is visual — and we process images 60,000 times faster than text. More than ever before, we live in the age of images, where every action can be instantly captured by phone and sent across the web in moments.

While PowerPoint slides are certainly preferable to no images at all, consider how you might incorporate video into your presentations. Nearly half (40%) of people respond better to visual information than plain text. And when it comes to your website, images means business: 60 percent of consumers are more likely to click on a business whose image appears in search results.

Spring and Fall Ahead

In terms of live seminars, recent research turns the daylight savings ditty about spring ahead/fall back on its ear: March, April, September and October are the ideal months to host a seminar. December, not surprisingly, is the worst choice, followed by August and July.

If you’re planning to host an educational event for prospective reverse mortgage referral resources, such as financial planners, it’s wise to snail mail or email invitations approximately four weeks in advance. Send a reminder e-blast a few days before the event, and a second reminder a few hours before. (Most online conference services will automate this process for you, and you can utilize them just as easily for a live event, substituting a physical address for a call-in number or web page). Give registrants the option to email, call a toll-free number, or utilize online event registration, and provide an overview of the subject matter you’ll cover.

Boosting Attendance

Once someone shows interest in your event (but has not yet registered), telemarketing can increase registration by five percent, say researchers. Seminar experts recommend making three call attempts, one to three weeks prior to the event, and leaving a voice message on the first and third attempts.

Unfortunately, only 40 to 50 percent of those who say they will attend a free seminar actually go. Email confirmations can greatly increase the attendance rate at the event. But even better is to give the registrant a call 48 hours before the event. Just as with reverse mortgage prospects, the personal touch has a positive impact.

If you record the live event, you can post it on your website afterwards, and send out an email informing your contact list that it’s available, either at no cost or for a nominal fee.

 

Looking for more reverse mortgage news, commentary and technology? Visit ReverseFocus.com today.

Share:

Leave a Comment

No comment yet, add your voice below!


Add a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement
Advertisement

Recent Stories

Topics

Subscribe to join our World

Get the latest reverse mortgage news delivered straight to your inbox.