Sharon Mawby

On March 28^th we held our Annual Conference at Twickenham Stadium, and it did not disappoint! From the buzzing Exhibition Hall to Martin Bayfield’s anecdotes, it wasn’t a Conference to forget. Our Head of Sales and Marketing, Sharon Mawby, gives you a run down of what happened and shares some photos from the day!

We had such a fantastic day at our Annual Conference and I’m so pleased with how it went. Twickenham was the perfect venue and right from kick off there was a buzz of excitement with a record breaking 256 advisers attending.

The Exhibition Hall was packed with lenders and providers engaging with brokers and early feedback from our brokers has suggested the 1-2-1 meetings were incredibly worthwhile as well as the masterclass streams.

This year we decided to bring back the panel debate which was one of the highlights of the day for me. It was great to see brokers getting the chance to direct some of their questions to industry experts on some of the current hot topics.

And what about the keynote speech from Martin Bayfield? He was great, and everyone found his stories incredibly funny!

Ultimately, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everybody who attended or helped make our Conference so special. A huge thank you to our advisers, lenders and providers, and the Mortgage Intelligence team for making it one to remember!

Take a look through the picture gallery below and see if you can spot yourself!

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To become a member of our award-winning network or club contact us today on 0345 130 7446.

This year sees the return of our MI Workshops and last month we hosted our first event of 2019 – our Buy-to-Let workshop in Gatwick. Here, Head of Sales and Marketing, Sharon Mawby, gives us a run down of how it went and shares a few pictures from the day.

I was very much looking forward to the return of our workshop events. They give our brokers a detailed look at more specific topics as opposed to the mortgage and protection industry as a whole. We had a great day at Gatwick and our advisers engaged in some valuable discussions with the lenders who attended.

We had some of the UK’s biggest Buy-to-Let lenders with us. Kent Reliance, Vida Homeloans, Together, Pepper Money, and Fleet Mortgages.

I’m so pleased to say that the workshop received great feedback – 95.5% of our broker’s who attended the event were either satisfied or very satisfied with all of the masterclasses from the lenders as well as the event management.

Our team worked hard to make this as enjoyable as possible so I’m glad to see our advisers found it beneficial! Next up we have our flagship event, our Annual Conference in Twickenham Stadium, which by the way is shaping up to the biggest and best yet!

Anyway, here’s some pictures from the Buy-to-Let workshop… Enjoy!

To become a member of our award-winning network or club contact us today on 0345 130 7446.

Sharon Mawby, Head of Sales and Marketing:

“Wow. What a few days we had! Our MI Live roadshows in Wakefield, Watford and Bristol were some of the best ones yet. Again they were packed with insightful guest speaker presentations and round table discussions. But it’s you lot, members of our Network and Club, that make these events so worthwhile, so on behalf of Mortgage Intelligence I’d like to say a huge thank you to those who attended and we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did. Hopefully we’ll see you at Conference!”

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From webinars to our annual conference, here at MI we have a wide range of Business Development Events on offer for members of our network and club. It’s one of the areas that has seen huge growth within the company and an area that constantly receives fantastic feedback. Our head of Sales and Marketing, Sharon Mawby, gives you a run through of exactly what it is we do.

Conference

Get ready for our biggest conference yet! With plans underway 2019’s conference promises more exhibitors, live panel discussions, seminar streams and keynote speakers. Last year we were at the amazing Ascot for such an outstanding event. But this March we want to go bigger and better, so keep your eyes peeled for the latest clues, updates and info on our twitter and Linked In.

MI Live

Mortgage Intelligence hits the road twice a year with a series of informative half-day workshops. Each venue has a number of round table discussions with lenders and providers as well as guest speakers from industry experts. We received fantastic feedback from those who attended MI Live in June with comments like:

“Flawless as usual”, “Interesting, informative and intelligent”, “Adds value to my company”, “Perfect event as always”, “Excellent presentations in a relaxed, informal atmosphere”.

Our next set of MI Live roadshows are at the beginning of October where we will be heading to Wakefield, Watford and Bristol and you can get involved on twitter with #MILive18 and register on Broker Zone.

MI Online

If you want to experience our events but have a busy schedule then we cater for you too. MI Online is a series of interactive webinars and virtual events with some of our leading lenders, providers and selected business partners which offer you year round training and development without even having to leave your office.

In 2019 we aim to keep on growing our list of events and make our current ones even better – so stay tuned!

For more information on our Business Development Events or details on how to become a member of our fantastic mortgage network or club, call 0345 130 7446.

We love shouting about all the fantastic marketing services we offer advisers. This is one of the areas that has seen some of the biggest expansions and developments recently, and our advisers are grabbing the opportunity to build their business, advertise their brand, and stay in contact with their clients!

Promotional Materials

We offer both appointed representatives of Mortgage Intelligence and directly authorised advisers of Next Intelligence free and modern marketing designs to help promote and advertise their business.

All of our compliant marketing designs can be branded with your company logo and contact details free of charge!* We offer a full range of posters and datasheets in a variety of sizes from A2 to A5. Alternatively, we offer digital versions for use on a variety of social media platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter in order to maximise your reach.

*Printing costs are not covered, but a quote from our recommended printers can be provided

Consumer Newsletter**

One of our flagship marketing services is the free consumer newsletter. We send out a compliant newsletter featuring three articles every month to your clients that have agreed to receive marketing from you. Staying in touch with your client database post-appointment is imperative and a great way to engage with existing clients.

**Available for appointed representatives of Mortgage Intelligence only

Content Marketing

We provide a whole range of free compliant content that can be used for blogs, emails and for sharing on social media. Our stories cover a variety of subjects that you provide advice on, including mortgages, industry changes, and protection.

Letter Templates

Most recently we have introduced our easy to use letter and email templates for you to send to clients at the right time. It’s important to stay in touch with clients, and our range of letters will ensure you can keep up to date with your client’s current circumstances.

Websites

Create the perfect website to represent you and your company through an approved partner, specialised intermediary Websites and Website Plug-ins. Choosing from mortgage calculators, plug-ins, Best Buy tables and consumer mortgage sourcing, they’ll take you through the process from start to finish or help you to simply enhance your current site and transform your online marketing strategy.

Social media support

Social media has revolutionised the way we do business. Each platform can help reach new customers, engage with existing clients, increase traffic to your website, and best of all, has no direct costs to worry about. As well as the digital marketing designs we offer, we also have social media guidelines to help ensure you post and engage with clients compliantly.

Event Support

As an expert in your industry, we think it’s a great idea to host a mortgage and protection clinic in your area. Our events support include a Quick Start Guide, an Introductory Letter, a Pack Template to help promote your event, and a template to thank attendees. Plus recommended supplier links for print and design.

For more information on our marketing material and details on how to become a member of our fantastic mortgage network or club, call 0345 130 7446.

Head of Sales and Marketing Sharon Mawby rounds up another fantastic year of award-winning support and services for appointed representatives

What a year 2017 was! We have made plenty of great changes and expanded our services across all our departments. We have put a big focus on making things simple and useful, and adviser satisfaction and success has been our reward. We listen to the feedback of appointed representatives and respond to their needs, which means we always deliver the most useful and relevant services.

So what have we been doing for appointed representatives in 2017?

The Sales Team

The phones on the desk are always ringing with advisers looking for guidance and time-saving support. The Broker Support Team keep up to date on criteria, to help answer complicated questions regarding industry changes.

With many big industry moves and lenders added to panel in 2017, our experts on the desk have been receiving lender training all year round, and sit with lender representatives to work through criteria and USPs.

The Protection Helpdesk has been a big part of the protection success for advisers in 2017. Many appointed representatives find the time-saving initiatives provided by the desk simply invaluable. They call the underwriters to find the most accurate indication of terms, to save appointed representatives crucial time to spend with their clients.

Relationship Development Consultant Nicole Smith has been on hand to work with appointed representatives on building business and dealing with issues. Nicole troubleshoots problems, points advisers towards suitable services and supports recruitment and business development.

The Marketing Team

We launched a new suite of promotional materials at the start of 2017, and so many appointed representatives have embraced the new range. We have worked on bringing modern and relevant marketing options to advisers, such as posters and sales aids to use with clients. It’s so satisfying to see our new designs used everywhere from office windows to social media pages.

Plenty of appointed representatives have also been taking advantage of the fantastic free client newsletter service, which sends out three relevant stories directly to clients once a month. This now goes out to over 20,000 clients and appointed representatives often receive leads as a result.

Our free adviser magazine Insight has also been developed in 2017, to bring even more stories, interviews and adviser tips. After listening to appointed representative feedback, we also now offer the magazine as a digital download.

Commissions Team

The Commissions Team have been developing automation and processes to help deliver faster payments, whilst maintaining the highest level of accuracy. We know how important cash flow is for appointed representatives, and our express payment service is an essential part of that. We therefore ensure the entire team is well trained in processing all the different types of payments.

Working closely with the IT Team, the Commissions Team have transformed the way that statements are processed, to ensure an even more water-tight system. The Commissions Team never stop looking for innovative ways to ensure appointed representatives get their fees quickly, without deviating from our very high service standards.

Product Development Team

One of the busiest departments in 2017, the Product Development Team have been adding even more lenders and providers to panel. This includes mainstream and specialist lenders, to give appointed representatives plenty of options with which to help clients. The team has also developed a number of exclusives designed for the needs of appointed representatives and their clients.

With so many new additions to panel and industry changes, we knew how important this year’s events were going to be. That’s why the team have delivered plenty of webinars and workshops, as well as a brand new Specialist Lending Event, to ensure engaging and insightful support for appointed representatives.

After listening to appointed representative feedback and analysing the market, the protection panel proposition has also been refreshed. This includes the development and expansion of two new panels, and the implementation of protection portal software SolutionBuilder.

The IT Team

Working behind the scenes to bring the best technological solutions to appointed representatives, the IT Team have been developing several in-house systems and integrated a range of new software. The Team also work to help appointed representatives in their day to day business, by developing the adviser website Broker Zone, helping it run smoothly and work for appointed representatives at all times.

SolutionBuilder has also been developed to support client protection conversations. This new addition means that appointed representatives now have the ability to research, quote and compare protection needs. This has now been integrated with our point of sale system, and supports single and multi-benefited products.

The Business Assurance Team and Authorisations

The Business Assurance Team have continued to focus on case quality in 2017, by educating appointed representatives on systems and processes. Many appointed representatives were invited in to visit the office in 2017 and spend time with the team, to give them the opportunity to see a case being assessed from our perspective.

To continue to support case quality in 2017, the Business Assurance Team have launched a useful catalogue of videos, which show appointed representatives exactly what a case checker reviews on each section of an assessment.

The Business Assurance Team and Managers have been working closely to ensure a consistent message is delivered to appointed representatives. The Business Assurance Team are there to both protect and support advisers, and the team regularly consult with advisers on presenting cases and documentation requirements.

Authorisations has been moved back in-house, allowing more control on timescales and developing relationships with new appointed representatives coming on board. This has enabled them to work on the smooth transition from application to authorised adviser, and be the first port of call for appointed representatives when they join the Network.

The Compliance Team

The Compliance Team have been providing more than just telephone-based support for appointed representatives. They also write policies, processes and create material to promote positive consumer outcomes to further protect appointed representatives. The team also produce and control risk logs, implement FCA rule changes and deal with consumer complaints.

The team’s regular bulletins are a really important way to get messages through to advisers, as well as the Compliance Resources page on Broker Zone, which is always being updated to support appointed representatives on a daily basis. With many industry changes and new rules in 2017, the team have ensured they are getting the messages out to appointed representatives and keeping them updated.

Join our award-winning Mortgage Network as an appointed representative, or become a member of our Mortgage Club, to start benefiting from our fantastic range of comprehensive services and support. Call the Broker Support Team on 0845 130 7446 (opt 1) to find out more.

Head of Sales and Marketing Sharon Mawby discusses all the benefits that Appointed Representatives of Mortgage Intelligence receive as a part of the network.

Marketing

Consumer newsletter

The consumer newsletter is a completely free email marketing service for Appointed Representative advisers. The newsletter features three mortgage and protection articles which we send out once a month to your clients on your behalf. They are branded to reflect your company and include contact details as well as links to your website and social media channels. Advisers find them excellent touchpoints for clients and have received leads directly from the communications.

Promotional materials

The new range of contemporary promotional materials are available to all our Appointed Representatives. The range includes posters, datasheets and digital advertising material – everything you need to help you engage your customers. They can be customised to include your company logo and contact details. All of the promotional materials are free to order, you just have to cover the cost if you want to print them!

Content marketing

A range of compliant and relevant articles are available for all Appointed Representatives to download free of charge on our broker website, Broker Zone. They are great to use as blogs on your website and can be shared via social media and email.

Training and development

Mortgage Intelligence Events

Mortgage Intelligence Online is where you can sign up to upcoming webinars and catch up on webinars you may have missed. The virtual events offer training and development to gain CPD hours without the need to leave your office.

We also host a range of events which you can attend throughout the year including workshops and an annual conference. Our informative events are attended by leading lenders, providers and selected business partners.

Monthly magazine

All our Appointed Representatives receive an issue of our monthly magazine, Insight. The magazine includes a variety of product and criteria news from lenders and providers, industry articles to keep you posted on the market as well as all the latest network updates.

Protection support

Our National Account Manager for Protection is in place to support Appointed Representatives with internal, on-site protection training to give you the skills and knowledge to boost your protection sales.

Business Assurance Manager

As an Appointed Representative you will also receive a dedicated Business Assurance Manager (BAM). Your BAM will be a great point of contact for support and will monitor the quality of your business to ensure you are giving the best advice possible. This should help you retain and gain new business.

Broker Support Team

Broker Support Desk

The Broker Support Desk can help you with hard to place mortgage enquiries. They have knowledge of criteria from all of the 50+ lenders that are on panel. The team regularly receive specialist training to ensure you are getting the best support possible.

Protection Help Desk

The Protection Help Desk can call around your panel to give you an indication of any premium loadings that may be applied. This helps you get the best deal for your clients and saves you the time of calling around providers.

Relationship Development Consultant

Appointed Representatives are also supported by a Relationship Development Consultant (RDC). Your dedicated RDC is there to ensure that as one of our Appointed Representatives you are aware of the benefits available to you. They are also the first point of contact if you have any lender or provider issues that require assistance.

If you want to enjoy all the services that we offer our Appointed Representatives, then call our Broker Support Team on 0345 130 7446 (option 1) to find out more!

Head of Sales and Marketing Sharon Mawby caught up with appointed representative Protection Matters, as they round up their first year as a trustworthy protection business referral service for busy brokers.

It has been a full year since Protection Matters were introduced as a referral service for advisers. Since then, Adam Perry and the team at Protection Matters have built partnerships with several adviser firms with the help of National Account Manager for Protection Craig Bryce. This has helped protect clients and provides an efficient and rewarding protection referral process for busy advisers.

This seemed the ideal time to catch up with Adam, look back at the last 12 months, and see how they have helped advisers through strong business partnerships with the client at the centre.

Just in case advisers missed it the first time, can you quickly explain how you can help them with their protection sales?

“It’s important to remember we are not a sales team, we are not trying to sell advisers anything. We only want to support them should they need a little help covering their client’s protection needs.

“All advisers naturally feel some reluctance when thinking about referring protection business. But once they meet with us we always find those objections and hesitations go away once they realise how easy, efficient, supportive and rewarding the partnership can be for them.

“In terms of the process, once terms have been agreed and sent back, we arrange a meeting as soon as possible to iron out any details and go over any issues they may have. We are very flexible and always make sure the process is smooth for them, by tailoring it to suit their business.

“We always have regular reviews to ensure we are continuing to help wherever possible. We work closely with National Account Manager for Protection Craig Bryce, as he helps answer any initial queries and acts as a recognisable buffer for any concerns.”

How do you work through these concerns with advisers?

“When considering whether to refer protection, advisers often ask: Will it damage my client relationship? Will the standard of advice be high enough? Will I lose income? It is so pleasing to see initial concerns fade away as soon as they see the standard of advice and how effective and rewarding the referral service is.

“After we have set things up they quickly see how well we look after their client and the return of income they get through by simply referring business. Some advisers have actually found that they have increased their income, in some cases more than they could have done on their own.

“For some advisers it is about more than not having time to write protection. It’s also about having the confidence to write it every day and with every client. Knowing they can refer their clients to us means they feel confident enough to bring it up early on in the client conversation. They can introduce the subject with the client straight away as they know they can hand it over to us.”

Do you have an example of how you have built partnerships with advisers?

“One of the advisers we have worked very closely with is Appointed Representative Kevin Hannan of Right Advice Mortgage Consultancy. After similar initial concerns, Kevin is now completely on board with the protection referral service and has been a model business partner in terms of making the process as smooth as possible.

“Because Kevin prepares his clients early for the referral process, they are already waiting for our call when we contact them. The client is always enthusiastic about their cover, as Kevin has already talked about the importance of protection early on in his own process. He is finding his income from referring is more than worth the time it takes to arrange a good system of referral with us.

“Kevin is just one example. We are currently working with over twice the number of advisers since we last appeared in Insight in April, which shows how much our service has grown in just the last few months.

“We now have a few “regulars” who have now fully integrated the referral process into their own client meetings. We often find the process becomes continuously quicker and smoother as we refine it, which means less time spent on referring as we go!”

How have you worked with National Account Manager for Protection Craig Bryce over the last year?

“Craig has really helped us develop a much more proactive approach, to ensure that the partnership continues after the first few referrals. Craig brings it up whenever he is with advisers and helps organise regular reviews. He also points out any dips in protection sales that we can help with.

“After all, advisers are working with us predominately because they are very busy, which puts the onus on us to ensure the process works as efficiently as possible to reduce the amount of resource they spend on it.

“Craig also encourages protection reviews with clients at key points such as remortgage discussions. By pointing out that this is the ideal time to also review protection needs with the client, he highlights our referral system as an option for advisers that may not be able to find the time.”

Join our award-winning Mortgage Network as an appointed representative, or become a member of our Mortgage Club, to start benefiting from our fantastic range of comprehensive services and support. Call the Broker Support Team on 0845 130 7446 (opt 1) to find out more.

We have created a range of promotional materials that all Mortgage Intelligence appointed representative and directly authorised advisers can order free of charge. They can be customised to include the firm’s company logo and contact details. The range includes posters, datasheets and digital materials; everything that is needed to engage customers.

See how our advisers have been using the promotional materials!

Posters and Datasheets

One of advisers has been making great use of the posters and datasheets to brighten up their office and window!

Digital Materials

Lots of our advisers have been busy sharing their new digital materials on social media.

The digital materials look great when scrolling through LinkedIn on a mobile.

If you are a member they are available for you to order!

How to order:

• Visit Broker Zone – https://brokerzone.experiencemi.co.uk/services/marketingsupport/promotionalmaterials/
• Browse all the materials available
• Fill in the form at the bottom of the page with your order
• The Marketing team will then be in contact to send you your promotional materials
• Please be aware we don’t cover printing costs

Any questions?

Call marketing on 0845 130 7446 (option 7) for further marketing support.

If you would like to know more about how to join our award-winning Mortgage Network as an appointed representative or becoming a member of our Mortgage Club, call our Broker Support Team on 0845 130 7446, option 1.

Head of Sales and Marketing Sharon Mawby spoke to Content Marketing Executive Ross Shapland, who is officially the biggest nerd at Mortgage Intelligence … and that includes the IT department!

Ross has been with Mortgage Intelligence for nearly 5 years and worked on the Commissions Team before fulfilling his passion for content writing by joining the Marketing Team. Ross also has 5 years of previous experience within the financial industry and a degree in English Literature from the University of Southampton.

Tell us more about your role as Content Marketing Executive at Mortgage Intelligence…

“My role mainly involves coordinating our monthly publication, Insight. I also spend a lot of time researching and writing content for Insight and the consumer newsletters, which is a free marketing service we offer Appointed Representatives of Mortgage Intelligence.”

What do you enjoy most about your role?

“As I write the magazine articles along with the consumer facing articles, I enjoy the challenge of adopting different writing styles and techniques depending on the content I need to produce.”

At MI we love to celebrate the success of employees, what has been your biggest achievement at the company so far?

“I am very proud of how far Insight has come since I started working on it in 2015. It has had a complete overhaul since I moved to the marketing team. The design is now much cleaner and in line with our brand and there are more editorials and useful content to help advisers stay up to date on what is going on in the industry.”

What other beneficial marketing support does Mortgage Intelligence offer advisers?

“The Marketing Team has recently redesigned all the promotional materials content available for advisers to order, including posters, datasheets and digital materials. They are great because advisers can have them personalised with their details and company logo.”

Here at the MI head office you are well known as a film enthusiast, what is your all-time favourite film?

“It has to be There Will Be Blood! I have a lot of favourites but it’s the only non-sci-fi film to make my list. For what is essentially a historical drama, I find it genuinely enthralling.”

You are also known for some of your quirky hobbies…

“Ahh yes, I assume you are talking about my design hobbies! I have recently taken to creating my own personalised Monopoly boards and trump cards.”

And finally, as always we have to talk about food! Where is your favourite place to grab lunch in town?

“Five Guys at the moment. The crispy bacon topping on their burgers is absolutely phenomenal!”

If you would like to know more about how to join our award-winning Mortgage Network as an appointed representative or becoming a member of our Mortgage Club, call our Broker Support Team on 0845 130 7446, option 1.