First Foundation's aggressive social media strategy is paying off. In a market that has been declining steadily across the country, the Edmonton-based mortgage broker has grown 40 per cent since 2007
Gordon McCallum is the president of First Foundation Inc., a company that helps home buyers in Alberta find the best mortgages available. (Jason Franson/The Globe and Mail)
His main responsibilities include business development, operational management, and broker duties, but in the past five years, the mortgage broker has also contributed to the company's rapid growth by adopting an innovative approach to marketing online. (Jason Franson/The Globe and Mail)
In Marjo Johne's article 'All that blogging, tweeting can pay off,' he explains how his team has honed their skills at blogging, tweeting and posting comments about range of topics. Recently they tweeted about the Rolling Stones, hacking Ikea furniture and eco-friendly home renovations. (Jason Franson/The Globe and Mail)
"We now have over 700 pages of blog content written by me, my staff and sometimes by guest bloggers who are subject matter experts," Mr. McCallum told Ms. Johne (Jason Franson/The Globe and Mail)
Their twitter account, @FirstFoundation has more than 8,000 followers. (Jason Franson/The Globe and Mail)
Growth in the mortgage broker market, which has been steadily declining nationally, is no small feat. "We've been able to go against the trend," he tells Ms. Johne. "And part of our success is due to our business model and our digital strategy." (Jason Franson/The Globe and Mail)
It takes a lot of money to sustain the social media marketing campaign. Mr. McCallum says costs can run from $100,000 to $150,000 a year. (Jason Franson/The Globe and Mail)
But the strategy is paying off, he says. Not only has First Foundation’s business grown by about 40 per cent since 2007, but its staff has doubled to 14 employees. (Jason Franson/The Globe and Mail)
For many small businesses, who are strapped for finances and human resources, a social media plan can be overwhelming. But it's not impossible. Here are some tips from the experts: (Jason Franson/The Globe and Mail)
Have an editorial plan, including a calendar of topics for the year ahead and don't bite off more than you can chew: focus on one or two channels - like Twitter and LinkedIn, for example - and grow from there. (Jason Franson/The Globe and Mail)
Have a social media policy with some rules and guidelines and don't forget to measure your campaigns effectiveness using Google Analytics or other tools (Jason Franson/The Globe and Mail)
Take a diverse approach to your topic and think beyond the company. Discuss topics your customers care about. (Jason Franson/The Globe and Mail)
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