Text messages have a 98% open rate and a 45% response rate. Email? About 20% and 2%. The gap is enormous. Yet most loan officers barely use SMS beyond the occasional "Hey, did you get my email?" follow-up.
SMS marketing is the fastest way to connect with mortgage leads, re-engage cold prospects, and stay top of mind with past clients. But there are rules. You can't just blast texts to everyone in your phone. Let's cover the strategy, the compliance requirements, and the exact HighLevel workflows you need to do this right.
Three reasons text marketing is particularly effective for loan officers:
Speed to lead. When a new lead submits a form at 9 PM on a Tuesday, they're not going to answer your phone call. But they'll read a text within 3 minutes. An automated text that says "Hey [Name], thanks for reaching out about your mortgage options. I'm [Your Name], and I'd love to help. When's a good time for a quick call?" starts the conversation immediately.
Personal feel. Email feels like marketing. A text feels like a person reaching out. That perception matters in an industry built on trust and relationships.
Cutting through noise. Your leads get 100+ emails per day. They get maybe 10-20 texts. Your message actually gets seen.
Before you send a single text, understand the rules. Violating SMS regulations can result in fines of $500-$1,500 per message. That adds up fast.
1. Get explicit consent. You must have written permission to text someone for marketing purposes. A form submission with SMS consent language counts. A business card someone handed you at a conference does not.
2. Identify yourself. Every marketing text must include your business name.
3. Provide opt-out. Include "Reply STOP to unsubscribe" in your first message and honor it immediately.
4. Register your number. Use A2P 10DLC registration through HighLevel's phone system. Unregistered numbers get filtered by carriers.
HighLevel handles most of the technical compliance for you. The platform supports A2P registration, opt-out management, and consent tracking. But you're still responsible for making sure your forms include proper consent language and your messages follow the rules.
This is the single most impactful SMS automation you can build. When a new lead enters your system (from any source), send an automated text within 60 seconds.
Template: "Hi [First Name], this is [Your Name] with [Company]. Thanks for reaching out about your mortgage options! I'd love to learn more about what you're looking for. Is now a good time, or would tomorrow work better?"
This simple automation can double your contact rate. Most LOs wait hours or days to follow up. You're there in under a minute.
No-shows kill your productivity. Set up automated reminders at 24 hours and 1 hour before scheduled calls or meetings.
Template (24h): "Hey [First Name], just a reminder that we have a call scheduled tomorrow at [Time]. Looking forward to chatting! If you need to reschedule, just reply here."
Template (1h): "Hi [First Name], our call is in about an hour at [Time]. I'll be calling from [Your Number]. Talk soon!"
For leads who went cold after initial contact, a simple text 30-60 days later can revive the conversation.
Template: "Hey [First Name], it's [Your Name]. We chatted a while back about your home purchase plans. Are you still thinking about buying, or has anything changed? Happy to help whenever you're ready."
Keep it casual. No pressure. You'd be surprised how many leads respond to a message like this with "Actually, yes, I'm ready now."
Text your active borrowers at key milestones instead of (or in addition to) email. Texts feel more personal and get read immediately.
Seven days after closing, send a text asking for a Google review. Text requests convert at 3-4x the rate of email requests.
Template: "Hey [First Name], congrats again on the new home! 🏠 If you had a good experience working with me, I'd really appreciate a quick Google review. It helps other homebuyers find me. Here's the link: [Review Link]. Thanks!"
Send quarterly check-in texts to your past client database. These aren't marketing blasts. They're personal touches.
Templates:
| Campaign | Trigger | Timing | Goal | Expected Response Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speed-to-Lead | New lead created | Within 60 seconds | Start conversation | 30-45% |
| Appointment Reminder | Calendar event | 24h + 1h before | Reduce no-shows | 50-60% |
| Re-Engagement | No activity for 30-60 days | One-time | Revive cold leads | 10-20% |
| Milestone Updates | Pipeline stage change | Immediate | Client experience | 60-70% |
| Review Request | Loan closed | 7 days post-close | Generate reviews | 25-35% |
| Database Nurture | Quarterly schedule | Every 90 days | Stay top of mind | 15-25% |
Here's the technical setup in HighLevel:
"The best SMS strategy is automation that starts the conversation and a human who finishes it. Leads don't care if the first text was automated. They care that a real person shows up when they reply."
You don't need all six campaigns running on day one. Start with the speed-to-lead auto-response. That single workflow will have more impact on your conversion rate than anything else you build this month.
Once that's running and you're comfortable managing the conversation flow, add appointment reminders. Then post-close review requests. Build out from there.
SMS marketing for loan officers is powerful because it's personal, fast, and direct. Treat it that way. Don't turn it into another broadcast channel. Use it to start real conversations with real people, and let your expertise do the rest.
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