The complete broker's planning kit for 2025

Added 16/01/25 - 6 min read

As we enter the new year, brokers are faced with an array of emerging trends, economic shifts and the ongoing evolution of client expectations. This year offers unique opportunities for brokers to refine their strategies, harness powerful tools and position themselves as industry leaders.

This guide goes beyond the typical calendar dates and tools. We delve into the actionable insights, market trends and innovative strategies that brokers can leverage to make 2025 a standout year.

1. the power of market intelligence

The more your annual planning is backed by marketing intelligence, the better. Each year brings unique challenges and opportunities and so your strategy as a brokerage should be a direct response to this.

In addition to the current market condition, think of the wider trends outside of your market which also come into play. Anything from the mass adoption of artificial intelligence to the growing focus on employee wellbeing could be weaved into your 2025 roadmap.

Staying ahead begins with a firm grasp of the market landscape.

Economic Insights for 2025: Understand how factors like interest rate adjustments, housing supply trends, and inflation forecasts may affect your clients. Use these insights to proactively advise clients and position yourself as a trusted expert.
Opportunities & Threats: Conduct a SWOT analysis to identify niches like remortgaging opportunities or larger loans. Address challenges such as affordability pressures with tailored client strategies.
Demographic Trends: Cater to rising demand from groups like first-time buyers or self-employed borrowers by creating specific resources and marketing campaigns for these segments.

Market intelligence is something that comes with the territory of being a broker. You’ll be continually picking up new information via podcasts, conversations with other brokerage professionals and your day-to-day experience. But it is worth intentionally gathering the knowledge you have of the current market and documenting this to begin to understand how this relates back to your business strategy.

2. embrace ai and crm for operational excellence

Technology is no longer optional—it’s your competitive advantage. This is something that’s been seen across multiple sectors this year and going into 2025, it’s going to be an even bigger focus.

Brokers have a relationship-based business where somewhat impersonal tools such as AI and CRM systems might seem out of place, however, when used wisely, these tools can increase broker efficiency and supplement the client’s journey without taking away the human element of broker client relationships.

AI for Brokers: Tools like ChatGPT can draft personalised client communications, market analysis, and content, saving you hours while enhancing your output quality.
CRM Mastery: Platforms like HubSpot or Salesforce streamline client management, automate follow-ups, and provide actionable insights into your pipeline. Use these tools to tailor services and exceed client expectations.
Process Automation: Leverage automated compliance tracking, appointment scheduling, and data entry to reduce manual work and focus on client relationships.

Discover how AI is reshaping the mortgage industry in our Broker’s Guide to AI. If the emergence of AI is overwhelming, we recommend starting small by experimenting with the various tools and their outcomes. The more you test AI and give it personalised information, the stronger the results.

A great starting point for brokers in 2025 could be to draft some opening communications for clients using AI. Explore the various forms of AI featured in our guide and see how it can streamline your processes and add inevitable value to your brokerage.

3. Strategies to dominate in 2025

This year, success will hinge on focusing your efforts where they’ll have the most impact. Some of these strategies aren’t brand new but will see more of a spotlight, particularly for brokers looking for significant growth. In 2025 consider focussing on trying something new to boost growth.

Become Locally Famous: Build your reputation within your community. Host workshops, engage in local PR and maintain a strong presence on social media to become the go-to broker in your area. Learn more in our podcast on building your own brand, locally.
Offer Value-Added Services: Provide clients with budgeting templates, educational guides, or post-completion check-ins to foster loyalty and encourage referrals.
Pick a Niche: Specialisation is a powerful way to stand out and establish yourself as an expert. Explore high-demand areas like green mortgages, self-employed clients or high-net-worth individuals. By building deep knowledge and expertise in your chosen niche, you can position yourself as a trusted authority, earning credibility that sets you apart and allows you to badge yourself as a specialist in that field.

Need inspiration? Check out our top business strategy tools that brokers need. With limited time at your disposal, you should be thoughtful in choosing only the specific tools and strategies which work for your firm.

4. lead generation in a crowded market

Brokers who master lead generation will dominate in 2025. But it isn’t what you might think. There’s a blend of routes to increasing exposure and leads in your system, ranging from producing next-generation content a lot of your competitors aren’t creating, to extending your reach by utilising your network.

Hyper-Local SEO: Optimise your Google Business Profile and encourage local client reviews to boost your search ranking.
Video Marketing: Create authentic, informative videos for platforms like LinkedIn, TikTok and Instagram, showcasing your expertise and building trust.
Collaborative Campaigns: Partner with estate agents or financial advisors to co-market and expand your reach.

Your lead generation efforts are going to be very much influenced by the strategy you chose in the above section. For example, selecting the strategy to “become locally famous” aligns with the hyper-local SEO approach for brokers who want to be the go-to in a specific radius.

5. build a compliance-driven culture

Compliance isn’t just a regulatory requirement—it’s a trust-builder. Of course, brokers are going to have compliance on their minds from a regulatory standpoint but it’s important to view compliance as a subject which can also influence your firm’s culture and have a firm hold over your reputation.

With the introduction of AI and its rapid growth, we’ll see the band of compliance widen with cyber security becoming more of a focal point.

Stay Current: Regularly review FCA updates and integrate changes like Consumer Duty into your processes.
Simplify Compliance: Use tools like SmartSearch for automated checks and create visual workflows to make adherence seamless.
Promote Ethical Practices: Ensure your team is trained to prioritise client needs, balancing compliance with excellent service.

Remember, compliance is a must-include for your upfront annual planning but is also a topic to keep your eye on year-round so as not to miss important updates. See our latest guide: A Broker’s Guide to Financial Crime for a more in-depth look at compliance expectations.

6. strengthen client relationships

Client retention is the cornerstone of long-term success–and for brokers this isn’t new news. However, given the opportunities new technology and automation brings, client relationships are shaped a little differently and the opportunities to get in front of clients at pivotal milestones in their journey is far more realistic en masse.

Post-Completion Engagement: Stay in touch with clients after their mortgage closes to encourage repeat business and referrals.
Personalised Service: Use CRM insights to tailor your communications and recommendations.
Annual Reviews: Offer yearly check-ins to update clients on market changes and identify new needs, like remortgaging opportunities.

To encompass this into your 2025 planning, we’d suggest process mapping your client’s journey by loan type or audience segment. From this, you’ll be able to identify the most crucial moments to offer services and touch points, whether that’s manually with bespoke messaging, through task automation or something else.

7. prioritise personal growth and wellbeing

Your mindset and health are pivotal to sustained success. Across the professional landscape, there’s an increasing importance held on wellbeing and more evidence to link it with business success. There’s also the addition of new working patterns such as remote working and distanced communications which layer intricacies on colleague relationships and development. As such, this had to feature on our 2025 list.

Professional Development: Stay ahead with our regular Growth Series blogs and podcasts, as well as investing in CPD courses, attending webinars and networking at industry events.
Work-Life Balance: Use tools like Trello to manage your time effectively and ensure you don’t burn out.
Mental Health Resources: Apps like Calm can help you manage stress and maintain focus in a demanding environment.

Explore the many personal and business benefits of mental health in our wellbeing for profitability blog. If wellbeing is something you currently treat separately to other profit initiatives, consider reframing its importance and potential impact on your firm.

8. stay agile in a changing market

If recent years have taught us anything, it’s that adaptability is essential. Regularly reassess your strategies, embrace new tools, and remain attuned to client needs to navigate whatever 2025 brings. Staying agile, willing to embrace new technology and process, test new methods of client engagement and envision what your firm’s success looks like puts you in a great position to succeed.

With the insights and strategies outlined in this planning kit, you’re ready to thrive in the year ahead. But with an agile mindset, remember to regularly return to content like this to see what else you can include in your annual plan as it evolves.