29 Ways to Improve Estate Planning Marketing

Provided below are 29 suggestions for estate planners to improve marketingresults and avoid costly mistakes:

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      1. Create a complete and competent marketingmessage.
      2. Focus extensively on the prospect’s problemsbefore discussing solutions.
      3. Establish credibility before charging higherfees than other estate planners.
      4. Provide prospects with logical and emotionalreasons to hire you.
      5. Qualify prospects before they enter your office.
      6. Separate yourself from other estate planners.
      7. Compete on value instead of competing on price.
      8. Provide your marketing message before hostingseminars.
      9. Be wary of allowing outside advisors to presentpart of your seminar.
      10. Don’t serve dinner to attract prospects toseminars.
      11. Develop marketing materials to send out tointerested prospects.
      12. Create an in-depth website.
      13. Customize your marketing message to specificgroups.
      14. Don’t ever try to get a percentage of theestate.
      15. Disclose your fees up front.
      16. Don’t use recorded messages to deliver yourmessage.
      17. Don’t limit yourself to elder law services.
      18. Don’t rely on newspaper advertising in largecities.
      19. Don’t use referrals as your only marketingmethod.
      20. Use radio commercials to stand out from otherlawyers.
      21. Be careful relying solely on publicityprograms.
      22. Don’t waste too much time networking.
      23. First test methods on a small scale to ensureit reaches your target audience.
      24. Take the leadership position in a niche.
      25. Create custom monthly newsletters.
      26. Be careful when eliminating steps from asuccessful marketing program.
      27. Always treat your marketing as a priority.
      28. Promote your knowledge, not your services.
      29. Ensure your program establishes credibility,differentiates yourself, generates interactions, produces commitments, andmaintains loyalty.  Strive to achievethese five steps in every marketing program.

See Trey Ryder, EstatePlanning: Marketing Your Services – 29 Costly Mistakes Lawyers Make,TreyRyder.com.

Special thanks to Jim Hillhouse (Professional Legal Marketing (PLM, Inc.)) for bringing this article to my attention.