Finding perfect new clients for your estate planning firm is difficult. You have to do all the work to figure out where they are, make meaningful connections, build trust, and convince them that you are the right fit for their needs. My team and I help estate planning attorneys do this every day, and I’ll be the first to admit it. It’s necessary, and it gets results—but this stuff is tough!
However, you probably already have something that could be an incredible shortcut toward getting great clients. You probably already have something that takes so many steps out of the process of generating leads from your marketing.
What is that “something” I’m talking about?
It’s your contact list!
That’s right. I’m talking about that list of contact info you have from all your current and past clients, customers, colleagues, partners, and others. Every estate planner has a list like this, but so few are actually using it.
And it’s a huge mistake!
Why Is Ignoring Your Contact List Such a Big Mistake?
Your list is ideally made up of people that already know you, like you, and have worked with you. They have an existing relationship with you and your business. They’re familiar with your brand and your message, and they’re a huge source of warm leads and referral sources.
So, think about your contact list a little bit like they’re your family or friends. When you ignore the people you care about, they tend to start taking it personally. If you stay silent over time, they might just forget about you entirely. It’s the same with your list!
However, it makes people happy when you communicate with them regularly. It shows them that you care. It keeps you at the top of their minds, and it continually builds a positive relationship that strengthens over time.
Nearly every lawyer I talk with tells me that their best cases and clients come from referrals from past clients, other lawyers, or friends and family. Your contact list is an absolute goldmine for generating these kinds of referrals, repeat clients, and positive endorsements. But you have to put your list to work for you, and you have to do it the right way.
Other Mistakes Estate Planners Make With Their Contact Lists
You may think that you’re already using your contact list. Unfortunately, it isn’t as easy as just reaching out. If you aren’t careful, you could be setting up a situation where you aren’t ignoring them—but they are sure as heck ignoring you.
Some common examples of mistakes that will burn out your list include:
- Emailing them every day (or several times a day) with uninteresting or irrelevant information
- Emailing them with boring or generic subject lines, like “Law Firm Newsletter No. 214”
- Emailing them your firm newsletter or promotions in PDF or another weird format
- Emailing them to announce awards you bought from services like Martindale-Hubbell
- Sending them long emails loaded with “legalese” or medical jargon that they don’t understand
All the above are honest mistakes, but they’re still mistakes. So, reach out to your list, but make sure that it’s always interesting, relevant, and focused on what’s most important to your audience.
Three Steps to Get Your Estate Planning Practice Back on Track
If you’ve been letting your list gather dust, it’s time to get busy. In three steps, you can be generating leads from your contact list like a pro.
Step One: Get the Technology That Makes the Process Easy
If you’re not already using some kind of CRM (customer relationship management) system, it’s time to look for a good fit. Using CRM software makes it so much easier to capture, organize, tag, and maintain your list. In many cases, you can even import contact information right from your case-management software.
Doing this kind of outreach by hand just isn’t viable or effective, and it makes it much more difficult to maintain a “clean” list that adheres to modern email guidelines. Getting that technology going for your estate planning firm is crucial! If you have a CRM that you like using and that saves you time, you’re far more likely to actually do this regularly and get good results.
Step Two: Create Content That Your Contacts Want to Read or Watch
In the first week of every month, write an awesome blog post (or shoot a great video) and add it to your website. You can even pick some older blogs or articles on your website that you haven’t promoted much in the past. You want something that is truly relevant to the people on your list and that will grab their attention. For example, you might write a blog that addresses a major pain point for your clients, or you might shoot a video that gives excellent tips and information in a “snackable” way.
Step Three: Send an Email to Your List About That Content
Create an email about your blog post or video. It doesn’t have to be long or involved or even super creative. It can just be a short introduction of the topic, a “call to action” that encourages them to read or view more, and a link to the blog or video on your website.
Then you just have to send it! And keep doing it every month!
The “Little Things” Matter to Your Contact List
You might be wondering how one blog post and one email can really help your estate planning firm. It’s nowhere near as difficult as SEO, and it’s nowhere near as confusing or expensive as paid advertising—so how can it be any good?
If you’re skeptical, I encourage to try it for yourself, especially if you can keep it up for six months or a year. It doesn’t take a lot of time or expertise, but this kind of contact with your list drives traffic and interest to your website (which Google likes to see), and it cements your relationship with your contacts. If someone says they need estate planning help, everyone on your list will know they can recommend you.
Do you need help generating more clients for your estate planning firm? Are you looking for better software solutions and expert marketing guidance that will help you grow you business in smart and sustainable ways? I encourage you to reach out to us for a complimentary marketing analysis. We’ll take a look at what you’re doing, where you’re going, and how you can get there confidently.
RELATED EDUCATION
If you found this article interesting, here are some other educational programs that you might find helpful:
- Generating Business from the Internet: Best Practices for Estate Planning Professionals
- The 6 Ways to Grow Revenue in Any Business
- How to Develop a More Consistent and Steady Stream of Revenue from Your Existing Clients!
- How to Use Online Reviews to Get More Business!
- How to Set Your Fees: For Estate Planning Attorneys with a Living Trust-Centered Practice
- Convert Prospects with Other Attorneys’ Trusts Into Clients!
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