SHOCKING NEWS
Phil Kavesh Finally Admits Seminars Are A Terrible Idea
(Veteran seminar advocate reportedly “comes to his senses.” Industry stunned, so we just had to get to the bottom of this with Phil—and here’s what he had to say.)
After decades of promoting estate planning seminars and personally delivering more of them than I can count—I recently had a startling realization.
Apparently I was wrong.
In fact, after what I can only describe as a moment of profound clarity (brought on perhaps by too much coffee and a suspiciously stale hotel muffin), I realized something important:
Estate planning attorneys should absolutely not be doing seminars.
After all, there are at least seven very good reasons not to.
Reason #1 – “I Don’t Have Time”
Why spend 2 hours speaking to twenty prospective clients at once… when you could spend 40 hours repeating the same explanation individually to each of them?
After all, attorneys didn’t go to law school to become efficient.
We went to law school to explain revocable living trusts one prospect at a time until our voices give out.
“I much prefer explaining living trusts to every prospect. By the 167th explanation, I enjoyed a free vacation — while I was talking to the clients, I had an out-of-body experience and found myself walking the Great Wall of China.”
— John M., Estate Planning Attorney, Ohio
Reason #2 – “I Get All the Clients I Need From Referrals”
Who needs a predictable stream of clients and revenue when you can rely on referrals that may arrive…
- This month
- Next month
- Or sometime shortly after the next solar eclipse?
It’s far more suspenseful and thrilling to wait, mobile phone in hand, for your next case to come in.
Reason #3 – “I’m Afraid of Public Speaking”
Public speaking is terrifying.
Why face that fear when you can simply give the same estate planning explanation individually to every prospect who walks into your office?
Much safer that way.
Besides, if you repeat it often enough, you’ll eventually realize something shocking:
You’re already giving a seminar…
Just one person at a time.
Reason #4 – “Seminars Are Too Expensive”
Yes, seminars require an investment.
And everyone knows, investing money on marketing is extremely dangerous.
Especially when one dollar spent on seminar marketing can return $3, $4, or even $5 back in revenue.
Frankly, that sounds like reckless financial behavior.
“I briefly considered seminars once, but the idea of spending money on marketing that actually produces clients seemed irresponsible.”
— Barbara J., Estate Planning Attorney, Texas
Reason #5 – “My Clients Won’t Come to a Seminar”
Of course they won’t.
Why would anyone attend a seminar where they can:
- Learn how your estate planning process works
- Ask questions in advance of coming in
- Know your fee and receive a special discount for attending
- Skip unnecessary extra attorney meetings?
Clearly, clients prefer the more traditional approach:
Walking into an attorney’s office confused, cautious, and clutching their checkbook like it’s a life preserver.
Reason #6: “I Already Close Most of My Initial Meetings.”
Why would you want prospects to come in who already:
- Understand the value of estate planning
- Are convinced they need it
- Are prepared with a completed questionnaire
- Know your fee?
Why eliminate so many objections before the meeting even begins?
Much better to wait for the dramatic moment of truth when you reveal your fee and hope the client doesn’t go into shock and faint.
It adds excitement to the process.
Reason #7: “I Tried Seminars and They Didn’t Work.”
That’s understandable.
Why would seminars work if you didn’t have:
- Proven marketing pieces that fill the room
- A presentation designed to convert attendees into clients
- A tested step-by-step system developed over years of experience?
And besides, if seminars really worked…
Why would so many attorneys across the country be using them to capture market share?
Let them do it. What a pain.
“Phil, using your seminars, I’ve tripled my incoming clients. Darn you, now I have to hire an associate and retire early!”
— Carol O., Estate Planning Attorney, Tennessee
Wait a Minute…
Hold on.
Something about this analysis doesn’t quite add up…
Maybe I was hallucinating.
Because when you look at reality, seminars are actually one of the most effective ways to build an estate planning practice.
They allow you to:
- Educate multiple prospects at once
- Establish credibility and authority instantly
- Pre-qualify clients before they ever meet you
- Reduce time spent repeating basic explanations
- Create predictable new client cash flow each month
In other words…
When it comes to growing an estate planning practice, seminars are the next best thing to ice cream.
Want the Successful System Behind the Seminars?
It’s the same system I’ve personally used for years to turn seminars into one of the most reliable client-generation tools in estate planning history.
If you’ve ever wondered how some attorneys use seminars to generate over $1 million a year…
This is the system behind it.
(Click here or contact our office to learn more.)
My Final Confession
If you’ve made it this far, you’ve probably realized something.
Every “reason” I gave for not doing seminars…
…is exactly why you should.
So if you were worried for a moment that I had abandoned seminars…
Happy April Fool’s Day!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Attorney Philip J. Kavesh is the principal of one of the largest estate planning and administration firms in California—Kavesh, Minor and Otis—which has been in business since 1981. He is also the President of The Ultimate Estate Planner, Inc., which provides a variety of training, marketing, and practice-building products and services for estate planning professionals.