3 Ways to Inspire Brand Loyalty and Stand Out From Your Competition

By Foster Web Marketing Most people don’t think too much about trying a different brand of pasta, and they probably don’t pay a lot of attention to the label on their socks. But those same people probably DO have strong feelings about something—whether it’s the make of the car they drive, the smartphone they use, or the running shoes in their closet. If it’s something crucial in your life that has to work for you without fail, it’s not unusual to develop a strong sense of “brand loyalty.”  And it’s really not so different when someone chooses an estate planning…

The Most Effective Way to Handle the Price Objection

By Philip J. Kavesh, J.D., LL.M. (Taxation), CFP®, ChFC, California State Bar Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law If you were to ask most estate planning attorneys to narrow down the most common objection most people have about moving forward with their estate planning, price would definitely be on the top of the list. With the influx of cheap, online and do-it-yourself estate planning, living trusts have become a commodity and people are more price-sensitive than ever. While price may still be one of the main reasons a prospective client may choose not to do business with…

Is Seminar Marketing Dead?

By Kristina Schneider Do you think seminars are dead?  I keep reading a lot of articles and marketing pieces coming out of companies that are promoting other internet-based services that keep stating that seminars are dead and an antiquated and outdated way to market your estate planning services.  I laugh only because I know of several law practices that are regularly bringing in consistent new clients in each month using seminars. First, I think it is important to be honest with ourselves about the differences between estate planning and other areas of law (such as divorce, personal injury, DUI, etc.). …

7 Questions to Ask When Your Website Isn’t Working the Way You Want

By Foster Web Marketing If the website for your estate planning practice isn’t generating the leads and conversions you were expecting, it’s time to take a closer look at what could be going wrong. Your website is the hub of all your marketing efforts online. If it’s not doing its job effectively, you absolutely will struggle to connect with the potential perfect clients that are searching for you. The good news is that underperforming websites don’t just “happen.” There are usually cumulative, underlying issues impeding your ability to attract prospects—and those issues can be fixed! You just have to methodically…

A Conversation About Perceived Value

By Melinda Merk, J.D., LL.M. (Taxation), CFP®, AEP® (Distinguished) This time of year, we tend to see an uptick in estate and trust administration and guardianship cases. All too often, we see situations where the deceased or incapacitated person did their estate planning on the cheap, did it themselves or, worst of all, did nothing. Unfortunately, their families and loved ones are now bearing the added cost and emotional burden of a court-supervised probate or guardianship proceeding and other unintended consequences, which could have been alleviated had the proper planning and documents been in place, working with an experienced estate…

5 Digital Marketing Trends and Predictions for 2024

By Foster Web Marketing If you take a look back at 2023, you’ll see a lot of change over just 12 months. Google’s algorithms and analytics evolved dramatically. Online behavior and user preferences evolved, too. AI technology rapidly took center stage, and lots of law firms rose or fell based on how willing they were to embrace all the changes. Overall, I’d say it was a year full of seismic shifts in the ways that estate planners market and grow their practices online! And, looking ahead, 2024 promises to be another year of significant transformations. Of course, we all know…

Should You Have a Full-Time Marketing Person on Your Staff?

By Philip J. Kavesh, J.D., LL.M. (Taxation), CFP®, ChFC, California State Bar Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law We often espouse the importance of building your firm infrastructure with competent staff, adding first an executive assistant and/or paralegal, then an associate attorney, and then more staff. Having effective staff is the primary way to leverage your own time and output and increase your profit margin. But most attorneys overlook one particular key staff person when building their practice – – a dedicated full-time person to handle their marketing. Everything from making and confirming appointments to managing the…

7 Reasons Marketing Automation Software Is the Ultimate Gift to Yourself

By Foster Web Marketing You spend all year working with clients and crafting plans to secure their legacies. Now that it’s December, why not give a little something back to yourself that will make your life easier, save you time, and boost your business in 2024? If it’s not already part of your strategy, marketing automation software is a real game-changer because it takes so much “busy work” off your plate—but that’s not all it can do. Below, let’s unwrap seven reasons why marketing automation software might be the ultimate gift for your estate planning practice this year. 1. Increase…

Everyone is in Sales

By Tom Hopkins As a public speaker and sales trainer, I have taught millions of career sales professionals how to effectively sell their products and services. But, more importantly, I have helped them understand that they must sell themselves first. And that’s a lesson I would like to share with everyone on the planet. Everyone is in Sales You may not want to believe me because you think “selling” is a nasty word or dishonorable profession. Perhaps you’ve had a bad past experience with a salesperson who matches Hollywood’s description of the stereotype—pushy, manipulative and slick. All I can say…

Do Client Maintenance Plans Really Work?

By Philip J. Kavesh, J.D., LL.M. (Taxation), CFP®, ChFC, California State Bar Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law Two of the major issues confronting estate planning attorneys are the commoditization of our “products” and increasing low price competition thanks to the do-it-yourself kits and internet trusts.  One way to combat these issues is to emphasize and show your prospects how your “product” is superior to what your competitors have to offer, such as by differentiating the services available to the client after the sale.  Think about it, when you purchase or lease a car, don’t you usually…