The main reason we chose to conduct our 2005 Practice Strategies Survey was to give estate attorneys a chance to speak out about their practices -- their concerns, challenges, needs, where they see opportunities, and how they hope to grow into the future. We remain humbled and thankful for the outpouring of thoughtful responses and comments from so many who took the time to participate.
YOU HAVE BEEN HEARD!
We have reviewed, analyzed and dissected the responses -- including hundreds of thought-provoking comments that ranged from a few words to complex treatises. In short, we listened to you. And are crafting marketing messages and programs to help you meet your challenges and seize your opportunities.
You told us you need new marketing messages to motivate clients and referral sources to initiate and complete the estate planning process. More than half of those responding expressed concerns about client and referral motivation to move forward with estate planning.
A few comments are representative of the sentiments of many:
- "Repeal of the estate tax removes the primary impetus or motivation for many clients to do estate planning. Although many non-tax reasons for planning exist few are as compelling (at least in the client's mind) as the specter of federal estate taxes. With the increase in the federal estate tax exemption over the past few years the majority of the new clients I see no longer have taxable estates."
- "People will have the belief that estate planning is not necessary when avoiding estate taxes is actually only a small part of the planning process."
- "Although clients will still need estate planning services one of the motivating factors in them initiating action will be gone."
Many respondents rightly observed that our marketing messages will have to change. Accordingly, we have created a new Power Point workshop to help you meet the challenge of motivating clients and referral sources.
Top Ten Fatal Estate Planning Mistakes
Downloadable Power Point® Workshop
Here is the powerful client and advisor workshop you have been asking for -- focusing on the "true issues" of estate planning, and some of the "most popular" mistakes made by people at all levels, including business owners and the mass affluent as well as the highly affluent.
28 full-color slides
2006-EGTRRA compliant
Complete script included in speaker's notes
Covers topics from inheritance protection and incapacity planning to business succession and qualified retirement benefits.
Demonstrates ongoing, non-tax needs for comprehensive estate planning to prospective clients and referral sources
Builds new referrals by teaching allied professionals to spot common mistakes in their clients' estate planning
Again, as we work at being -- and helping you become -- a low-cost provider, we are offering the complete program, including a full script, as a digital download for only $175 (less than one billable hour of your time, and less than the cost of licensing even one of the dozen or so professional photographs and graphics).
The workshop is delivered to you as a fully-functional Power Point file (you must have the Power Point software in order to use this file!). This is truly a plug-n-play program, simply double-click the file from your desktop and you are ready to begin presenting. However, if you find that you prefer to "tweak" some of the slides, hide, replace or change their order -- you are free to do that as well. Present from a projector, or print full-color transparencies from the file. Print your speaker's notes and audience hand-outs directly from the file. Make an archive, back-up copy and store it on your hard drive, or burn a CD.
[Just please respect the copyright disclosures included and do not share (or pirate) the file with your colleagues, or post it on your website.]
Click here to purchase online, review a general outline, and view sample slides.
The program also can be purchased on CD for an additional $25.
Keep watching this weblog, and our website: www.estateplanningpartners.com, for more exciting new products and services to help you THRIVE in your estate planning practice -- regardless the state of the estate tax!
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