Integrity Marketing

End of Year Review

Our 2005 Estate Planning Practice Strategies revealed that fully 86 percent of estate attorneys do not have a written marketing plan. Business experts agree that a written marketing plan is fundamental to financial success. In fact, most business owners find it impossible to secure financing without one ... and for good reason. A written marketing plan organizes and focuses your business strategy.

Whether you have a written marketing plan or not, your estate planning practice is constantly facing new and ever increasing challenges. Some challenges are unique to your practice and your market; others are universal to the practice area. While a well-conceived marketing plan is your single best strategy to ensure success in meeting these challenges ... there is a fundamental first step that many overlook in the planning process.

BEFORE you start working on your 2006 marketing plan, take time to perform a Year-End Review. This exercise will give you a better understanding of your practice, your market, and your future. It will help you "get your bearings," so to speak, in the marketing environment. And it will pay off in real dollars. First, completing this exercise will save you hours of frustrating work when it comes time to craft the marketing plan. It will help you organize your thoughts as well as crucial financial and market data. But more importantly, it will guide your future marketing efforts toward greater profits!

We have a SPECIAL GIFT for you this week -- now through Christmas Day.

First -- a FREE PASS to our newest online workshop -- THE YEAR-END REVIEW (a $79 value!).

PLUS -- when you register and view the full workshop online, you qualify for a TEN PERCENT DISCOUNT on any of our ONLINE PRODUCTS purchased through December 25, 2005.

Click Here to Register and Save!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Success Strategies for Low-Cost Providers

You may recall the story of my client who doubled her net income this year, while carving out time in her busy practice to pursue intellectual challenges? (Read more here)

To refresh your memory, here are some excerpts from that post:

We discussed several aspects of this plan, including protecting her revenue stream and profitability while pursuing new interests. One thing we talked about a lot was making a plan to free up time in her schedule to pursue the appellate work. She was already working too many hours, it was clear she could not add something to her schedule without first clearing some empty space…

She is pleased to see her firm is now tasting from the whole estate law pie -- contested litigation, estate administration, probate, appellate work, as well as estate planning. She has a new associate and a legal assistant to handle most of the drafting -- which she then reviews ... Precisely as she had wanted…

"Now I mostly just meet with clients," she said. "I have handed off most of the drafting."

So what happened to her revenue and profitability now that she has all this new staff and is spending so much of her time doing challenging work she truly enjoys?

She met with her CPA last week and, to her chagrin, they will owe a substantial tax bill this year. She whined to her CPA, who responded --  "What are you complaining about? You more than doubled your net income this year!"

Yes, that was NET. She was able to pursue her dreams, serve her clients, and still TAKE HOME TWICE AS MUCH MONEY. Her CPA congratulated her, "You have really gotten your expenses under control!"

”So,” she asked, "how do we avoid paying these taxes?"

Her CPA replied, "Don't make so much money!"

I promised to share with you some of the strategies we employed to help achieve these results. Some of the strategies were “pure” marketing. Others were cost-saving or time-saving strategies. Working those strategies together in a comprehensive, well-executed marketing plan was powerful indeed!

One strategy, however, was a mix of all three – part marketing, part cost-savings, and part time-savings tool.

THE STUDY GROUP

Once a month my client hosts a study group of professionals who responded to the invitation to get together and learn more about estate planning. It’s a standing appointment today – and an agenda is published each month before the meeting. The agenda consists of the current discussion topic as well as questions submitted by the participants for discussion. Though it started out with a formal course outline, the program has evolved. It is less formal now, and relationships are deeper – just the type of atmosphere that nurtures mutually beneficial, long-term relationships … and referrals.

WHY IT WORKED

First – the study group is a wonderful marketing strategy. It is a terrific tool to help you take casual contacts, offer something of value, and build those contacts into strong relationships. The structured format gives you a springboard from which to develop lasting referral relationships. It was important that the initial invitation include a structured course outline, showing prospective group members that the EDUCATIONAL VALUE of the group would be worth the investment of their time … and that the group was not just an attorney’s ploy to drum up referrals.

Second – it was a great cost-saving strategy. The monthly meetings cost almost nothing to promote and host. Email announcements are sent in advance, participants meet in the firm’s conference room. My client provides soft drinks and water, and everyone brings a sack lunch. My client is enjoying a renewed referral stream from these deepening relationships – all at a cost that is virtually negligible! In fact, it is the informality of the format that really lends itself to candid conversation and stronger bonds.

Finally – it was a great time-saving strategy. Implementing a prepared program is a monumental time-saver. Most marketing ideas of this type never get off the ground because the attorney simply never has time to develop the content, let along write the promotional materials or create tracking and reporting systems to gauge progress. Moreover, the study group format allows you to meet with several advisers at one time. With traditional “networking,” you would have to spend at least one to two days each week taking someone to lunch – including extending the invitation, coordinating schedules, and traveling to the appointed restaurant (not to mention the expense of picking up the tab!). The study group meeting, on the other hand, is a standing appointment. An email announcement is sent, and a staff person at the firm arranges for refreshments and keeps the conference room reserved.

YOU can implement this same winning strategy by ordering our FIVE DAYS TO PROFITABLE REFERRALS program now – and SAVE $100 OFF THE PRICE by ordering before December 31^st.

I strongly encourage you to purchase the program now. Get it shipped to your office, copy the files, read through the materials. Print your implementation guide, gather your support team, and HIT THE GROUND RUNNING IN 2006!

Five Days to Profitable Referrals is an educational marketing campaign built around an interactive, five-part study course for financial advisers. Suitable for insurance professionals, financial planners, investment advisers or accountants, the program includes:

• Five professionally-designed, fully-scripted Power Point presentations for the lecture-portion of each study session;
• Success Guide, a step-by-step implementation guide that includes advice on how to conduct each session to build rapport, facilitate interaction, and develop key referrals; and
• Promotions Guide, complete with sample letters, invitations and follow-up advice to continue your momentum even after the fifth study session

Note -- Your CD includes EVERYTHING needed to implement this program -- sample letters, e-mail announcements, and telephone scripts. We even walk you through the process of creating a mini-marketing plan, and give you the worksheets and reporting forms to track your progress. But we don't stop there. We give you the vital aids to keep the momentum going -- even AFTER the workshop series is complete. Also included are Power Point files in two versions -- compatible with PPT 2000 and earlier; and compatible with PPT 2002 & 20023 -- with powerful animations that will enhance your presentation

Ordering is easy, secure and fast!
Simply click on the order link below

Order 5 Days to Profitable Referrals Now

Want more information? click here.

The Dilemma: What Next?

It is a common dilemma -- your marketing plan says to focus on Building More Professional Referrals. You need to expand your referral base, meet more CPAs, and deepen the relationships you've already developed.

But the task seems a bit overwhelming. After all -- even if you identify new prospective referral sources, contact them, and agree to meet for lunch ... What Next? How do you turn that still-casual acquaintanceship into a long-term, mutually-beneficial relationship?

Well, developing referral relationships is a lot like dating. And statistically only one in eight first dates ever results in a follow-up phone call for a second.

(I know these things because I am now "suddenly single" and understand that these statistics are even MORE dismal for those of us over 40 ... oh who am I kidding? No one quotes the statistics for those of us pushing-over-50 because they would just be too depressing ... but I digress ...)

In our online course, Building Profitable Referral Relationships, we give you several tips to help keep your momentum going and turn those "first dates" into ongoing relationships. Foremost on the list of successful strategies is to engage professional advisors in a study-group.

This strategy works for several reasons:

1. You are adding value to the relationship in the form of continuing education;
2. The "study group" format is informal and ongoing. You will have plenty of time to chat and get to know the participants better, discuss case studies, etc.; and
3. Last, but certainly not least, you have the opportunity to EDUCATE these professionals on the compelling issues of estate planning. You will get to dispel myths, clear up misunderstandings and help advisors better identify estate planning needs among their clients and prospects.

But putting together a multi-part study group takes a lot of time and effort -- trust me on this, I KNOW! You have to develop the course, presentation materials, hand-outs, and support materials. You have to have an agenda ... and a POINT! And you have to package it professionally so it will ENHANCE your image as an expert (not ruin it ... remember what Mark Twain once said about opening your mouth?)

Once you've done all that ... replicate it four more times and then create all of the promotional materials necessary to introduce the program to professional advisors and agency directors. Then, set up a system to track, report, and analyze your results.

Whew! I got tired just remembering it all

Well, not to worry.

We have done the work for you. Why? Because we faced the same dilemma in Kyle's practice years ago when he was named as the go-to-guy for a property & casualty insurance company. We were excited about having more than a dozen successful agents all committed to sending their clients to us for estate planning. Woo Hoo!

But .... months went by and NOTHING HAPPENED. (Alas, not my only experience with dashed hopes ...)

So ... we decided to MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN. We implemented a study group -- very similar to the one we are now offering you in the Five Days to Profitable Referrals.

And? IT WORKED!

We got to know the agents over coffee and doughnuts (not Krispy Kremes, but something infinitely more wonderful -- LAMAR'S!). We gave them valuable education, we dispelled myths, we cleared up misunderstandings ... and WE GOT REFERRALS.

And we are still getting them.

Since that time, we have helped dozens of our clients successfully implement similar study-group formats to build referral relationships in their own practices.

Now you can benefit from our hard work and experience -- and graphic designers! We have packaged the FIVE DAYS TO PROFITABLE REFERRALS with everything you need to answer the What Next? question (would that someone could do this for my dating life...)

FIVE DAYS TO PROFITABLE REFERRALS is an educational marketing campaign built around an interactive, five-part study course for financial advisors. Suitable for insurance professionals, financial planners, investment advisors or accountants, the program includes:

• Five professionally-designed, fully-scripted Power Point presentations for the lecture-portion of each study session;
• Success Guide, a step-by-step implementation guide that includes advice on how to conduct each session to build rapport, facilitate interaction, and develop key referrals; and
• Promotions Guide, complete with sample letters, invitations and follow-up advice to continue your momentum even after the fifth study session.

Note -- Your CD includes EVERYTHING needed to implement this program -- sample letters, e-mail announcements, and telephone scripts. We even walk you through the process of creating a mini-marketing plan, and give you the worksheets and reporting forms to track your progress. But we don't stop there. We give you the vital aids to keep the momentum going -- even AFTER the workshop series is complete. Also included are Power Point files in two versions -- compatible with PPT 2000 and earlier; and compatible with PPT 2002 & 2003 -- with powerful animations that will enhance your presentation.

Ordering is easy, secure and fast. Simply click on the order link below.

Order 5 Days to Profitable Referals Now

Want more information? click here.

Five Days to Profitable Referrals

SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY OFFER - SAVE $100

5 DAYS TO PROFITABLE REFERALS a turn-key, referral-based marketing campaign on CD

Lead this five-part interactive study course for financial advisors to generate more, highly-qualified referrals.

Why Offer Continuing Education?
Expand your referral base, educate financial advisors on the real issues of estate planning – beyond federal estate taxes – and generate a higher volume of highly-qualified referrals.

This comprehensive education-based marketing campaign will differentiate you in the marketplace, enhance your professional image, and help you go beyond mere referral relationships to build true partnership alliances

What Is Included?
Five Days to Profitable Referrals is an educational marketing campaign built around an interactive, five-part study course for financial advisors. Suitable for insurance professionals, financial planners, investment advisors or accountants, the program includes:

• Five professionally-designed, fully-scripted Power Point presentations for the lecture-portion of each study session;
• Success Guide, a step-by-step implementation guide that includes advice on how to conduct each session to build rapport, facilitate interaction, and develop key referrals; and
• Promotions Guide, complete with sample letters, invitations and follow-up advice to continue your momentum even after the fifth study session

Note -- Your CD includes EVERYTHING needed to implement this program -- sample letters, e-mail announcements, and telephone scripts. We even walk you through the process of creating a mini-marketing plan, and give you the worksheets and reporting forms to track your progress. But we don't stop there. We give you the vital aids to keep the momentum going -- even AFTER the workshop series is complete. Also included are Power Point files in two versions -- compatible with PPT 2000 and earlier; and compatible with PPT 2002 & 20023 -- with powerful animations that will enhance your presentation

Ordering is easy, secure and fast!
Simply click on the order link below

Order 5 Days to Profitable Referrals Now

Want more information? click here.