I recently received an email solicitation for a living trust workshop. I don't know how I got on this person's e-mail list, so my first reaction was to hit the JUNK button and delete it like the SPAM it likely was. My second reaction, however, was to read it -- in much the same way that you just can't stop looking at a train wreck.
What struck me most was the condescending tone of the message, which read more like a snake-oil salesman than an attorney. As I kept reading, I kept asking myself, "Who responds to this stuff?" I mean, really. The title of the workshop is About Living Trusts, and one of the first things they say you will learn is whether you should have a living trust or just a will. Seriously? I think I know what this fellow is going to say -- don't you? I mean, the title of the workshop is NOT About Your Will.
Who DOES respond to this type of advertising?
I frequently hear complaints from attorneys about the low quality of prospects they get from workshops: lots of tire-kickers and professional workshop attendees. They seldom attract the kinds of thoughtful, well-heeled, successful business people who see the value of comprehensive estate planning and are willing and able to pay for it.
The fault may not be the concept of workshops, but rather the marketing message used to promote the workshops. If you want to work with thoughtful clients who need and value your service, for whom you can make a difference and from whom you would like to receive future referrals ... then target your message to speak to them.
Try putting yourself in their shoes. They are pretty smart folks, or they wouldn't have accomplished (and accumulated) as much as they have. It's true that a fool and his money are soon parted, and the clients you want to attract are not fools.
It's a truth of marketing: you usually get what you ask for ... the problem is you don't always realize that your advertising words are asking for something completely different. A well-designed marketing campaign begins with understanding your target audience, and crafting messages to resonate with them.
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