Even if don’t handle estate planning, you can probably guess the most common reasons people use to avoid going to the dentist, uh, lawyer. Most people believe they need to do it but many don’t. According to this article, these are the 3 most common excuses:

• Too busy
• It’s too complicated and/or expensive
• Superstition (don’t want to think about dying)

The article offers a few suggestions about things to do if you’re not ready or willing to see a lawyer, such as sharing passwords and a detailed lists of assets and debts, et. al., with loved ones, and using an online service to create a Living Will and/or a Will and Power of Attorney (but isn’t this estate planning?)

Anyway, if you handle estate planning, you probably send clients and prospects a questionnaire or checklist to fill out before their first appointment

Why not use it for people who don’t have an appointment?

Here’s what I mean.

Create a checklist or questionnaire that not only has spaces for them to record information you will need when they do see you, but also explains why that information is important.

In other words, explain the rationale behind estate planning so they can see why they need to do it immediately.

Your questionnaire should also provide some simple things they can do (such as sharing passwords, making a list of assets, etc.). If they do any of these things, they will have begun to think about estate planning, which might make them a bit closer to making an appointment.

Don’t overwhelm them or you might scare them into doing nothing. You might make this a preliminary checklist, to get them started and thinking about their “stuff”. Give them a comprehensive version once they make an appointment.

You should do this even if you don’t do estate planning.

Ask an estate planning friend to provide you with a questionnaire you can send to your clients. Your clients benefit, your friend will get some new clients, and you score points with everyone.

Ready to take a quantum leap in the new year? Here

You want to get more clients and increase your income, right?

You need a plan.

It doesn’t have to be extensive. A page or two is probably enough. But your plan should be specific and address these 3 elements:

(1) Who is your ideal client?

What kinds of legal problems do they have? How big are those problems or cases? How often do they need legal help?

What do they “look” like? Are they small businesses? Individuals? Professionals? Fortune 500? What industry, market, or occupation?

What makes them ideal clients for you? Are they influential in their niche? Can they pay big retainers? Are they easy to work with?

(2) How will you reach them?

Prospective clients are only as good as your ability to communicate with them.

Where will you find your ideal clients? What do they read? Who do they follow? Where do they hang out?

Which tools will you use to communicate with them?

• Referrals
• Advertising
• Search/websites
• Blogs, articles, speaking
• Social media/networking
• Brochures/handouts
• Joint ventures/marketing alliances
• Publicity

Will you focus on “warm market”–people you know–or cold market? Will you use “one-step” marketing or “multi-step” (lead generation)?

(3) What will you tell them?

What is your message? What headlines or subject lines will you use? What will you offer? What will you ask them to do (what’s the next step)?

Why should they choose you? What do you offer that other lawyers don’t? What do you do better or differently?

How will you build trust? What testimonials or success stories will you show them? What will you tell them about your capabilities and reputation?

The purpose of your plan isn’t to provide a blueprint of everything you will do, it is to help you think about what you want and what you can do to get it.

It gives you a place to start.

Your plan should be simple to write and simple to do, so you’ll do it.

The Attorney Marketing Formula helps you create a simple marketing plan that will work for you.

Let’s play a game. The “who can build a successful practice quicker” game.

The winner of this game gets to build a successful practice and has bragging rights. They might even get a sequel.

The loser might have to admit they’ve been working too hard.

Here are the rules.

My market consists of 100 fans–people who know, like, and trust me. They’ve either hired me before or know someone who has.

Your market consists of 10,000 random people. Nobody has heard of you.

I have contact information for my 100 fans. I can write to them or call them. When they get a letter or email from me, they read it.

You reach your 10,000 primarily by advertising and you have the wherewithal to do that.

Okay, are you ready? Let’s play!

I send an email to my list, say hello and wish them well. You take out an ad and tell people about your services.

You get a fair number of leads, requests for free advice, people with no case and no money, and a few serious prospects. One person needs your services and has the ability to pay. You get one client but break even because of the cost of your ads.

My list doesn’t need me right now but they appreciate hearing from me.

Next month, you run your ads again and get another client, but don’t earn enough to cover your ad costs.

I send my list another email, along with some information about a subject I think might interest them. A get a few ‘thank you’s,’ a few ask questions, but no business.

In the third month, you get more inquiries and another client. You’re at break even.

I get a repeat client, who pays me enough to cover most of my overhead for the month.

Fourth month, you get two new clients and earn a small profit. You’re happy about that and look forward to getting more.

I get another repeat client and one new client, referred to me by someone on my list. I bring in the same amount of fees you do but because I have zero ad expense, I’m pulling ahead of you.

The game continues.

Each month, we both bring in business. Throughout the year, you continue to advertise. Some months are profitable, some months you lose money, but at the end of the year, after paying all of your advertising and related expenses, you’re earning a decent living from your ads. You’re thinking about expanding next year.

I’ve had a good year, too. I’m brought in a lot of repeat business and referrals and grown my list from 100 to 300. I have no ad expenses, my overhead is lower than yours because I don’t need as many employees to handle the work (or to speak to prospects), so I’m netting about the same as you.

After one year, it looks like we’re both doing well. We both get to play again in the sequel.

The lesson is there are different ways to play the game and no reason to limit ourselves to just one.

Advertise if you want to, do anything else you want to do to bring in business, build your list, and stay in touch with everyone.

Thanks for playing.

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