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Toll-Free: 1-877-352-2021 7111 W. 151st St. Overland Park, KS 66223 |
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DEVELOPING BRAND IDENTITY |
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CLIENT
SOLUTIONS Click
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SELECT® Newsletters Solve Branding Dilemma! Attorney Keith Davis recently hired a graphic designer to create a corporate image, or "branding package" for his law firm. He was looking for a high-quality, full-color newsletter to send to his clients, prospects and referral sources that would incorporate this new image. His "must-haves" included:
SELECT® Newsletters fit the bill perfectly! We were able to create a custom mast head for the newsletter using the firm's branding image, and selected a color palette to match! The design costs for this unique solution? Just $265 (for the custom mast head!). That was well under the budget Keith had set aside for the project. (See the results at left.) If you have invested in image branding for your firm, then SELECT® Newsletters are a MUST to help you carry out that image into your firm newsletter! And -- if you have not yet established a graphic image for your brand, we have designers who can walk you through the process from start to finish! Watch this newsletter next month to see a sample of a branding project we did for one client that started with just an idea! |
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PRACTICE The
Meeting the Click
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MEETING
The
Mid-Tier Challenge I
was visiting recently with a client who told me September 2006 was
shaping up to be the best month, financially, that he has had in private
practice. I was not surprised. This client has kept financial success
squarely in the cross-hairs. He confided in me that he thinks he needs
to revise his revenue goals ... upward. "I think the numbers that
we can look to achieve will be higher than I've been expecting," he
said. This new financial confidence will change the tenor of his marketing and strategic planning for 2007. Marketing to Mid-Tier Clients will be one area of focus. "We're growing a lot more in the mid-tier area than I expected," he said. "And I would like to continue to build on that." Meeting
the Mid-Tier Challenge If
you want to practice in the Mid-Tier market, you will have to meet the Mid-Tier
Challenge. What is "the Mid-Tier Challenge?" you
ask. Closing
for higher fees. Marketing
to Mid-Tier Clients requires more than a communications plan to identify
and reach them. Once you have the Mid-Tier Client in your conference
room, the battle has just begun. You must develop the confidence (and
experience) to quote appropriate fees ... and collect them. Too often I
hear complaints from attorneys who get "shopped" by the
"Millionaire Next Door" looking for the best deal on his
rather complex estate and business continuation plan.
It is an exasperating problem. You are
offering planning that costs thousands to protect and preserve assets
worth millions. And your client wants to haggle over hundreds. The
Key -- Know Your Value My
client explained to me why he does not have this problem. He told me the
story of a recent "Millionaire Next Door" with whom he is
currently working. The planning fee is $7,500. I asked him what he was going to
do. He said, "I don't know yet."
Frankly,
I have very few clients who feel comfortable quoting fees of any kind --
even small fees -- if they are not certain which documents they will
draft, and what nuances they will include in the drafting. Many
attorneys labor through several client meetings before they present a
"proposal" and a fee quotation. So, when my client told me the
fee was $7,500 and he was as yet unsure of the planning, I questioned
him further and received affirmation of the marketing theory we try to
teach all of our clients and incorporate into all of our marketing
materials: STOP
SELLING DOCUMENTS. "When
I meet with a mid-tier client," my client said, "I charge to
treat the situation. The documents only memorialize the planning -- they
are not the planning." So,
how does he evaluate the situation? "I ask myself, what is it worth
for me to get involved in this situation, and not feel exhausted?"
Wow -- this is a powerful statement. He's not wondering how much the
client would be willing to spend. He's asking himself how much HE is
willing to invest in this client. The
typical consultation, he says, lasts between two and three hours. He
needs this much time to determine the VALUE:
"I
need to know two things. I need to see the FACTS of the situation. IMPORTANT
LESSON: We find the
VALUE Making
it Happen One of the greatest aspects of working with Mid-Tier Clients is that they tend to self-replicate. No, not really ... but the Mid-Tier Client tends to a.) run in a social crowd that includes others like themselves; and b.) give and receive referrals within that social crowd. In other words, your Mid-Tier Clients are terrific sources for new referrals of clients ... just like them. If you are working with Mid-Tier Clients, do yourself a favor and start catering to them with consistent, frequent client communications. And, don't waste your time sending ANYTHING less than a high-quality, full-color, professional mailed newsletter. Your message will stand out, your clients will feel valued, and your referrals will soar. And, to take your marketing to an even higher level, consider personal branding with SELECT® newsletters. For a demonstration, call us toll-free at 1-877-352-2021; or request a free sample from our website: http://www.estateplanningpartners.com/select.htm |
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MARKETING TIPS Building
Profitable Click
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Building
Profitable Referral Relationships: Diversify Your Portfolio! Developing
a broad portfolio of referral relationships is the single most important
thing you can do to build your estate planning practice. One of the most
dangerous things you can do is concentrate your marketing efforts on one
or two relationships that appear profitable and comfortable. Why? A
Balanced Portfolio Your referral base is a lot like your investment portfolio. Some stocks are cyclical, some show steady growth, and some may go south. However, a balanced portfolio gives you steady profit, despite the performance (or lack thereof) of individual players. And, even when you are nurturing your referral relationships, sometimes the business just does not maintain a steady rate. One reason may be that some of your referral sources become too successful! That's
right. Investment advisors and insurance professionals have tremendous
profit and revenue potential in their commission work. As advisors
become more successful, two things may slow the pace of their referrals
to you. 1. First, they very likely will
earn a trip to one or more exotic
locations. This can take them out of the loop for weeks at a time. With
a little more success, they can repeat this scenario on an almost
quarterly basis. 2. Second, they frequently find they do not have to work as hard
anymore to make as much, or more, money than they used to. If you have
relied on just one or two of these successful advisors to feed you
steady referrals, you may find they are helping pay your grocery bills
... with USDA food stamps! To avoid this unpleasant eventuality, it is
imperative that you work to diversify and expand your referral base.
Here are a few basic tips. Newsletters Mailing a monthly newsletter is an excellent way to break through the marketing clutter, make a strong professional impression, and maintain frequent, consistent communication with a variety of professional advisors. Nothing can replace your personal networking, but newsletters stretch your ability to make many more contacts, much more frequently … and will reinforce your personal networking with professional follow-up. For more information about SELECT® newsletters, call us at 1-877-352-2021, or visit our website at http://www.estateplanningpartners.com/select.htm. |
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SERVICE SPOTLIGHT Save
$500 on Complete Click
Here for Resources
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Ready-To-Print
Brochures -- Take control of your marketing with these Ready-to-Print Motivational Brochures! Personalized with
Print small quantities on your office color printer, or at a "quick-copy" shop. For larger quantities, you can easily upload the file to one of the many online printers for fast, affordable color printing delivered to your door! (for one example see National Color Copy.) WHAT MAKES THESE DIFFERENT? You want a brochure that will
That's what these brochures deliver! And they make a beautiful color-coordinated display in your office (or the offices of your referral sources!). Most importantly, however, they are written to motivate clients, prospects and referral sources! Each brochure focuses on estate planning challenges helping professional advisors spot potential estate planning referrals, while motivating clients and prospects to move forward with their planning objectives to solve specific problems. PAY-AS-YOU-GO AFFORDABILITY! As an added bonus, they are AFFORDABLE & CONVENIENT. Pay once for the file, then print as many -- or as few -- as you need, when you need them. Preparing for an initial consultation with a business owner? Print one copy of "Business Owner Blues," and send it along with your pre-appointment package. Have you been asked to speak to a group of business owners? Upload your file to an online printer and have them printed, folded and delivered to your door in three days or less! COMPLETE
LIBRARY: $1,000 (save $500! -- NO SET UP FEE!) To purchase, click the ADD TO CART link below. ADD
TO CART -- $1,000 ALL |
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COMPANY NEWS Kyle
Krull Featured
Click
Here for Resources |
Kyle
Krull Featured Speaker for Sioux Falls IMS President, Kyle E. Krull, will be speaking on the topic of Blended Families, Blended Estates on October 19th for the Sioux Falls Estate Planning Council. For more information about the program, visit http://siouxfallsepc.org/page/165p/Program_Schedule.html. Kyle also wrote the copy for our brochure
on the same topic, Blended
Family Basics. About Kyle: Kyle Krull is the author and legal editor of all IMS publications, including Pocket Watch and SELECT newsletters. In addition, Kyle has written for and been quoted in a number of industry publications, including Trusts & Estates magazine, The National Law Journal, Lawyer's Weekly USA, Broker World, Kiplinger's Personal Finance, Wealth and Retirement Planner, Bankrate.com, The Business Journal of Kansas City and Ingram's. Kyle has provided continuing education instruction to fellow attorneys, accountants and financial professionals at local, state and national programs. Mr. Krull, a graduate of the University of Kansas and Washburn School of Law, is a member of the Bar Associations of Kansas, Missouri, Kansas City Metropolitan, and Johnson County, Kansas; The National Lawyers Association; The Christian Legal Society; The Christian Financial Professionals Network (Charter Member and CFPN CertifiedTM***); The Financial Planning Association; Editorial Review Board, Journal of Financial Planning. Kyle was a Captain in the US Army in Europe, and is a Certified Financial Planner practitioner and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst.
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Toll-Free
Phone: 1-877-352-2021• Fax: 1-877-352-2021 •
Email: bsi@carolnet.com Copyright © 2006 IMS. |
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