You’ve outlined a business plan and defined your target. You’ve crafted a mission statement, a vision statement and spent time fine-tuning your “elevator” message. So how do you go about practice building? It’s time to begin creating your legal marketing kit, the tools that will help position you for success.
Think of your marketing kit as a real extension of you. It should be both personal and professional. The kit may serve as the “Hello” before you’ve ever had the chance to meet face-to-face. Or it may be the “Hope to see you again soon” after your first encounter. In either case, an effective legal marketing kit will provide your prospect with two things of value. First, it sets up the opportunity for a relationship, introducing you and helping the prospect understand what you do and why you care. Second, it serves as a roadmap, showing exactly how you can help them and others who are important in their life.
Whether your targeting prospective clients or prospective referral sources in your practice building strategy, a good marketing kit should be able to answer three basic questions: 1) Who are you? (Introduction) 2) What do you have to offer me? (Purpose) 3) How do you do what you do? (Process).
1) Introduction (WHO?) Start with your biography, but make it more than just a list of academic achievements and professional credentials. Include a photo of yourself, of course, but don’t stop there. Paint them a picture: What drew you to estate planning? Why are you passionate about the work you do? What other passions and interests occupy your time?
2) Purpose (WHAT?) Share your dream: your mission, your vision and over-arching purpose. Start with the big picture (dream), but then drill down to specific benefits and advantages you offer that are meaningful to them – ex., financial health, security, peace of mind, legacy, client opportunities (for referral sources), etc. For the marketing kit designed for referral sources, be sure to clearly outline your business plan, your practice areas, a description of your ideal client, etc. This will help the source understand where the joint opportunities may lie and how much collaboration is possible.
3) Process (HOW?) Explain your work approach, especially as it pertains to getting started with a new client. This is where the estate planning questionnaire form should be included. Is there something in your approach that’s a bit special, something about the way you work that your clients really appreciate? Be sure to include that here as well.
Once your marketing materials have been printed, assemble and present them in an attractive package (ex. a well-designed, pocketed folder, branded to your firm). Whatever form you choose, the package should say to the recipient “Open me. You really need to see what’s inside.”
A thoughtful, well-produced marketing kit can speak volumes. It says to your prospects: “I put a great deal of time and effort into creating this kit. I will put the same level of care and attention into serving you.” Take your legal marketing efforts to new levels with our one-of-a-kind practice building tools, resources, coaching, and mentoring programs.
