15 Marketing Ideas for Estate Planners That Actually Work

Marketing an estate planning business is fundamentally different from marketing most other services. Your clients are not browsing for a product they want — they are looking for help with something they know they need but have been putting off. That means your marketing needs to be visible, trustworthy, and reassuring rather than flashy or pushy.

Whether you are a newly qualified will writer building your first client base or an established estate planner looking to grow, these 15 marketing strategies have been proven to work in the UK market. We have seen estate planners across the country use these techniques to build thriving businesses, and every single one can be implemented without a massive budget.

1. Optimise for Local SEO

When someone searches "will writer near me" or "estate planner in [your town]," you need to appear in the results. Local SEO is arguably the most important long-term marketing investment you can make.

Start with the basics:

• Make sure your website includes your location on every page — in the title tags, headings, and body text.
• Create separate pages for each area you serve. If you cover multiple towns, a dedicated page for each one will help you rank for location-specific searches.
• Include your full business name, address, and phone number (known as NAP) consistently across your website and all online directories.
• Register with local directories like Yell, Thomson Local, and Yelp.

Local SEO takes time to produce results, but it generates free, ongoing enquiries from people actively looking for your service. For tips on building an effective estate planning website, see our guide on how to become a will writer.

2. Set Up and Optimise Your Google Business Profile

Your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is often the first thing potential clients see when they search for you. It appears in the map pack at the top of search results and displays your reviews, opening hours, contact details, and photos.

To get the most out of it:

• Complete every section of your profile, including services, business description, and service area.
• Upload professional photos of yourself, your office (if you have one), and any relevant imagery.
• Post updates regularly — Google rewards active profiles with better visibility.
• Respond to every review, whether positive or negative.
• Ask satisfied clients to leave reviews. This is the single biggest factor in ranking well in the map pack.

3. Run Targeted Facebook Ads

Facebook advertising remains one of the most cost-effective ways to reach potential estate planning clients. The platform's targeting capabilities allow you to get very specific about who sees your ads.

The most effective targeting for estate planners typically includes:

• Age: 40 and above (this is when most people start thinking seriously about wills)
• Location: Within a 15-25 mile radius of your base
• Interests: Homeowners, parents, grandparents, retirement planning
• Life events: Recently married, recently had a child, recently moved house

Keep your ads simple and direct. A clear message like "Do you have a will? 60% of UK adults don't. Protect your family from just £150" with a link to a landing page or contact form tends to work well. Budget £5-10 per day to start and test different ad copy and images to see what performs best.

4. Use LinkedIn for Professional Networking

LinkedIn is an underused goldmine for estate planners. It is not about selling directly — it is about building relationships with professionals who can refer clients to you.

Connect with financial advisers, accountants, mortgage brokers, and solicitors in your area. Share useful content about estate planning, comment on their posts, and position yourself as the go-to expert in your field. Over time, these connections turn into reliable referral sources.

5. Build Referral Partnerships

Referral partnerships are the lifeblood of many successful estate planning businesses. The principle is simple: you build relationships with professionals whose clients also need your services, and you refer clients to each other.

The best referral partners for estate planners include:

• Financial advisers: Their clients are already thinking about planning for the future. A will and LPA naturally complement financial advice.
• Accountants: Business owners, in particular, need estate planning advice. Accountants see these clients regularly.
• Funeral directors: They often speak with families who realise too late that their loved one did not have a will. Many funeral directors are happy to display your leaflets or recommend your services.
• Mortgage brokers: First-time buyers and people moving house are prime candidates for will writing.
• Care home managers: Families dealing with elderly relatives often need Lasting Powers of Attorney urgently.

Approach these professionals with a clear proposition: you will refer clients to them, and in return, you would appreciate referrals back. A formal referral agreement is ideal, but even informal arrangements can generate a steady stream of enquiries.

6. Give Talks at Community Groups

Local community groups are always looking for speakers, and estate planning is a topic that genuinely interests people. Rotary clubs, Women's Institutes, church groups, U3A branches, and retirement groups are all excellent venues.

Offer a free 30-minute talk on "Why You Need a Will" or "Protecting Your Family with Powers of Attorney." Keep it educational rather than salesy. At the end, hand out business cards and offer a free initial consultation. Estate planners who do community talks regularly report that each talk typically generates between three and ten new enquiries.

7. Use Leaflet Drops Strategically

Leaflet drops still work, but only if you do them strategically. Blanket-dropping 10,000 leaflets across a wide area is expensive and generates a low response rate. Instead, target specific areas:

• Residential streets with family homes (not student areas or commercial zones)
• New housing developments where people have recently moved
• Areas with a higher proportion of older residents

Your leaflet should be simple, professional, and include a clear call to action. Something like "Free will review — call today" with your phone number and website is more effective than cramming in every detail about your services.

8. Advertise in Local Newspapers and Magazines

Local newspapers and community magazines may seem old-fashioned, but their readership demographic perfectly matches the estate planning audience. People aged 50 and above are still avid readers of local print publications.

A small classified ad or a quarter-page display ad in your local newspaper can generate enquiries at a reasonable cost. If you can write a regular column on estate planning topics, even better — this positions you as an authority and keeps your name in front of potential clients every week or month.

9. Build an Email List and Send Regular Newsletters

Email marketing is one of the most cost-effective channels available. Start collecting email addresses from your website visitors, past clients, and networking contacts. Then send a monthly newsletter with useful estate planning tips, changes in legislation, and gentle reminders about your services.

Keep your emails short, useful, and personal. Topics that work well include:

• Changes to inheritance tax thresholds
• The importance of reviewing your will after major life events
• Common estate planning mistakes to avoid
• Case studies (anonymised) showing how proper planning helped families

10. Start Content Marketing and Blogging

A blog on your website serves two purposes: it improves your SEO by adding keyword-rich content that Google can index, and it demonstrates your expertise to potential clients who find your site.

Write about the questions your clients ask most frequently. Topics like "do you need qualifications to write wills," "what happens if you die without a will," and "how much does a will cost" are all highly searched terms that you can rank for with well-written blog posts.

Aim for one new post per month at minimum. Consistency matters more than volume.

11. Participate in Charity Will Schemes

Charity will schemes, such as those run during Free Wills Month (typically March and October), connect will writers with people who want to make a will and include a charitable gift. The charity covers your fee, and you gain a new client who may also want LPAs, trusts, or other services.

These schemes are a fantastic way to build your client base, gain experience, and build relationships with charities that may continue to refer clients to you year-round. Many estate planners report that charity will scheme clients frequently purchase additional services.

12. Join Networking Groups

Business networking groups like BNI (Business Network International) and 4Networking provide structured opportunities to build referral relationships. In most groups, only one person from each profession is allowed, which means you become the go-to estate planner for every member of the group.

The most successful networkers are those who focus on giving referrals first. When you consistently refer business to other members, they reciprocate. A good networking group can generate anywhere from two to ten client referrals per month.

The average BNI member generates over £20,000 in referral business per year. For estate planners, this can be even higher because the service is universally needed and the average transaction value is significant.

13. Collect and Showcase Client Testimonials

Social proof is enormously powerful in estate planning. People want to know that others have had a positive experience before entrusting someone with their most important legal documents.

After every completed appointment, ask your client if they would be willing to leave a review on Google or provide a written testimonial for your website. Make it easy for them — send a follow-up email with a direct link to your Google review page.

Display your best testimonials prominently on your website's homepage and create a dedicated testimonials page. If possible, include the client's first name and location to add authenticity.

14. Use the Willo Lead Marketplace

If you want clients quickly without waiting months for SEO and networking to produce results, the Willo lead marketplace is the most cost-effective option available. Leads cost just £5 each — a fraction of what you would pay through other lead generation services.

Each lead is a genuine enquiry from someone in your area who wants to make a will or set up powers of attorney. At £5 per lead, you only need to convert one in ten to make a significant profit. Most estate planners using the marketplace report conversion rates well above that.

For a deeper look at lead generation strategies, read our complete guide to will writing leads.

15. Optimise Your Website for Conversions

Having a website is not enough — it needs to convert visitors into enquiries. Many estate planners have perfectly decent websites that generate almost no leads because they lack basic conversion elements.

Make sure your website includes:

• A clear call to action above the fold: Visitors should see a phone number, contact form, or "Get a Quote" button without having to scroll.
• Your phone number in the header: Many estate planning clients prefer to call rather than fill in a form, especially older clients.
• Social proof: Display Google reviews, testimonials, and any professional memberships prominently.
• Service pages: Dedicated pages for each service (wills, LPAs, trusts) with clear pricing information.
• Mobile responsiveness: Over 60% of web traffic now comes from mobile devices. If your site does not work well on a phone, you are losing potential clients.
• Fast loading speed: If your website takes more than three seconds to load, many visitors will leave before it finishes.

Putting It All Together

You do not need to implement all 15 strategies at once. Start with the ones that suit your budget and personality, then add more as your business grows. A sensible starting plan might look like this:

1. Month 1: Set up your Google Business Profile, start collecting reviews, and sign up for the Willo lead marketplace for immediate enquiries.
2. Month 2: Optimise your website for local SEO and begin approaching potential referral partners.
3. Month 3: Start a blog, join a networking group, and test Facebook ads with a small budget.
4. Ongoing: Build on what works, drop what does not, and consistently ask for reviews and referrals.

The estate planners who build the most successful businesses are those who combine multiple marketing channels rather than relying on just one. Diversification protects your business and ensures a steady flow of new clients regardless of seasonal fluctuations or changes in any single channel.

For comprehensive training on building an estate planning business from scratch, visit Become an Estate Planner. And for industry news, software updates, and more marketing tips, explore the rest of our blog.