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The first meeting in the fact-finding process, the opening meeting, is generally a short 20- to 30-minute meeting during which you build rapport, sell yourself, and inform the prospect about the estate shrinkage problem.

The objective of this meeting is to get the prospect's agreement to proceed with the estate planning process by providing you with the information needed to prepare an estate analysis. This means that, as a result of this meeting, the prospect must then agree to an information gathering meeting. At the conclusion of the opening meeting, you should explain to the prospect the information and documents he or she must have available at the next meeting.

During the opening meeting, you might use your Estate Planning Binder to:

  • Build Rapport

  • Sell Yourself

  • Describe the Estate Transfer Process

  • Illustrate the Estate Shrinkage Problem

  • Reach Agreement on the Prospect's Need for Estate Planning.

You might also want to present the Estate Planning PowerPoint presentation, which is available through ON-Net. Designed to disturb and educate clients and prospects about estate planning issues, this comprehensive slideshow, complete with a recommended script, covers basic to advanced estate planning concepts.

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Ohio National is not affiliated with, nor does it endorse or sponsor, any particular prospecting, marketing or selling system.

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