Today’s Wills and Probate were delighted to attend 27th AGM & Willwriting Academy Conference hosted by the Institute of Professional Willwriters (IPW) and the Institute of Scottish Professional Willwriters (ISPW).
Alongside our publishers Solve Legal Marketing, we were excited to be able to enjoy the event across both days, maximising our opportunity to hear from high profile speakers from within the sector, as well as spend time speaking to a range of professionals.
The annual event is an important date in the Wills and Probate calendar, providing the perfect platform for those in the sector to obtain an insight into legislative developments, issues which could impact the market as well as challenges which professionals are facing. What’s more, as we found, the Conference is the perfect opportunity to actually speak to likeminded people in the profession, whether this be about addressing certain challenges or boosting business exposure. We all know just how isolating the Wills and Probate Sector can be, so it’s great that events like this allow us to engage and interact with those in the same boat.
Wednesday marked the beginning of the Conference, and as we arrived, it was clear that everyone was eager to get started.
The day begun with Golden Charter, discussing how funeral plans could be an effective way for professionals to unlock a valuable business stream. In our sector, branching out is a great way to increase enquiries, not to mention that it can increase your target audience by a significant degree.
Next up were Kings Court Trust, who shared real life stories with attendees. Whilst it was incredibly interesting to hear about the dangers of DIY estate administration, it also highlighted the importance of prioritising the consumer, not to mention the devastating impact that an ineffective Will can have.
We then heard a really informative talk from the Wilkes Partnership, who shared key points to look out for when drafting a Will. Though we all strive to ensure that the quality of our service is high, it’s incredibly easy to overlook certain things, particularly when they become a habit. This is why it’s always a good idea to review the way we do things from time to time; as well ensuring the standard of our work is consistent, it also improves processes on a long-term basis.
The afternoon concluded with an interesting talk on Lifetime Trusts from Taylor Rose TTKW. For clients, it can be difficult to work out what kind of trust they need. Taking the time to develop a detailed understanding of their circumstances as well as what they’re looking to achieve can help you reach a solution which works for them.
Day 1 of the Conference was well received, a sentiment expressed by James Hadley of Kingsguard Legal. He said: “The first day of the Conference was both friendly and informative. It was good to hear some great talks covering a variety of important topics for Willwriters to consider.”
Also sharing his thoughts on the day was Trevor Coles of Private Will Services LLP. He said: “Yesterday was a great start to the 2018 IPW AGM, with interesting presentations on asset protection, estate management, capacity and funeral plans. All were linked by the common thread of helping families to avoid the potential pitfalls, and of course, all cheerfully hosted by Dennis Gardener, Chairman of the IPW.”
Once the day event had concluded, attendees met once more for a drinks reception and dinner, followed by a light hearted and entertaining talk from Lisa Watts of Solve Legal Marketing. The engaging session, which centred around a marketing themed version of ‘Play Your Cards Right’, drew attention to the importance of an effective marketing plan, not to mention the significant benefits it can bring to a business. Christopher Davies of Bamboozle UK, the IPW’s charity for 2018, also delivered a talk during the evening, explaining just how much of a difference the funds raised can have on the children it helps.
Commenting on the after dinner session, Trevor Coles stated: “The evening had a light headed but insightful game on online marketing entitled ‘Marketing – play your cards right’ by Lisa Watts from Solve Legal Marketing. At the close of the session, we were shown the impact that Bamboozle, IPW 2018 charity, has had in improving the quality of life for disabled children.”
Whilst Day 1 had certainly had a packed agenda, there was even more scheduled for the Conference’s second day, beginning with a talk from Geoffrey Shindler OBE.
Highly insightful, this covered a range of key issues currently facing the profession, with a focus on trusts and Lasting Powers of Attorney. Whilst the applications for these have grown over the past few years, there remains a lack of awareness around just how useful they can be for clients and their families. A real highlight of the talk was the case law updates which Geoffrey provided, especially when it came to learning how they can be applied in practice.
Commenting on the progress of the day, IPW Chairman Dennis Gardener said: “It has been great to have such a positive vibe from the best professionals in the country, both interacting and sharing so much over the last day and a half.”
Following the insightful session from Geoffrey, it was then time for the IPW/ISPW Annual General Meeting, looking at the organisation as it stands as well as where it’s set to go moving forward.
Sitting in on the meeting, what’s clear is just how important the IPW’s members are to the organisation; after all, it is the members who have ownership. The tone remained thoroughly positive throughout, with a focus on the growth of the organisation since last year, in terms of both sector awareness and member numbers.
A key announcement made was the inclusion of specialised Marketing Workshops within the IPW training course programme, delivered by our publishers, Solve Legal Marketing.
Failing to communicate the quality of Will Writing services to the consumer is one of the most common reasons why practitioners fail to generate enquiries. If a business isn’t informing prospective clients why they should use you to write a Will, why would they?
A key part of any successful business plan, good marketing can be the difference between struggling to encourage interest in services and obtaining genuine enquiries with minimal effort. As well as helping delegates build their knowledge and get to grips with core marketing practices, the workshops aim to provide them with a practical and workable plan tailored to their business.
Karen Babington of Solve Legal Marketing said: “We were delighted that IPW announced the introduction of practical marketing workshops into their training programme for the benefit of IPW members. Four dates and locations have been announced to date.”
If you’d like to register for one of these workshops or to find out further information on these workshops please click here.
After lunch, it was time to hear the highly-anticipated talk from Professor Lesley King. With a focus on the current issues in will drafting, the session explored a range of complex issues professionals face when delivering a will, as well as practical advice on how to work around them.
The final talk of the day focussed on perhaps the most topical challenge facing the legal sector at present: the General Data Protection Regulation. Set to be implemented in just two month’s time, there is an air of panic where preparation is concerned, something which was certainly picked up on by presenter Mel Blackmore. Whilst it’s important that professionals are ready for the new legislation, the implementation date should be seen as an opportunity for change rather than a deadline. A cultural shift in attitude to risk will not only ensure a professional is compliant, but it will also prepare them for potential changes and developments in digitisation later down the line.
Whilst it’s difficult to believe that this key annual event is now over, it’s safe to say that the Today’s Wills and Probate team learned a lot over the past few days. We’re already looking forward to next year!
