Most people who make a will have been meaning to do it for years. Something finally prompts them: a new baby, a house purchase, a diagnosis, a friend's death or a holiday flight they cannot stop thinking about. They open a browser, usually late in the evening, and look for the cost.
What happens in the next two minutes decides whether they book or put it off for another year.
Step 1: publish fixed fees
Uncertainty about cost is the single biggest reason people delay. Publishing fixed fees for a single will, mirror wills for a couple and the more complex options removes the fear of an open-ended bill. If some situations need a bespoke quote, say which ones and why.
Step 2: explain what the process involves
People imagine something long and formal. Explaining the actual steps, such as an initial appointment, a draft to review, then signing with witnesses, makes it feel manageable. Saying how long it usually takes from first appointment to signed will helps them plan.
Step 3: keep the first contact short
A first enquiry needs a name, a contact method and a rough idea of what they want. Nothing more. Asking about assets, children or health at first contact feels intrusive and stops people in their tracks. The principle is covered in keeping confidential details out of first contact.
Step 4: offer appointment options
Offering daytime, evening and remote appointments matters, because many people cannot take time off work for something they have already delayed for years. Home visits matter too, especially for older or less mobile clients.
Step 5: capture it in conversation
SpideyChat for law firms answers fee and process questions from your own pages at any hour and captures appointment requests with only the details you need, following the approach in quote requests captured with everything you need.
Visitor: How much does it cost to make a will? Assistant: The fees page lists a fixed fee for a single will and for mirror wills for a couple, with the more complex options priced separately. Appointments are available during the day, in the evening and remotely. Would you like to leave a name and the best way to reach you, so the team can arrange a time?
Step 6: run conflict checks properly
Couples, families and executors can create conflicts. Capturing names at the start lets the firm check before any advice is given, as described in conflict checks start with the first enquiry.
Step 7: answer the related questions
People asking about wills often also ask about lasting powers of attorney, probate and inheritance tax. Explaining the services offered, without advising on their situation, lets them see the whole picture.
Weekends and evenings
Almost nobody thinks about their will during the working day. Weekend and evening enquiries dominate, the pattern described in the weekend enquiry problem.
Never advise online
Whether someone needs a trust, how to deal with a business interest or how to protect a property share are advice questions. The website can say what services exist and nothing more.
Sensitivity
Some enquiries follow a diagnosis or a death. Short, kind sentences and no sales language are what these visitors need.
Getting started
Publish fixed fees, explain the steps and keep the first contact to a name and a contact method. Try SpideyChat on your own site, or read about capture on the features page.