Re: Probate questions - Posted by Rick, the Probate Guy
Posted by Rick, the Probate Guy on July 08, 2008 at 16:24:35:
Since I hang around attorneys a lot, I learned the following response: “It depends.”
Frankly, I would just accept that there is no magic letter formula, nor will one successful campaign always work again if unchanged.
There’s always a tradeoff between mass-produced but cheap to mail, and highly personalized, time-consuming and expensive to mail pieces. I’ve never settled on any one system.
For you, I think it will depend on how many letters you intend to send out, how frequently, and whether you are going to hand address the carrier (envelope) yourself or pay someone else to do it. If you’re going to do it, you will eventually poop out and it won’t get done. I am a master procrastinator myself and would do a seminar on the topic, but I keep putting that off, too.
I’ve received some nice, typewritten pieces and some pretty cruddy handwritten stuff, too.
Forget guru’s, forget the experts, because sometimes it’s just better writing a letter like you would to a long lost cousin. Write like you talk. Keep it brief. Don’t get too personal. If you didn’t know the decedent, your letter shouldn’t suggest that you’re all torn up over their passing away. Acknowledge the death, keep it dignified, short and sweet. Forget condolence cards, too.
The simple truth is, in the great majority of time that I see someone has filed a probate case, they’re thinking about the stuff as much, or more than, the grief. Also, usually by the time you’re pull data from the court records, quite a few months (or more) have elapsed and the sting of grief, if ever present, has faded.
I would merely inquire as what plans, if any, they have for the property, and that you are interested in purchasing it should they ever consider selling.
The direct mailer’s mantra is: Test, Test, Test!
That’s about it.