Announcing the "Tech Tools" Feature of State of Estates
The next iteration of the series on AI in estate planning
A Message from Griffin…
About Tech Tools
In much of my coverage on AI and its utility in estate planning, there has been a focus on not just telling but also “showing” - through images, and occasionally video. The attraction of AI isn’t always reflected in the practical ways it can assist, but instead in the stories of creativity where we observe how others are able to come up with innovative (and sometimes seemingly wild) ideas and observe in real time how AI is helping them improve the way they operate.
However, while AI can provide tools to assist us, it cannot always replace the human element. One must still be conscious of differentiation and connection, whether on an individual level or an organizational level. In the past I have developed tech tools for estate planning which were failures, because I falsely relied upon a Field of Dreams fallacy - that if “I build it, they will come.” One of the most difficult questions in any professional services arena relates to how we attract prospects, and this becomes even more challenging when we rely upon the traditional methods of prospecting and marketing.
Estate planning and wealth transfer, at the marketing and engagement level, will always be based on the ability to accurately convey information that meets prospects and clients where they are. It is often said that a picture is worth a thousand words, and perhaps that a video is worth a thousand pictures. Is there anything beyond, however, that could even improve upon video?
This is where AI comes in. While this newsletter has (and will continue to) focus on education of wealth transfer professionals like you, there is also utility in helping you to properly utilize and showcase your education in a manner that connects with clients. If video is a great solution, perhaps digital tools can be a stellar solution. AI can allow us to quickly develop custom, personalized tools that allow for tactile engagement and gamification of the client engagement and staff engagement process.
Hence why I have launched the “Tech Tools” feature of this website, which you can find as a tab up top in the navigation bar. This page will showcase the tech tools I develop, along with possibly showcasing tools developed by others. This is not just another tech map for major players in this space. It is designed to recognize what I believe is the next wave of AI - micro-development to create goldilocks solutions that are not always available in the broader tech market.
Paid subscribers will have access to the tools I develop, so if you wish to support my efforts to not just educate you but also to make your life easier, please consider a paid subscription. After paying for a subscription, if you are logged in to Substack, you will be able to access links to beta versions of various tools below the paywall on the “Tech Tools” page. With each tool, I will update versions over time while also providing opportunities for customization, white-labeling, and even private deployment on your part. To be clear, this is not a software subscription. This is just my way of sharing some of the work I am doing, in a raw and imperfect form.
Which brings me to my final point - please understand that there will be bugs and flaws in the various tools. I value your (kind and empathetic) feedback in spotting operational errors and opportunities for improvement. And if you would like to contribute your own projects or ideas, please reach out and we can discuss ways to work together.
Thank you for being a dedicated reader, and I look forward to further adding value for you and your professional practice.