With over 1,700 members the Society has firmly cemented itself as not only the largest, but also the leading self-regulatory body for professional Will Writers and Estate Planners through our involvement within the industry and benefits which we offer to our members. Each member pays an annual subscription to the Society which grants them access to these benefits as well as industry leading support. But what support do we actually offer?
Training:
The College of Will Writing was founded shortly after the Society in 1995 to provide training to anyone entering and those already within the profession. Our dedicated training facility was opened in 2013 at the Society’s head office in Lincoln and each year we see hundreds of students pass through the doors every year. We currently boast a wide selection of courses covering everything from the basics to advanced Will Writing, including tax, trusts, software and even business development, all in varying complexities.
However, the College is not exclusive to our members. In fact, we actively encourage those from all professions to come and study with us. Whether you’re looking to add additional services to your business, retrain or even if you’re looking for a complete career transition we will have a course suited to your needs. Discounts are available on all our courses for Society members, inclusive of all membership grades.
Visit www.collegewillwriting.co.uk to browse our full range of courses and to book today.
Technical Advice:
Arguably one of the biggest benefits, if not the biggest benefit of being a full member of the Society is our technical advice. At any point you can email your query into us at [email protected], and a trained advisor will provide you with a written response within 48 hours. Often a response is delivered much quicker, however, depending on the volume of technical queries and the complexity of each individual query we impose a 48-hour timeframe to ensure that the advisors have enough time to conduct any necessary research required to provide an answer. There are no charges for our advice except where a specialist third party is required or a full will checking service is needed, in which case you will be notified before any action is taken.
For a full guide to our technical advice, please see the following article: https://www.willwriters.com/my-account/technical-help-support-advice/
Software Support:
This goes hand-in-hand with technical advice. If you’re a Sure Will Writer – Professional Will Suite user, you can get as much help on our drafting software as you need by using the support options that are available to you. The software has a built-in user guide, selection of help videos as well as a ‘request help’ button, all of which are found under the support tab. We also offer telephone support between 1pm-3pm, Monday-Friday during which time you can call us and we’ll talk you through any software related issues that you may be having.
As an additional bonus, your licence also gives you access to 6 free Will checks which can be redeemed against any Will produced using the software. If you haven’t yet trialled Sure Will Writer, you can get 14 days free access here: www.surewillwriter.com
Stationery and Marketing Material
The Society can offer you a range of bespoke design services for things such as company stationery, websites and marketing material. We also have a suite of leaflets each geared towards different aspects of estate planning, such as Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney, guardians and property advice, just to name a few. All of these leaflets can be personalised and printed for you, or we can provide them to you with blank sections for you to stamp or stick on your own branding. All our pre-made literature is covered under out set pricing however if you’re looking for something more bespoke, we charge a competitive hourly fee and will quote you a price based on the time needed. Our stationery order form has all the details – simply complete and return to us and we’ll take care of the rest.
Websites
In an age where we increasingly turn to the likes of Google to find products and services, not having a website could potentially be your biggest downfall. The Society has teamed up with Oakweb Design to provide a low-cost solution to this problem. You can choose whether you want to select one of the website styles available or have a completely bespoke website. Whichever you choose, you are assured of a fast and efficient service with a high level of ongoing support.
Full details can be found here: www.oakwebdesign.com/sww
Regional Groups
The Society has 20 active regional groups which meet throughout the year. Some meet monthly, some bi-monthly and some once a quarter. Society Regional Groups are such a valuable resource as they often bring in engaging industry speakers, as well as representatives from the Society’s head office and partner companies. You also get chance to meet and network with other members, discuss topics and issues within the industry and get support on queries you’re having. CPD is awarded for attending regional groups, and they charge a maximum of £10 per meeting, except East Midlands which charge £15 for the inclusion of a hot lunch. We can also organise training courses for your regional group so if there are any courses you would like you should speak to your regional chair about this and they will be able to arrange this with us.
So that’s a quick roundup of how we can help. If you’re not making use of the Society’s support, now is the time to start!
What’s your favourite Society benefit? Tell us in the comment section below!
