The Challenge
The UK estate planning sector is highly timing-sensitive. Changes to tax legislation can quickly alter how estates are structured, often catching families off guard. As the Autumn 2025 Budget approached, speculation around inheritance tax reform — including possible adjustments to thresholds and exemptions — created both uncertainty and opportunity.
The client recognised that many clients had not updated their wills for years, meaning their plans might no longer reflect current tax realities or family circumstances. Yet, awareness of the urgency to review estate plans was low.
The firm wanted to achieve three clear goals:
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Educate clients and prospects about the potential impact of the upcoming Budget on their estates.
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Encourage timely action — writing or reviewing wills before any legislative change.
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Convert awareness into booked consultations and new client engagements.
However, reaching the right audience organically — without relying on paid advertising — required a strategic, content-driven approach capable of cutting through digital noise while maintaining a professional and reassuring tone.
The Solution
Stonehouse Communications developed and executed a comprehensive organic marketing campaign combining content, social, email, and print activity over a six-month period leading up to the Budget. The campaign was designed to move audiences from awareness to action — culminating in direct appointment bookings.
1. Educational Blog Series
We began by creating a three-part blog series for the website, addressing key audience pain points and offering clear, practical advice:
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“Why You Should Review Your Will Before the Autumn Budget” – outlining how potential inheritance tax changes could affect families.
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“Are You at Risk of Paying More Inheritance Tax Than You Should?” – identifying the types of estates likely to be impacted.
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“How to Protect Your Family’s Inheritance in 2025 and Beyond” – providing actionable steps and promoting Will Protect’s consultation services.
Each article was carefully optimised for SEO, using targeted keywords around inheritance tax, wills, and estate planning review. The blogs positioned Will Protect as a trusted expert while driving readers to take action via integrated calendar booking links placed prominently throughout each article.
2. Targeted Email Campaign
Next, we launched a segmented email campaign aimed at both existing clients and new leads in the database.
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For existing clients, the message was clear: “When did you last review your will?” — a gentle prompt to book a complimentary review.
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For new prospects, we focused on education: explaining potential IHT changes and encouraging readers to act before it’s too late.
Emails linked directly to the campaign blogs and included the same booking call-to-action, allowing recipients to schedule a free consultation in just two clicks. The use of personalised subject lines and urgency-driven messaging (“Don’t wait until the Budget announcement”) helped achieve high open and click-through rates.
3. Social Media Activation
Stonehouse created a suite of social media posts for LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, sharing excerpts from the blogs and bite-sized insights about inheritance tax changes. These posts were designed to spark curiosity and engagement, using simple, relatable language and strong visual consistency.
Key tactics included:
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Scheduling posts around key Budget speculation dates.
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Using carousels and infographics to simplify complex topics.
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Encouraging followers to “book a review before changes take effect.”
The result was a steady flow of traffic to the Will Protect website and a noticeable increase in organic engagement from both existing followers and new audiences.
4. Direct Mail Campaign
Recognising the importance of reaching homeowners who may not be as digitally active, we complemented the online campaign with a targeted postcard mailing. The design echoed the online messaging — “Will your will still protect your family after the Budget?” — and included a QR code and web link to book an appointment directly.
This tangible reminder reinforced brand credibility and trust, especially among older demographics more accustomed to printed materials.
5. Conversion and Lead Management
To ensure no leads were missed, Stonehouse embedded HubSpot calendar booking links across all campaign materials — blogs, emails, and landing pages — allowing immediate scheduling into Will Protect’s consultation calendar. Each booking triggered confirmation emails and reminders, ensuring a smooth client experience.
This integration created a frictionless path from content engagement to booked appointment — turning awareness into tangible business results.
In just 6–12 months, Stonehouse Communications’ work with Censeo Financial delivered significant operational improvements
The Results
Within the first month of launch, the campaign delivered measurable success across all channels:
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High engagement on all three blog articles, driving significant organic web traffic.
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Strong email performance, with above-average open and click-through rates for both client and prospect lists.
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Multiple new appointments booked directly from online and direct mail calls-to-action.
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Conversions from appointment to new client agreements demonstrating clear return on investment.
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Increased brand visibility — the client is now more prominently positioned as a leading voice on estate planning ahead of the Budget.
Importantly, the embedded calendar tool continues to capture new bookings weekly, ensuring momentum builds as public awareness of inheritance tax changes increases closer to the Budget date.
