The Five-Step Approach to Superior Client Newsletters

But wait. Why are you sending this?

Before you start dreaming up your next email, let’s pause to decide what type of email you’re going to send and why.

There are four main types of emails for your marketing strategy:

• Relationship-building emails: You’re a person in the business of helping people. But before you can help people you need to gain – or keep – their trust. Your client or prospect has invited you into their inbox, which is a big deal. These emails nurture that relationship.

• Authority-building emails: You’re intelligent and accomplished and that’s part of the reason clients hire you. Authority-building emails help you remind them of your expertise. These aren’t over the top; these emails simply provide valuable insights and help your prospective, and current, clients feel in the know. Your authority isn’t just about you.

• Problem-solving emails: Your clients and prospects have problems. You are hired as their solution. Notice a trend that people are struggling with? It’s a perfect topic for a problem-solving email.

• Action-taking emails: Ah, the money maker. These emails lead your client to take direct action. Technically all of your emails should have some call-to-action, but the sole purpose of these emails is to move someone to action. That action could be scheduling a check-in or referring a new client.

Step 2: Who cares?

Before you get excited to send an email, let’s take a quick pause to ask yourself, “Who is going to care about this?”

When you’re surrounded by like-minded financial professionals, it can be easy to get excited about the latest news – “Since 1980 the S&P has had 26 market corrections!”

This is a great topic to talk about in your email, but it has to be written in a way your clients care about.

Step 3: Ditch lack-luster subject lines

Subject lines that are ”eh” go straight into the trash.

Instead of: “Did you miss my blog post this week?”

Try: “Here are the must-know details to make the most of your Employee Stock Purchase program”

Instead of: “Money thoughts for the week”

Try: “What should you do when the stock market goes down?”

Step 4: Infuse personality

The subject line got them to open your email. Now, how do you keep them reading?

Make it feel like they’re talking with their trusted advisor.

The best way to make your clients, or prospects, feel like you’re talking to them is to infuse your personality into the email.

My personality is conversational, and relaxed, but people tell me I come across as whip-smart. I want to be your friend as well as your partner who is going to get you results.

Some of my clients prefer to have a more formal personality in their writing. That works too.

Step 5: Consistency

The final step is to establish consistency in your communication. Are they going to hear from you every week? Every month? Creating a consistent schedule helps people know what to expect, when to look for your emails and to open, read and take action.

Maybe you decide to send a market recap at the end of each month. Or you send bi-weekly tips that readers can incorporate into their daily life.

Use these five steps when you write your next email. Notice any difference? Shoot me an email to let me know.

Jordan Fromholz is the co-founder of The Worth Project Consulting. A content marketing firm who helps financial advisors differentiate themselves and build trust with the right messaging, copy, and content. He started his career as a professional chemical engineer and earned his MBA from Duke University. He now takes a data-driven approach to content marketing.

Read more articles by Jordan Fromholz