Do you read newsletters from your accountant or financial advisor? Unlikely. Your clients probably skip past that mass e-newsletter you send every so often as well. They can tell it’s just generic content sent to a bunch of people on a list. Occasionally, they may see a story that catches their interest, but most newsletters get ignored.
What if instead of a long list of boring headlines about new IRS rules, your accountant sent you an interesting article that pertains to you as a business owner? You might like that. And you would probably feel like your CPA cares about what matters to you.
If you use ClientCircle, you know that we have a unique approach to newsletters. One of our features, Client Connect, helps agents stay in touch with their customers by sending them personalized content from around the web—content the agent has selected and approved. You can learn more about how it works in this blog post.
Client Connect has many content libraries from which you can choose your stories. From tips for homeowners to content for business owners, we have it covered. But in case you want to build a library from scratch, here are some tips.
1. Check the source
Link to reputable sources only, regardless of the topic. You want to make sure any information you share is reliable and accurate. Choose content from well-established publications and organizations. If you blog about insurance or use content from your carriers, that’s always a great place to start.
2. Read it
Watch the whole video/read the whole story before adding it to your library. You’ll want to make sure the content you’re sending has accurate information and doesn’t contain links to competing products and services. Check the date, too. It’s best to not share content that’s more than 1-2 years old, depending on the topic.
3. Determine longevity
Decide if each piece of content will stand the test of time. You’ll want to choose evergreen stories that will be relevant for a while. For example, tips on how to create an emergency kit for your car are likely to remain true long-term, but information about a specific winter weather event happening now is better suited for a one-off targeted email.
4. Pretend you’re the client
When reviewing the content you want to add to your library, pretend you’re the customer and determine if you’d enjoy it or find it useful. Remember to segment your stories by customer groups. Things that business owners care about are probably entirely uninteresting to your retired clients who love to travel.
5. Provide context
Although not necessary, consider adding a short sentence for each piece of content you’re adding to your library. It only takes a second but truly helps make each email feel more personalized and authentic to your customers.
6. Review every few months
Remember to spend a few minutes reviewing your library every couple of months. Remove stories that are no longer relevant and add new ones to keep your library current.
And if you’re thinking, “I don’t have time to search for the perfect article for each of my customers,” don’t worry. ClientCircle has many libraries of articles to choose from, categorized by topic, ready to go. We’ll even help you build the right lists to automate specific articles to segments of your book of business.