Standardized Email Increases Client Engagement

© 2014 Penheel Marke0ng

Standardized Emails Why. How. When.

By: Becky Livingston President & CEO

Penheel Marketing


Why? •  Increases produc0vity •  Eradicates “wall of text” formaDng •  Includes next steps for clients to complete •  Provides clear call-‐to-‐ac0on for clients


How? •  Gree$ng. Make it short, to the point, and informa0ve. One to two sentences is enough.

•  Bullets. Leverage a bullet list to keep content short. Consider links to content on our website for more informa0on.

•  Next Steps. Also in a bullet format, describe the ac0ons/next steps you or the client should take to move forward.

•  Call to Ac$on. In one or two sentences, describe to the client what he/she needs to provide for you to con0nue with next steps.

•  Closing. Sign off with your firm’s tag line or standard closing statement. Be sure to include any social media links to your firm’s profiles or company pages.


Example – 5500 Filing Deadline Subject: 5500 Filing Deadline Looming -‐ Your Ac0on Needed Date: July 1, XXXX Dear [Firstname], [Gree$ng]We would like to remind you that the July 31, IRS Form 5500 Annual Return/Report of Employee Benefit Plans is looming. Remember to file your company forms on 0me to sa0sfy annual repor0ng requirements under ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code.


Example – 5500 Filing Deadline, cont. [Bullets] Important Tips • Who should file? Pension and welfare benefit plans must to report their financial condi0on, investments, and opera0ons. •  The 5500 Form must be filed electronically through EFAST2. •  The 5500 Short Form is for plans with fewer than 100 par0cipants. •  Form 5558 is for an extension on Forms 5500, 5500-‐SF, 5500-‐EZ, 8955-‐SSA, and 5330.


Example – 5500 Filing Deadline, cont. [Next Steps] Next Steps: We encourage you to prepare for the repor0ng sooner rather than later by: • Watching the Forms 5500, 5500-‐SF, and 5558 filing 0ps video. •  Reading the frequently asked ques0ons document about the EFAST2 filing process. •  Reviewing the 0ps for avoiding errors when reques0ng an extension.


Example – 5500 Filing Deadline, cont. [Call to Ac$on] Ac$on Item Please call us within the next week to schedule a convenient Form Filing mee0ng. Please share this informa0on with our staff that may benefit from the informa0on. [Closing] We look forward to working with you on this important deadline. Sincerely, Partners Name!Partner Alpha Beta Certa CPAs Follow Us! [insert social media icons/links]


Email Example Review In the example, we are no0fying clients about a looming Employee Benefit Plan Form 5500 filing deadline. We share: •  Why the message is being sent; •  Important 0ps about the filing; •  Next steps, giving recipients easy access to informa0on they need;

•  A call to ac0on, so the recipient knows what is expected of him/her;

•  A closing with our firm’s standard closing line; and •  Signature, with links to social media to help inform clients of our online channels.


Additional Tips Consider your subject line -‐ talk about the candy, not the wrapper. Example: “Avoid Penal0es With These Form 5500 Tips” and “5500 Deadlines Looming – Tips to Prepare” Both subject lines will get good open rates due the “nega0ve” term used in each. They also use the keyword term “5500”, and give the reader a sense of urgency.


Additional Tips, cont. •  Personal Value. Emphasize the personal value of your content. Subject lines that make readers think, “This is useful.” “This is 0mely.” “This is about me.”

•  Subject Lines. Keep subject lines short. Try to keep it under 75 characters.

•  Keywords. Use a keyword in the subject line to help with SEO. Try to get the keyword as close to the first word as possible.


When? Use the standardized email format whenever you need clients/readers to: 1.  Engage in an ac0on. 2.  Prepare or provide relevant informa0on for you. 3.  Understand changes or updates in their industry that could

impact their business. 4.  Read, view, or watch content messaging that is highly

relevant to their business.


Summary •  When it comes to email, remember to think smarter not harder.

•  Provide clients with relevant informa0on. •  Share links to your website for more informa0on. •  Be clear and concise, and add social media connec0on points to help foster engagement.


Who is Penheel Marketing? Social media and digital marke0ng consul0ng firm for CPA firms, small businesses, and non-‐profits.

Marke$ng Analy$cs Website analy0cs, online adver0sing analy0cs. See which sources are genera0ng the most leads.

Email Send personalized, segmented Emails based on any informa0on in your contact database.

Search Engine Op$miza$ons Improve your rank in search engines by finding and tracking your most effec0ve keywords.

Lead Management Track leads with a complete 0meline-‐view of their interac0ons with your firm.

Blogging Create blog content quickly while geDng SEO 0ps and best prac0ces pointers.

Social Media Publish content to your social accounts, then nurture leads based on their social engagement.

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