Videos/Newsletters for Clients and Prospects?

Do any of you send periodic newsletters/tax updates to your clients and prospects? If so, do you find them to be a useful marketing/retention tool? In other words, have these efforts been helpful in increasing conversion/engagement/revenue?

I recently made an annual tax update video and sent it to existing clients and prospects. After one day it is showing a 37% open rate with 21% click-through rate. While these numbers are not terrific by any means, my thinking is that a consistent schedule of updates and videos may help to solidify client relationships, increase retention, and convert a higher percentage of prospects over time.

You may see the above-mentioned video here if you're interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rm_B51awbQ. It's an income tax update outlining the changes brought on by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. It is meant to be light-hearted and easy to watch -- your feedback is welcome!

Thanks in advance.

I have never tried a video but I used to send a newsletter once a quarter and did not get any quantifiable results. So now I only send a 3Q newsletter reminding clients of year end issues and a year end/start of next season newsletter.

What has worked a lot better is an hour free consultation to select clients and that has generated referrals.

Sent a monthly newsletter out at another firm I worked with a while back. Nothing beneficial came about from it--bet only a handful of clients ever looked at it. I now just post stuff to my blog and Facebook, or will send something to specific clients if it related to them.

Your open and click-through rate is high. I suspect you will see a steady decline with continued videos once people realize it does not necessarily pertain to them. Certainly, for my clients, they want to be told what they need to do--they do not want to try to understand anything.

I have never tried a video but I used to send a newsletter once a quarter and did not get any quantifiable results. So now I only send a 3Q newsletter reminding clients of year end issues and a year end/start of next season newsletter.

I've found this to be a good approach. I limit mailings to 2 pages in length in 11 or 12 point font. It keeps them manageable (and clients actually read them!)

My former firm used to send out 6 or 8 page year-end newsletters which few people read (so they stopped sending them out). I'm amazed when I see the year-end letters from the major regional firms in my area, dozens of pages long written in a manner that only an accountant could understand.

I now just post stuff to my blog and Facebook, or will send something to specific clients if it related to them.

Do you get feedback from this (likes/comments)?

Do you get feedback from this (likes/comments)?

Depends on topic. I do not allow comments on blog, and Facebook has tracking. Again, nothing significant. My primary goal is to have pages on my website that Google can index, and have the same content on social media. Secondary is for existing clients to see and reinforce why they should refer me, beyond their own experiences in working with me. Third goal is to stay in front of some people I want as clients, whether in person by attending events or through virtual means.

Keeping any newsletter short and to the point is critically important. I generally limit it to 1 page printed front and back and if necessary a second page. I do ask for feedback when I get a chance to speak to my clients in person and the feedback has been mixed. I suspect some tell me they find it useful just to be nice (particularly ladies)!

My 2 pages is the same as your one page front and back, ATSMAN. I print the first page of my newsletter on letterhead out of my tax program with the client's name and address and I don't have heavy enough letterhead to print both sides.

I wonder if some of the value, even for clients who don't read the short letters, is that it makes clients remember us, and feel the love.

Depends on topic. I do not allow comments on blog, and Facebook has tracking. Again, nothing significant. My primary goal is to have pages on my website that Google can index, and have the same content on social media. Secondary is for existing clients to see and reinforce why they should refer me, beyond their own experiences in working with me. Third goal is to stay in front of some people I want as clients, whether in person by attending events or through virtual means.

You have goals and you're measuring effectiveness against those goals. That probably puts you in the top 10% of all small business social media marketing strategies.

I used to buy a newsletter that was heavy on "pretty graphics" and later realized that it was a turn off for most of my clients. Since then I stay away from graphics and just to the information in bullet points! On the second page I will have a short paragraph with the description and end with a request to contact my office with any questions.

There is something called information overload and it works against us particularly with tax subjects.

There is something called information overload and it works against us particularly with tax subjects.

As clients have told me, there is a reason they are paying $xxx/hr, and it is not for them to read and interpret news or tax or accounting information. I'll do targeted e-mails for important topics, but anything that is a blog post or on social media is simply for other purposes--namely, to demonstrate I can help them.

Newsletters are akin to client organizers. Clients feel it is a burden and like they are completing a tax return themselves. Yes, there IS benefit to each, but they simply do not view it that way. And that is why I only use organizers as a way of saying "Hey, time to get me your tax info..."

UltraTax has an organizer style that just lists the information used on the prior tax return -- saying "W-2: ABCD Company, Inc", "Interest Income: Donut City Credit Union", etc as opposed to the pages of boxes to copy the W-2 information into. It's been well-received by my clients; if your software has that capability I'd definitely recommend it!

UltraTax has an organizer style that just lists the information used on the prior tax return -- saying "W-2: ABCD Company, Inc", "Interest Income: Donut City Credit Union", etc as opposed to the pages of boxes to copy the W-2 information into. It's been well-received by my clients; if your software has that capability I'd definitely recommend it!

UT is what I use. I receive back maybe three completed organizers a year that have actually been reviewed by clients with completed info. The remainder come back to me with client documents, unopened, or are discarded, and only served as my objective: remind clients it is that time of year, AGAIN.

You may see the above-mentioned video here if you're interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rm_B51awbQ. It's an income tax update outlining the changes brought on by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. It is meant to be light-hearted and easy to watch -- your feedback is welcome!

Love the video and the concept. My one comment would be that it is way too long. The stats on one view tell you the percentage of your clients who are willing to watch. The big question is, what percentage of those would be willing to view the next one? Shorter videos would encourage them returning again and again. Also, posting them on your website might drive new traffic to your site. Just my $0.10 worth (inflation, you know).

I absolutely hate it when vendors send an e-mail with an embedded video clip that runs as soon as you open the e-mail. You actually have to cancel out to read the e-mail!And some make it difficult to find the X button by shading it

I would NEVER do that to one of my client/prospects!

Thank you all for your feedback and insights -- they are much appreciated!