For Financial Advisors, one of the greatest challenges is taking the leap from cold, hard numbers to the more creative realm of marketing. However, there are still plenty of numbers that you can use to inform your marketing efforts and ensure you are on the right track!

1/ How many email lists should I have?

There is no magic number for this one, but there are certain guidelines that you should follow to make the most out of your email marketing. You absolutely want to have a separate email list for current clients and prospects, but that’s the bare minimum you should be doing. A truly successful email marketing campaign depends on segmenting your clients so you can give them the right information. A 30 year old is not ready to read about the ideal method for rolling over their pre-tax retirement funds to a Roth account, and a retiree doesn’t need rto be reminded about the effects of early saving on compound interest.

The easiest way to determine how many email lists to create is to think about your target markets and the content most relevant to them. If you only work with one type of client, you may be able to get away with a single prospect list. But if your services are more varied, segment your clients out into specific lists based on the content they need to see.

2/ How long should my emails be?

Regardless of your target market, your prospects are busy people leading hectic lives! The key to catch their attention is to keep your email short. We recommend keeping your emails less than 100 words long in order to ensure they read the whole thing. If you need to include more information than that, pull in bullet points or a numbered list to keep things easy for the reader.

3/ How many emails should I send per month?

Again, this can vary depending on how much new content you’re creating, but a good number to aim for is 2 per month for each email list. Keep in mind that you can reuse content between lists, as long as it is relevant to the recipient! Don’t forget to send more personalized emails like holiday greetings and check-ins as well, as these remind your prospects that you are a valuable partner who cares about their success. By consistently sending your prospects relevant content, you will keep yourself top-of-mind until they’re ready to take the next step and enlist your services.

4/ How many contacts should be opening my email?

For email marketers, 20% is a magic number. Using an email marketing service, you can see how many of your contacts are actually opening each email, and 20% should be your constant goal. However, there is always a bit of guesswork that goes into hitting that ideal open rate. You can send emails at different days and times to see if there’s a perfect time to send out your next campaign. If your open rate is falling a bit low, try to play around with subject lines as well. Some clients prefer more playful messaging, while some will want to get right to the point.

While it can be a challenge to figure out the right email marketing strategy, these tips should give you a solid idea of the numbers you should be aiming for. If you want a more personalized evaluation, reach out to me!