A Newsletter is essential for consultants to build and maintain relationships with their audience.

Whether you’re a management consultant, marketing consultant, or any other type of consultant, a newsletter can help you stay top of mind, provide value, and ultimately drive more business.

In this article, we will explore the reasons why consultants need a newsletter and how it can positively impact their professional success.

How Newsletters Help Consultants Grow Their Practice

In today’s digital age, where communication happens in the blink of an eye, Newsletters have emerged as a powerful tool for consultants to reach and engage with their target audience.

But what makes a newsletter so effective? Let’s explore the various benefits and how they can help consultants attract and retain clients.

First, a newsletter allows consultants to maximize their reach. By sending regular updates and valuable content directly to their clients, they can ensure that their message doesn’t get lost in the noise of social media platforms. With a newsletter, consultants can cut through the clutter and deliver their message directly to their target audience.

An effective newsletter also helps consultants establish themselves as thought leaders in their industry. By sharing insightful articles, industry trends, and expert tips, consultants can position themselves as trusted advisors. This helps build credibility and trust with clients, making them more likely to seek their services and refer them to others.

Furthermore, a newsletter provides consultants with a unique opportunity to showcase their expertise and promote their services. By including case studies, success stories, and client testimonials, consultants can highlight the value they provide and demonstrate their capabilities. This attracts new clients and strengthens the relationship with existing ones.

Additionally, a newsletter lets consultants stay engaged with their clients and keep them informed about new services, offerings, or events. It offers a platform to announce promotions, discounts, and exclusive offers, giving clients an incentive to continue working with them. By providing personalized content based on clients’ interests and needs, consultants can ensure that their newsletter remains relevant and impactful.

Another key benefit of a newsletter is its ability to drive traffic to consultants’ websites or landing pages. By including links to relevant blog posts, webinars, or resources, consultants can direct their clients to additional content and engage them further. This increases website traffic, boosts their visibility, and enhances their online presence.

Lastly, a well-crafted newsletter allows consultants to gather valuable client feedback and insights. By encouraging readers to provide input, ask questions, or share their thoughts, consultants can better understand their clients’ needs and preferences. This feedback can then be used to tailor their services and offerings accordingly, creating a more personalized and targeted approach.

Newsletter Distribution Channels

Newsletters are delivered as Email newsletters or print newsletters.

Most newsletters tend to be email newsletters. Email newsletters are cost-effective, easy to distribute, and provide the ability to track and analyze metrics like open rates and click-through rates.

Social media platforms like LinkedIn also provide tools for creating and distributing electronic newsletters. Since they typically deliver the newsletter via email (or send an email notification when a new issue is available), I consider them a subset of email newsletters.

Print newsletters provide a tangible and personal touch. But they come with additional costs for printing and mailing. Since fewer consultants send print newsletters, having one can help you stand out from the crowd.

Newsletter Content Types

Email newsletters can be further categorized into curated and original content newsletters. Curated newsletters provide valuable resources and information from various sources, while original content newsletters offer customized content created by the business itself.

Both types have their advantages and can help businesses attract and retain clients. Curated newsletters position the business as a trusted authority by providing relevant and valuable industry insights. On the other hand, original content newsletters allow businesses to showcase their expertise, share updates, and keep subscribers engaged.

Your newsletter can also contain hybrid content by combining original and curated content. For example, in my newsletter, I like to lead with original/personal content and then include curated content that I believe my audience will enjoy.

Whether it’s through email or print, newsletters can help businesses attract and retain clients, building stronger relationships and driving business growth. 

3 Newsletter Audiences for Consultants

Whenever we are writing marketing material, it helps to know who (specifically) we are writing to. So who should you be writing your newsletter to?

As a consultant, you have three main audiences to consider:

1. Leads
2. Clients (current and inactive)
3. Referral Partners

Leads – Newsletters are a great way to win new clients. Regularly providing valuable and relevant content to your subscribers is a great way to establish yourself as a trusted authority in your field. This positions you as the go-to consultant when potential clients are in need of your expertise.

Existing Clients – Do your clients know all of the products and services you offer?

Newsletters can help you expand your services with existing clients. By sharing updates, success stories, and case studies, you demonstrate the value and impact of your work. This keeps your current clients engaged and encourages them to explore other services you offer.

Referral Partners – Newsletters also help generate referrals. By staying in touch and providing useful information to your referral partners, you increase your chances of getting referrals. You’ll get even more referrals if you let them know who you are looking for and how to recognize conversations where you may be able to help.

You’ll find that creating a unique newsletter for each audience will give you the best results. But if you are starting, I wouldn’t try to create all three simultaneously. Start with the audience that will have the biggest impact on your business. For example, if you have an established client base, use your newsletter to expand your services and stimulate referrals from that group first.

And remember, you can use different channels for different groups. For example, many consultants will use an email newsletter to communicate with their leads but then send a print newsletter to clients and/or referral partners.

Segment Your Email List to Reach the Right Audience

In the previous section, we talked about increasing the effectiveness of your newsletter by separating your audience into different groups. This is one form of segmentation.

Segmenting your email list allows you to deliver personalized, targeted messages that resonate with your subscribers.

In addition to the groups mentioned above,  there are several ways to segment your email lists.

You can segment based on the stage of the client journey. For example, you might have a segment for new leads who are just beginning to explore your services, another for current clients who have already purchased from you, and even a segment for past clients who may be interested in re-engaging with your consultancy. By understanding where your subscribers are in their client journey, you can provide them with the most appropriate information and offers.

Another way to segment your email list is by industry or specialization. If you offer services to multiple industries, you can create segments for each industry and deliver industry-specific insights, case studies, or success stories. This enables you to address the unique pain points and challenges that your subscribers in each industry face, making your newsletters more valuable and relevant.

Demographic segmentation is also a powerful technique. By gathering information about your subscribers’ demographics, such as age, gender, location, or job title, you can create segments that correspond to different target markets. This allows you to craft tailored content that speaks directly to each group’s specific interests and needs.

Segmenting your email list not only improves the relevance of your newsletters but also enhances your overall email marketing strategy. This targeted approach helps you build stronger relationships with your subscribers and position yourself as a trusted expert in your field.

It may seem like a lot of work but it pays to take the time to understand your audience and divide your email list into meaningful segments. If you do, your newsletters will become even more effective in driving your consultancy’s growth.

“Selling” Your Newsletter

Even though your newsletter may be free from a monetary point of view, there is still a transaction that we need to sell. People need to be convinced that getting your newsletter is worth the “cost” of letting you into their inbox (or mailbox).

No one wakes up and thinks “I need some more newsletters.” So how can you convince people to subscribe? Here are a few ideas:

1. Showcase the Benefits: Highlight the advantages of joining your email list. Let your clients know that by subscribing, they will have exclusive access to special offers, discounts, industry insights, and valuable content that is not available to the general public. Make it clear that being part of your email list means they will be the first to know about any new services, upcoming events, or relevant updates.

2. Incentivize Sign-ups: Offer an incentive to encourage visitors to join your email list. This could be a special discount on their next consultation, a free downloadable resource, or access to an exclusive webinar. Show that being part of your email list has its perks.

3. Leverage Existing Communication Channels: Take advantage of your existing communication channels, such as social media platforms, to promote your email list. Share posts and updates inviting your clients to subscribe and outlining the benefits they will receive by joining. You can also consider running targeted social media ads to specifically target your ideal clients.

4. Make it Easy to Subscribe: Ensure the process of subscribing to your email list is user-friendly and hassle-free. Place subscription forms prominently on your website, blog, and social media profiles, making it easy for your customers to find and submit their details. Include a subscription link in your email signature.

5. Provide Relevant and Valuable Content: To keep your loyal subscribers engaged and eager to stay on your email list, it’s crucial to provide them with relevant and valuable content on a consistent basis.

Tailor your newsletters to address their specific needs and interests, providing tips, success stories, industry updates, and case studies that resonate with them. By consistently delivering valuable content, you reinforce their decision to join your email list and build trust and loyalty.

How Often Should I Send my Newsletter?

When it comes to how often you should send your newsletter as a consultant, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. It depends on the size of your audience, the kind of content you’re sending out, and the number of newsletters you have. At a minimum, try to send out a monthly newsletter. Any longer than that and you risk people not remembering you and unsubscribing.

If you are sending a print newsletter, shoot for monthly or quarterly.

Overall, consistency is key, so find a frequency that works best for both you and your readers.

Conclusion

The importance of having a newsletter as a consultant cannot be overstated. A newsletter is one of the most effective ways to build relationships with potential clients, keep in touch with existing clients, and increase your visibility in the consulting industry. Newsletter readers are more likely to trust your brand, remember you when they need help, and recommend you to others. 

If you have questions or would like help with your newsletter, click here to schedule a free discovery call.