How to Create a Comprehensive Business Update During COVID-19

We recently shared 7 Tips for Keeping Clients Engaged and Informed During Times of Crisis. Now, you’re ready for the the first step to kick-starting your client communications strategy during COVID-19: informing your clients broadly.

While getting on the phone with clients is recommended for a personal one-to-one outreach, distributing a broad email is a more comprehensive place to begin your communications strategy.

What to highlight in your broad client email:

An effective comprehensive business update to clients should address at least two topics: your business continuity plan and how clients should expect to interact with you during a time of social distancing.

Business Continuity Plan

First, your broad outreach should lead with your business continuity plan, including how you plan to support clients during this time. Examples might include:

• Transitioning to virtual meetings instead of in-person.
  
• Core functions of the Client Portal such as the Vault and Interactive Decision Center.
  
• Information about Screen Sharing or other video sharing technology you’re using to convey information.

How Clients Can Expect to Interact with You

You’ll also want to note how clients can expect to interact with you throughout this time. This requires some foresight around how you plan to stay in contact with clients.

Recommendations:

• Plan to email your clients about once a week over the next few weeks.
  
• Determine your outreach frequency and let clients know in your first communication how you plan to be in touch during these volatile times.
  
• Bonus: Weekly webinars where you’ll discuss the topics covered in your email in further detail.
  
• One-minute video of yourself discussing updates each week.

How Advisor Branded Marketing Can Support You

Take advantage of the pre-built template we’ve created to support you!

To access this email template:

• Select Emails then Featured
• Choose the template called Comprehensive Business Update
• Select Edit to review content that’s already drafted and be sure to personalize with your own message and tone.

Adding your contacts:

• Select Add Contacts
• Add contacts or groups from within eMoney
• Use the Import tab if you would like upload a csv file of your list from your CRM
• Enter individual email addresses within the Additional tab
• Click Send

If you’ve already sent a broad email to clients that did not include this information, no worries. You can still send a template like this now.

New COVID-19 Weekly Content Series 

Earlier this month, eMoney partnered with FMeX to provide timely COVID-19 content to ABM users, to assist with providing guidance and instilling confidence during these uncertain times.

This support includes a new COVID-19 Weekly Content Series that provides multiple touch points throughout the week that advisors can use to stay connected with their clients.

The series is made up of three new weekly articles that will help you explain current market events, provide historical context, and instill client confidence in their financial plans.

The new Content Series includes:

1. Weekly Market Matters Recap – Published every Sunday, use these articles to show your clients a summary of the previous week’s market activity and share insights on the potential impact of current events on their financial plans.
2. American Resilience – Published every Tuesday, these articles help your clients understand current market events from a historical perspective, and provide reassuring and optimistic viewpoints rooted in historical precedent.
3. Mid-Week Market Matters – Published every Thursday, use these articles to keep clients informed within the days between the full Weekly Market Matters commentary to address macro events. We recommend sharing these updates through social to keep clients engaged.

This content serves as a very low-effort way to stay in front of your clients regularly.  Pull out a few key takeaways to share in an email with your clients.

More information about your 3-month free access to Advisor Branded Marketing can be found in this FAQ blog post. And for more insight into best practices for planning during times of disruption, check out our recently recorded webinar series.​

Any additional questions? Contact eMoney Client Support at (888) 362-8482 or send an email.