Episode Summary: How to Write A High-Converting Email Sequence As An Advisor (Francesca McLin)

Podcast Information:

• Title: Advisor Marketing Made Simple
• Host/Authors: Taylor Schulte and Kendra Wright
• Episode: How to Write A High-Converting Email Sequence As An Advisor (Francesca McLin)
• Release Date: February 19, 2025

Introduction to the Episode

In this insightful episode of Advisor Marketing Made Simple, hosts Taylor Schulte and Kendra Wright welcome Francesca McLin, an award-winning copywriter and marketing expert with over 16 years of experience in the financial services sector. Francesca, the founding Chief Content Officer of Snappy Kraken, brings a wealth of knowledge on crafting effective email marketing strategies tailored for financial advisors.

Notable Quotes:

• Taylor Schulte [00:00]: "If you're an advisor listening and you just want to see what level your copy is at, I would definitely check out the Hemingway app."
• Kendra Wright [41:32]: "Quality over quantity and not seeing it unsubscribe is a bad thing because it will also help your delivery rates."

Understanding Your Target Audience

Francesca emphasizes the foundational step of identifying who you are talking to. She explains that many advisors struggle because they haven't clearly defined their target audience—their ideal client. Understanding the audience's problems, challenges, fears, and dreams is crucial for creating resonant and effective email content.

Key Points:

• Define Your Avatar: Clearly outline who your ideal client is.
• List Quality: Ensure your email list comprises individuals who align with your target persona.
• Relevance Over Size: A smaller, highly relevant list outperforms a large, cold list.

Notable Quotes:

• Francesca McLin [02:47]: "I go right down to the foundations. Who are you talking to? Who is your audience? What are their problems?"

Evaluating and Cleaning Your Email List

Kendra and Francesca discuss the importance of maintaining a high-quality email list. Francesca outlines strategies for assessing engagement and purging inactive contacts to improve overall email performance.

Strategies:

1. Analyze Open Rates: Identify contacts who haven't engaged in the last six months.
2. Remove Inactive Contacts: Streamline your list by removing or re-engaging inactive subscribers.
3. Engagement Campaigns: Send targeted emails to gauge interest before deciding to remove contacts.

Notable Quotes:

• Francesca McLin [05:30]: "If they haven't done anything with you in the last six months, give them one more opportunity to engage and then just get them off your list."
• Kendra Wright [05:52]: "Sending one to three email campaigns just to see, hey, here’s some of our best stuff."

Common Mistakes in Email Writing

Francesca identifies two primary mistakes advisors make when crafting emails: perfectionism and overwhelming content. She advocates for simplicity and focus to enhance email effectiveness.

Mistake 1: Perfectionism

• Issue: Striving for flawless emails can delay sending and stifle experimentation.
• Solution: Embrace "version zero"—focus on getting the email out and iterating based on feedback.

Mistake 2: Overwhelming Content

• Issue: Advisors often include too much information, making emails hard to digest.
• Solution: Apply the "Rule of One"—each email should have one clear purpose and message.

Notable Quotes:

• Francesca McLin [07:15]: "Most advisors struggle with perfectionism. Get out of your own head, just write the email, get it done."
• Kendra Wright [09:00]: "This big homework assignment... it just feels very overwhelming."

The "Rule of One"

Central to Francesca's strategy is the Rule of One, which dictates that each email should:

• Address One Problem: Focus on a single issue or topic.
• Have One Call to Action (CTA): Avoid multiple CTAs to prevent confusion and increase conversion rates.

Implementation:

• Single Message: Ensure the email conveys one main idea or solution.
• Focused CTA: Direct the reader to one specific action, such as booking an appointment or replying to the email.

Notable Quotes:

• Francesca McLin [08:30]: "This email has one job and it's being written to one person and it has one message."
• Kendra Wright [10:04]: "This email has one job, right? And it doesn't always mean to book a call."

Intersection of Advisor’s Message and Audience’s Needs

Francesca introduces the concept of the Intersection, where an advisor’s message aligns with what the audience needs to hear. This alignment ensures that emails are both relevant and engaging.

Key Components:

• Advisor’s Intent: What the advisor wants to communicate.
• Audience’s Needs: What the audience is seeking or concerned about.
• Overlap: Craft messages that bridge the advisor’s insights with the audience’s desires.

Notable Quotes:

• Francesca McLin [11:59]: "The intersection between what you want to say and what the reader needs to read and hear from you."

I Know vs. I Care Emails

Francesca distinguishes between two types of emails:

1. I Know Emails: Focus on demonstrating competence and providing factual information.
2. I Care Emails: Emphasize personal connection and empathy through storytelling.

I Know Emails:

• Purpose: Showcase expertise and provide valuable insights.
• Structure: Use facts, numbers, and educational content without overwhelming details.
• Compliance: Avoid promissory statements and focus on general advice.

I Care Emails:

• Purpose: Build emotional connections and trust through personal stories.
• Structure: Share relatable experiences or client stories that highlight empathy and understanding.
• Compliance: Use narratives to convey messages without detailed compliance-sensitive information.

Notable Quotes:

• Francesca McLin [19:37]: "I know emails are where you demonstrate your competence, your value as a financial professional."
• Francesca McLin [24:16]: "An I Care email would be a story... presenting like a mini case study."

Structuring Emails for Compliance

Francesca provides insights on balancing compliance with effective communication. She underscores the importance of staying within regulatory guidelines while delivering valuable content.

Guidelines:

• Avoid Promissory Language: Don’t make guarantees or promises that could attract compliance issues.
• Generalize Advice: Provide broad, relevant tips that apply to the audience without delving into specifics that require professional disclaimers.
• Include Disclaimers: When necessary, add disclaimers to clarify the scope of advice.

Notable Quotes:

• Francesca McLin [21:35]: "When you're writing I know style emails, you need to talk about the numbers, you need to talk about the facts and the education, but you don't want to get lost in them."
• Francesca McLin [23:07]: "Keep it compliant by keeping the tips pretty general and specifically applicable to this audience."

Examples of Effective Email Sequences

Francesca outlines essential email sequences that advisors should implement to nurture leads and convert prospects into clients.

Top of the Funnel:

1. Lead Magnet: Offer a valuable resource (e.g., free guide) to attract new subscribers.
2. Welcome Sequence: Introduce yourself, share your story, and present your value proposition.

Bottom of the Funnel:

1. Pre-Appointment Sequence: Send emails that prepare prospects for their upcoming meetings, including what to expect and how to prepare.
2. Post-Appointment Sequence: Follow up with personalized messages that recap discussions and outline next steps.

Opportunity List:

• Re-engagement Emails: Target contacts who have engaged previously but haven't taken further action.

Notable Quotes:

• Francesca McLin [28:51]: "I'm putting together a whole set of templates of emails. It's at www.freegrowthplaybook.com."
• Kendra Wright [31:23]: "I think a strong way to do that is with a story."

Success Stories and Case Studies

Francesca shares a compelling case study of a client who significantly improved their close rates by implementing structured email sequences. By standardizing the sales process and utilizing pre and post-appointment emails, the client saw their close rates increase from 30-40% to over 60%.

Key Outcomes:

• Consistency Across Advisors: Standardized processes ensure all team members follow best practices.
• Enhanced Close Rates: Structured follow-ups and personalized communication drive higher conversion.
• Operational Efficiency: Advisors no longer need to rely solely on top performers, enabling scale.

Notable Quotes:

• Francesca McLin [37:32]: "All of a sudden, just by getting everybody following the same scripts, using the same tools, all of a sudden we saw their close rate go above 60% across the board."

Counterintuitive Advice for Email Marketing

Francesca offers unconventional yet effective advice that challenges common perceptions among advisors.

Unsubscribe Rates:

• Embrace Unsubscribes: A healthy unsubscribe rate (around 1%) indicates engagement and helps maintain deliverability.
• Quality Over Quantity: Focus on building a highly engaged list rather than accumulating large numbers of uninterested contacts.

Notable Quotes:

• Francesca McLin [43:39]: "If you're not getting unsubscribes, you're not emailing often enough."

Quick Tips for Immediate Improvement

For advisors with limited time, Francesca advises focusing on foundational elements to maximize email effectiveness.

Actionable Steps:

1. Evaluate Pre and Post-Appointment Sequences: Ensure these are streamlined and personalized.
2. Enhance Welcome Sequences: Share your story, introduce your philosophy, and provide valuable content.
3. Target Opportunity Lists: Send timely, relevant emails to re-engage contacts who haven't taken action.

Notable Quotes:

• Francesca McLin [46:43]: "Take a look at your foundational sequences. I would take a look first and foremost at that bottom of the funnel."

Resources and Templates

Francesca directs listeners to her Free Growth Playbook website, where she offers a suite of email templates designed to help advisors create high-converting email sequences effortlessly.

Access Templates:

• Website: www.freegrowthplaybook.com

Additional Offers:

• Free 30-Minute Strategy Sessions: Available through her website or LinkedIn for personalized marketing advice.

Notable Quotes:

• Francesca McLin [48:26]: "I'm putting together a whole set of templates of emails. It's at www.freegrowthplaybook.com."

Conclusion

In this episode, Francesca McLin provides a comprehensive guide to crafting effective email sequences for financial advisors. By focusing on understanding the audience, maintaining a high-quality email list, avoiding common pitfalls, and implementing structured email sequences, advisors can significantly enhance their marketing efforts and drive better business outcomes. The hosts encourage listeners to utilize the provided resources and consider implementing Francesca’s strategies to elevate their email marketing campaigns.

Connect with Francesca McLin:

• LinkedIn: Francesca McLin
• Website: FrancescaMcLin.com

Join Future Episodes:

• Apply to be a guest or access additional resources at TaylorShulte.com/apply.