5 Keys to a Great Newsletter for Financial Advisors

If you’re a financial advisor trying to grow in 2025, there’s one simple tool that’s still wildly underused—and wildly effective.

It’s not TikTok. It’s not flashy seminars or a hot new tech stack.

It’s your email newsletter.

According to a 2025 report from ZeroBounce, 93% of people use email every single day. It’s the most direct, most consistent, and most personal way to stay in front of your clients—and your future clients.

Done right, a good financial advisor newsletter helps you stay top-of-mind with clients, prospects, and centers of influence. It strengthens your relationships, generates referrals, and reinforces your authority during times of volatility. It gives your clients a reason to think about you between meetings—and gives prospects a reason to trust you before you’ve ever spoken.

But here’s the problem: most advisors don’t send one. Or worse, they send something so stale, corporate, and jargon-heavy that clients’ eyes glaze over.

At Bill Good Marketing, we’ve spent over four decades helping financial planners, RIAs, and wealth management firms use content to deepen relationships and drive real business growth.

And if there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s this: You don’t need to WRITE a newsletter every month. But you absolutely need to SEND one.

Let’s dive into what I mean…

What Makes an Effective Newsletter for Financial Advisors?

A newsletter isn’t just another box to check.

It’s not a compliance update.

It’s not a portfolio performance summary.

And it’s definitely not an excuse to talk about ETFs for 1,000 words and call it digital marketing.

Your newsletter is a handshake.

A story.

A whisper that says, “Hey, I’m still here. Thinking of you. Let me show you something that matters.”

The best ones?

They’re consistent. Monthly. Predictable in a good way—like your morning coffee or your favorite podcast.

They don’t overwhelm. They invite.

They’re short enough to read in five minutes… But thoughtful enough to be worth sharing.

They sound like you. Not Wall Street. YOU.

They deliver valuable information—the kind that answers questions your clients are actually asking:

• “Should I worry about market trends?”
• “What’s the smartest move for my real estate gains?”
• “What does all this mean for my retirement planning?”

And they leave room for curiosity—“Maybe we should talk about this next time we meet.”

Newsletters that work don’t just educate.

They engage. They connect. They open a door.

And the most important part?

They show up. Every month. Without fail.

The Hidden ROI: Why Financial Advisor Newsletters Work (Even If Clients Don’t Reply)

Let’s clear something up right now:

Just because a client doesn’t reply to your newsletter… doesn’t mean it isn’t working.

In fact, some of the most profitable newsletters we’ve ever helped advisors send never got a single direct response.

But then…

• A $3M client calls out of the blue to schedule a meeting.
• A prospect who’s been “thinking about it” for a year finally reaches out.
• A client forwards your article to their brother-in-law—who happens to be sitting on a large liquidity event.

That’s the power of staying top-of-mind.

You’re not just sending emails.

You’re nurturing trust, demonstrating expertise, and reminding people you’re here when they need you—not just if they do.

This is especially critical during times of volatility. When markets shake, people want reassurance. If they haven’t heard from you in months, they start wondering if you’ve disappeared.

And that’s when they start shopping.

Your newsletter acts like an insurance policy against that.

It keeps your name in front of clients and prospects. It reinforces your fiduciary commitment. It builds your brand while you focus on running your business.

Over time, that drip of communication compounds.

And the result?

A bigger book. Better referrals. Stronger client relationships. And an inbox full of opportunity.

Why Most Financial Advisors Struggle With Newsletters

If newsletters work so well… Why don’t more advisors send them?

Because writing a good one is harder than it looks.

And writing a great one—month after month—while managing portfolios, review meetings, onboarding, compliance, and market volatility?

Nearly impossible.

We’ve coached thousands of wealth managers. And when it comes to newsletters, here’s what usually gets in the way:

1. You’re Too Busy

Between planning meetings, client service, and building your business, the last thing you have time for is sitting down to write about estate planning or market trends in a way that’s both engaging and FINRA-compliant.

2. You’re Not a Writer

You’re a financial advisor—not a copywriter. While we occasionally come across an advisor who is a great writer, that’s still not your role. You didn’t get into this business to wrestle with blank pages and compliance edits. You got in to deliver real value through financial planning, retirement strategies, and helping clients reach their goals.

3. You Don’t Know What to Say

Should you recap the Fed meeting? Share tax tips? Talk about personal finance, ETFs, or investment strategies? Without a clear structure, it’s easy to overthink—or worse, say nothing at all.

4. You’re Worried About Compliance

Writing something useful is hard enough. Writing something useful that’s FINRA-friendly? That’s a whole different headache. And let’s face it: compliance edits can suck the life out of good content.

So, you delay. You skip a month. Then two. Then six.

And before you know it, your email list is cold, your client engagement is down, and a prospect who could have been yours just signed with someone else—someone who showed up.

The 5 Elements of a Great Newsletter for Financial Advisors

A newsletter isn’t magic. But when it has these five elements, it feels like it.

We’ve written thousands over the last four decades—and tested every format you can imagine. The best-performing newsletters, across RIAs, broker-dealers, and solo advisors, all have five things in common:

1. Consistency

Once a quarter is a reminder. Once a month is a relationship.

Your newsletter should show up monthly—like clockwork. It doesn’t need to be long. It just needs to arrive.

A consistent monthly newsletter trains your clients and prospects to expect your insight. And when the timing is right, they’ll act.

2. Clarity Over Complexity

Forget the Wall Street jargon.

You’re not trying to impress CNBC anchors. You’re trying to connect with real people. Your content should be written at a 8th-grade reading level—and sound like something you’d actually say in a meeting.

Want to talk about market trends, ETFs, or tax planning?

Great. But make it readable. Digestible. Personal.

3. Client-Centered Topics

The best newsletters aren’t about you. They’re about them.

Focus on questions your clients are asking:

• Should I change anything during this volatility?
• What do I do with a big inheritance coming my way?
• How does real estate factor into my retirement plan?

Mix in timely industry news, proactive tips on estate planning, and valuable information your clients can actually use—like simple strategies for navigating change.

Because here’s the truth: 46% of people say they open every email from a brand that consistently sends relevant content (ZeroBounce, 2025).

If your newsletter becomes known for offering clear, useful, timely insight—it won’t get buried in their inbox. It’ll get opened. Shared. Remembered.

Relevance wins.

4. A Personal Touch

Even if it’s written for hundreds—or thousands—your newsletter should feel like it was written for one person.

That’s the secret to connection.

Yes, share insights on retirement planning, market trends, or financial planning. But also let your readers peek behind the curtain. Remind them there’s a real human—and a real team—behind the advice.

The best financial advisors weave in just enough personal detail to build familiarity and trust.

That could be:

• A note about your family’s trip to Pearl Harbor and the lessons you brought home.
• A shoutout to your junior advisor for passing the CFP® exam.
• A quick update that your assistant just welcomed a new baby to the world (complete with a team photo).

It doesn’t need to be emotional. Or profound. Just real.

Think of it this way: your clients trust you with their life savings. The least you can do is let them get to know the person behind the plan.

5. A Soft Call to Action

You don’t need to hard-sell in your newsletter.

You just need to open a door.

• “If this sparks some ideas – feel free to ask about it at our next meeting.”
• “Here’s a link to our latest webinar.”
• “If you found this helpful, don’t feel like you have to keep it to yourself, forward it to a friend!”

That’s it. No pressure—just permission to engage.

When you combine these five elements with a consistent delivery schedule and a solid email marketing list, you’ve got a newsletter that works in the background—warming prospects, delighting clients, and driving organic referrals.

A Ghostwritten Newsletter Template That Practically Sends Itself

Let’s face it: writing your own newsletter is a time-consuming grind. You have to:

• Come up with relevant, engaging ideas
• Turn complex topics into plain English
• Make it personal, but still professional
• Worry about compliance (hello, FINRA)
• And somehow, still get it out on time—every single month

That’s why we built a better way.

When you use the Bill Good Marketing System, you get access to a done-for-you monthly newsletter that’s written and ready to go.

All you have to do is “copy & paste”, format, and hit send.

No staring at a blank page. No second-guessing your tone. No scrambling to meet your own internal deadlines.

Each newsletter is:

• FINRA-reviewable and compliance-friendly
• Timely and relevant—covering topics like tax planning, estate strategies, market insights, and client-focused financial advice
• Designed to build client engagement and spark referrals
• Customizable with your own intro, stories, or firm updates (if you want)

Whether you’re an RIA, a wirehouse team, or a solo financial planner looking to elevate your advisor marketing, this newsletter works in the background—warming up cold prospects, reconnecting with current clients, and reinforcing your position as a trusted voice in the financial services industry.

And here’s the best part: it’s not generic “content.”

Our team has been writing for the financial services industry for over 45 years. This isn’t theory. This is field-tested communication designed to deepen client relationships and grow your AUM—month after month.

So, while other advisors are Googling “newsletter templates” at 10PM… You’ll be sending world-class content without breaking a sweat.

A Financial Advisor Newsletter You Don’t Have to Write (But Absolutely Should Send)

In an industry driven by relationships, trust, and timing, your newsletter isn’t just a “nice to have.”

It’s a client engagement engine.

It keeps you present when you’re not in the room. It nurtures trust through market highs and lows. It generates organic referrals without ever asking for them.

And when done right, it becomes one of the most powerful tools in your advisor marketing toolkit.

Let’s recap:

• A great financial advisor newsletter builds stronger client relationships and reinforces your role as The Trusted Advisor.
• It keeps you top-of-mind with high-net-worth prospects, COIs, and current clients.
• It gives you a platform to share market insights, promote your webinars, highlight your team, and educate clients on everything from personal finance to investment strategies.
• And it pairs perfectly with the rest of your marketing efforts like—your social media, your direct mail marketing, your LinkedIn presence, your white papers, or even your podcast.

At Bill Good Marketing, we make it easy.

Our monthly newsletter is written by industry experts, grounded in decades of experience, and designed specifically for financial advisors, RIAs, and wealth management teams who want to grow—without burning out.

You don’t have to become a master writer or thought leader like Michael Kitces.

You don’t need to juggle compliance edits or research the latest market volatility every month.

You just need to send the right message—consistently.

At Bill Good Marketing, we’ve spent 45+ years helping advisors deliver world-class communication without the stress. Our financial services newsletter is built to fit seamlessly into your practice management system—reinforcing trust, supporting your advisory services, and keeping you top-of-mind with the people who matter most.

Want in?

Click here and let’s talk about how we can take your email newsletter (and your business) to the next level. Because in this business, staying top-of-mind isn’t optional. It’s how you stay in the game.