How to Stay Top-of-Mind With Clients (Without Being Annoying)

The Top-of-Mind Paradox

Here's the uncomfortable truth: your best clients are also your competitors' best prospects. The moment you stop communicating, someone else fills the void.

But there's a catch. Reach out too often with salesy messages, and you'll get unsubscribed faster than you can say "just checking in."

The sweet spot? Providing consistent, genuine value through content your audience actually wants to read.

Why Newsletters Are the Ultimate Top-of-Mind Tool

Social media is rented land — algorithms decide who sees what. Email, on the other hand, lands directly in your client's inbox. It's personal, it's persistent, and when done right, it's welcomed.

Here's what the research says:

• 86% of professionals prefer email for business communication
• Newsletters have an average 22% open rate across industries
• Subscribers are 3x more likely to share content with peers
• 80% of business professionals say newsletters influence their purchasing decisions

The Value-First Framework

The key to not being annoying? Make every email worth opening. Here's a framework:

The 80/20 Rule of Newsletter Content

• 80% Value: Industry news, insights, tips, trends, educational content
• 20% You: Your listings, services, accomplishments, offers

When 4 out of 5 pieces of content are genuinely useful to the reader, that 1 piece about your services feels natural, not pushy.

Content Categories That Work

1. Industry News & Trends — "Here's what's happening in your world"
2. Actionable Tips — "Here's something you can use today"
3. Market Data — "Here are the numbers that matter"
4. Local Insights — "Here's what's happening in your community"
5. Personal Perspective — "Here's what I think about all this"

Frequency: Finding Your Rhythm

The biggest mistake professionals make is starting with an ambitious weekly schedule, burning out in month two, then going silent for six months.

Better approach:

• Start biweekly. It's sustainable and keeps you visible.
• Upgrade to weekly once you have a system (like AI curation) that makes it effortless.
• Never go more than a month between emails — that's when people forget you exist.

Consistency beats frequency every time. A mediocre biweekly newsletter beats a perfect quarterly one.

Personalization at Scale

The real magic happens when different audience segments get different content. A real estate agent might send:

• Buyers: Market trends, mortgage rate updates, neighborhood spotlights
• Past clients: Home maintenance tips, local events, market valuations
• Agents/referrals: Industry news, regulatory updates, market analysis

This level of personalization used to require managing multiple completely separate newsletters. With AI-powered tools, it's as simple as categorizing your content once.

The Compound Effect

Newsletter marketing is a long game. Here's what happens over time:

• Month 1-3: You're building the habit. Open rates are moderate.
• Month 4-6: Readers start expecting your emails. Engagement climbs.
• Month 7-12: People mention your newsletter in conversations. Referrals begin.
• Year 2+: You're the go-to expert in your network. The newsletter is your brand.

Making It Sustainable

The number one reason professionals stop sending newsletters isn't lack of results — it's the time commitment. That's exactly why AI-powered newsletter tools exist.

When the curation, writing, and formatting are handled by AI, all you need to do is:

1. Spend 5 minutes reviewing content
2. Add a personal note
3. Hit send

That's a system anyone can maintain for years.

Start Today

The best time to start a newsletter was a year ago. The second best time is now. Pick your audience, choose your frequency, and commit to providing value.

Your future self (and your referral pipeline) will thank you.