Why Email Cadence Matters for Accounting Firms

Here's a question worth asking: when was the last time a client contacted your firm about an additional service before you had the chance to recommend it? That kind of proactive engagement doesn't happen by accident. It's the result of consistent, well-timed communication. And for most accounting firms, email is the most practical way to make it happen.

The challenge isn't whether to email, it's how often. Send too little and you become forgettable between tax seasons. Send too much and you risk the one outcome every firm dreads: a client clicking "unsubscribe." The good news is that the right cadence isn't complicated. It just needs to match your email type, your audience, and the rhythm of the accounting calendar.

What type of email are you sending?

Not all firm emails are created equal, and they shouldn't be sent at the same time or pace. There are three types every accounting firm should be using: a monthly newsletter, timely single-topic emails, and the occasional ad hoc message.

1. Monthly newsletters are the anchor. Sent consistently at the same time each month, for example every third Thursday at 10:30 a.m., keeping your firm top-of-mind without overwhelming clients. It should follow the 80/20 rule: 80% valuable educational content and 20% firm updates or service-related information.
2. Single-topic emails are shorter, more focused, and sent when something time-sensitive warrants it such as a tax deadline, a regulation change, a year-end planning reminder. These perform especially well because they deliver immediate, specific value
3. Ad hoc emails should be rare, reserved for genuinely urgent news that can't wait for your next newsletter, for instance IRS announcements, cybersecurity alerts, emergency tax relief updates, major regulatory changes, or time-sensitive client action items.

Gain more knowledge by reading these helpful article: Build a Newsletter That Your Firm’s Clients Will Actually Read or Email Marketing Best Practices for Accounting Firms

Who's on your list?

Frequency also depends on who you're emailing. Segmenting your email list is important, not just by industry or service type, but also by client status, such as prospects versus clients and active versus inactive contacts.

• Clients benefit from a monthly newsletter plus targeted single-topic emails around key seasonal windows such as tax season and year-end planning, and may justify two to three emails per month. 
• Prospects should receive a structured welcome or nurture sequence of four to six emails first the first 2 months, then transition into your standard newsletter cadence. 
• Cold or inactive contacts should get a brief re-engagement series of two or three emails, and be removed if there's no response. Sending to unengaged contacts hurts your deliverability and inflates your list without adding any value.

When accounting firm content is relevant and well-timed, clients and prospects will engage. The firms that experience the highest engagement aren't sending more; they're sending consistently, to the right people, at the right moment.

One of the most common mistakes we see is firms going silent for months and then suddenly sending a flurry of emails. Clients need a reason to keep you in mind all year, not just when it's busy season. Consistency is what separates firms that grow through referrals and repeat business from those that have to start from scratch every January.

Gain more knowledge by reading this helpful article: The Power of Contact Segmentation in Accounting Firms: Why and How to Get It Right

When are you sending those emails?

When you send an email matters almost as much as how often you send them. Much like social media, there are peak times that can help improve open and engagement rates.

• Best Days: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday are consistently the strongest days for professional email engagement.
• Best Times: Aim for the 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. window or early afternoon.

Pick your send day and time, stick to it, and test at least three sends before changing anything.

For subject lines, be specific and benefit-driven, for example, "3 Year-End Tax Moves Before December 31" will always outperform "November Newsletter from ABC CPA."

Ready to build an email cadence your clients will actually look forward to?

Our Content Marketing Platform makes it easy with our email templates by simply draging-and-droping content, so you can create polished emails and newsletters in minutes. Email marketing is an effective, accessible, and highly rewarding strategy for accounting firms of all sizes. By implementing these practices, your firm can significantly enhance its reach and engagement. Remember, perfection is not the goal; continual refinement and adaptation are the keys to a successful email marketing strategy.

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