When it comes to creating the content for an end of year email, you'll find it's an exercise in bridging the gap between what is ideal and what is actually possible.

This fact might make you think that you should then start with a pared down version, and that would be wrong. You should still brainstorm and figure out what this dream state is, because even if you don't get it this time around, you at least know what to work towards for next year. Here are things to keep in mind as you ideate:

Focus on the customer & what they care about - Revisit your answers in the “Figure out the why for them” step to determine what you need to include in the email. And ALWAYS tie it back to THEIR business outcomes.

Take inspiration from your existing content - Content like business review decks, renewal decks and ROI analyses are a good jumping off point for understanding what data is already available.

Don’t be “basic” with your data - Using very simple data can lead to a “well, duh” moment instead of a “oh, wow” one. A good framework for thinking about what data you want to share is Matik’s Hierarchy of Data (similar to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs). At the bottom is your account data, which is straightforward information like what is included in the contract. Usage data is much better than account data and helps the customer understand that they are getting something out of your product. But ROI, the most transcendent of data, is what helps you customer connect the dots regarding why your product is critical to their business.

Always be recommending - Showing customers the ROI they’re getting today is cool, but showing customers the additional ROI they could be getting if they did X and Y makes you a trusted advisor to them. Guide them to what more they should be doing with your product (even if it means they need to pay more) by showing them how it can impact their business.

To help inspire you, check out the below graphic for example usage & ROI metrics real companies might use.

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