If you’re one of our clients, you’ve probably heard us talk about the Yardstick client portal — possibly more than once. Since launching our shiny new version in early 2024, we’ve made regular improvements based on your feedback. Yes, we had a few teething problems (show us a new system that doesn’t), but overall it’s made life easier.

We’re always adding new features, so now feels like the perfect time to share a quick guide to the clever things you can do inside the portal. It’s designed to save you time, reduce email back-and-forth, and give you clearer visibility of your marketing.

Pop the kettle on, grab a biscuit (or three), and have a browse through this handy little explainer.

1. Blog posts

If you’re on one of our Syndicated packages, you’ll be familiar with the Blog Posts tile. This is where you pick your blog selections for the month.

Once you’ve made your choices, you’ll receive the blogs and newsletter introduction via email, ready for editing or to pass to compliance (if we don’t already handle that for you). It’s a smooth, automated process that:

• Gets content to you and your compliance network quicker
• Makes it easy to tweak introductions
• Makes it easier to review your article selection.

Less faff, more time back in your day. Sounds like a win to me!

2. Guides

If you’re on a newsletter membership with us, you’ll already be getting the monthly guides as part of your package. If not… where have you been hiding?

Our brilliant writers create a fresh guide each month, sometimes focused on financial planning, sometimes lifestyle-related. They’re packed with value and written to be genuinely useful, not just something to tick a content box. Perfect for:

• Sharing with clients
• Including in newsletters or sending as a standalone mailer
• Adding to your website
• Using in client meetings.

And yes, they’re included in your membership at no extra cost. Lovely.

Not on a membership package? You can still access our guides by browsing the Yardstick shop, and if you’re a Yardstick client, you’ll get a cheeky discount too.

3. Update your newsletter database

If you’re sending newsletters through us, you’ll need to keep your database tidy, and you can manage that directly through the portal.

Here’s what you can do:

• Upload an Excel spreadsheet of your clients if you have a large volume of data.
• Edit client names and email addresses.
• Unsubscribe anyone who no longer wants to receive your newsletters.

It’s simple, straightforward, secure, and much easier than back-and-forth emails. It puts you in control of your data without slowing things down.

4. Newsletter management information

Want to check how your newsletters are performing? You’ll find all the details in the Newsletter Management Information section.

Here, you can:

• Check what’s been sent in previous months
• View all your newsletter data in one place, including:
  • Open rate
  • Click-through rate
  • Click-to-open rate
  • Your top three articles for that month’s newsletter
  • Unsubscribes
  • Bounces
  • Who opened your newsletter, and who didn’t

It’s all in one place, so there’s no need to trawl through your inbox hunting for the information (though we do send you the statistics via email, too!).

What next?

We’re always working on ways to make the portal even better, and we love hearing what you’d find helpful and how you’re getting on with it. If there’s something you’d like to see added, let us know. We can’t make any promises, but we’ll always explore what’s possible.

Not using the portal yet or need a hand? Get in touch with us at membership@theyardstickagency.co.uk or call 0115 8965 300, and we’ll help you get started.