Advisor guide: 401(k) outreach sequence

The 401(k) outreach sequence helps advisors connect with businesses that already have a 401(k) plan.

It is intended for people who manage or make decisions about their company's retirement plan, such as:

• Business owners
• CFOs or finance directors
• HR directors
• 401(k) plan administrators

The outreach introduces common areas employers may want to review, including plan fees, fiduciary responsibilities, investment oversight, service, and plan design.

Duration: 32 days
Outreach: 7 emails + 3 call tasks
Enrollment: Manual

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When to use this sequence

Use this sequence when you have identified a business contact who is responsible for or involved in managing their company's existing 401(k) plan.

This is business outreach and should not be used for personal financial planning prospects.

Do not enroll:

• Personal financial planning prospects
• Contacts who are not involved with their company's 401(k)
• Contacts without a confirmed first name and email
• Existing Farther relationships where cold outreach would not be appropriate
• Anyone who has asked not to be contacted

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Before you enroll a contact

Confirm that:

1. The contact is involved in managing or making decisions about the company’s 401(k).
2. Their first name and email address are correct.
3. The correct advisor is assigned to the contact.
4. They have not asked to stop receiving communication.
5. The time zone selected during enrollment matches the contact’s location.

Once confirmed, the advisor or advisor team member can manually enroll the contact.

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How to enroll a contact in this sequence

1. Open the approved AMKT – 401(k) Plan Sponsor Prospect Series.
2. Confirm that you have opened the correct sequence. Do not select a similarly named draft or personal copy by mistake.
3. Select Enroll contacts. If you are viewing the sequence editor and do not see this option, return to the sequence management view.
4. Search for and select the contact you want to enroll.
5. Review the enrollment settings:
   • Sender: Select your own connected work email address.
   • Start step: Use the first step for a new outreach unless there is an approved reason to start elsewhere.
   • Time zone: Select the time zone matching the contact's location.
   • Send timing: Review the first email's scheduled date and time.
6. Review the email preview. Check the contact's name, company information, greeting, and other personalized details.
7. Resolve any missing or incorrect information before continuing.
8. Confirm enrollment and check the contact record to verify that the contact is enrolled.

Important: Do not assume the default sender or time zone is correct. Verify both before starting the sequence.

For general enrollment instructions, see the Farther enrollment guide.

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What happens after enrollment

Once enrolled, HubSpot manages the email schedule and creates call tasks for the advisor.

You do not need to manually send the scheduled emails.

Complete the call tasks when they appear in your HubSpot task queue.

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When a contact responds

Stop sequence outreach once a conversation begins, a meeting is booked, or the contact asks not to be contacted.

If they reply by email

HubSpot automatically unenrolls the contact when it detects a reply, provided the sequence’s reply-based unenrollment setting is enabled. Confirm that the contact is no longer enrolled. If they are still enrolled, manually unenroll them.

Follow up directly and continue the conversation outside the sequence.

If they book a meeting

HubSpot automatically unenrolls the contact when it detects a qualifying meeting booking, provided the sequence’s meeting-based unenrollment setting is enabled. Confirm that the contact is no longer enrolled. If the meeting was arranged outside HubSpot or they are still enrolled, manually unenroll them.

Continue with the scheduled meeting and normal follow-up process.

If they respond by phone or another channel

Manually unenroll the contact when a conversation begins. Do not assume HubSpot will detect the response and stop the sequence.

If they ask you to stop contacting them

Immediately unenroll the contact if they are still enrolled, and record their request in HubSpot so their communication preferences are respected.

How to manually unenroll

Open the contact’s HubSpot record, select Unenroll in the sequence enrollment banner, and confirm.

Sequence settings are managed centrally. Contact HubSpot/Advisor Marketing if automatic unenrollment does not work as expected.

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Call tasks

Three call tasks are included during the 32-day outreach.

The purpose of the calls is to start a conversation based on the topics already shared through email.

If they answer

Introduce yourself and ask whether it is a good time to speak.

If they are busy, ask when would be a better time to reconnect.

If they are interested

Use the email topics as conversation starters, such as:

• How often they review their 401(k) fees

• How their plan is currently managed

• Whether they have recently reviewed their fiduciary responsibilities

• Whether their current plan structure still meets the company's needs

If you reach voicemail

Follow the instructions included in the HubSpot call task.

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Advisor responsibilities

1. Identify the right 401(k) contact.
2. Confirm their information is correct.
3. Enroll them in the sequence.
4. Complete your assigned call tasks.
5. Respond when the contact engages.
6. Stop outreach when a conversation begins or the contact asks not to be contacted.

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Send timing

Email sending schedule

Sequence emails are scheduled Monday through Friday, between 8:00 AM and 11:00 AM, based on the time zone selected during enrollment.

Time zone settings

Before enrolling a contact, review the Time Zone option at the top of the enrollment settings and select the time zone that matches the contact’s location.

Do not rely on the preselected time zone. For example, selecting Eastern Time for a contact in Pacific Time would schedule emails between 5:00 AM and 8:00 AM Pacific Time.

If the contact’s time zone is unknown, confirm their location before enrolling them. Contact the Farther Helpdesk if you need assistance.

Quiet days and weeks

Sequence emails are also paused during designated quiet days and weeks to avoid sending outreach during restricted periods.

For specific dates, refer to the Quiet Days and Weeks page.

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Personalizing the outreach

For one contact

Personalize the emails while reviewing the sequence during enrollment. These changes apply only to that enrollment and do not update the shared sequence or its saved templates.

To create your own reusable version

1. Go to Sales > Sequences and open the approved 401(k) outreach sequence.
2. Select Edit, then Make copy to save a separate sequence.
3. Give your copy a clear name, such as [Advisor Name] | 401(k) Outreach , and select a folder.
4. To personalize an automated email in your copy, open the email step’s three-dot menu and select Edit email.
5. Make your changes and save the email as a new template with a distinct name. Do not overwrite the original template.
6. Repeat for any other emails you want to personalize, then save your sequence.

Important: Copying a sequence does not necessarily create separate copies of its email templates. Save each email you change as a new template to protect the shared version.

Keep the approved timing, call tasks, and unenrollment settings unchanged. Sequence settings are managed centrally.

If you cannot copy the sequence or save a new template, contact HubSpot/Advisor Marketing for assistance.

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When to ask for help

Contact the Farther Helpdesk if:

• You cannot enroll an eligible contact.
• An expected email or call task does not appear.
• An email comes from the wrong advisor.
• Personalization in an email is incorrect.
• Outreach continues after a contact responds.
• You are unsure whether someone should be enrolled.
• Something else does not work as expected.

When submitting a ticket, include the contact's name or email, what you expected to happen, what happened instead, and a screenshot if available.