A well presented newsletter can be an effective way for financial advisors to gain trust among clients and prospects, says Linda Daley, e-newsletter specialist with Daley Progress Inc. in Halifax.

“When clients work with financial advisors, the focus isn’t on the companies the advisors are representing,” Daley says. “It’s about how comfortable advisors make clients feel with their money.”

A consistent communication process that includes regular newsletters can help you build that comfort, and trust, over time.

Here are four tips to make your e-newsletter more effective:

1. Create an “about me” section
Let your readers know who you are — both as a professional and as a person. An “about me” section in your newsletter puts a human face to your name and can include your qualifications. This section can be as simple as a photograph and mini-biography.

2. Feature other experts
Whether you’re “curating” content — providing articles and images from other sources — or developing your own, be sure to include articles from professionals in other areas of specialization, such as a local mortgage expert.

Humanize your fellow contributors with a photo and bio just as you would yourself, Daley adds. You may even wish to scan a signature to appear after each column.

3. Include a call to action
Your newsletter should have a goal. For some advisors, that goal might be to direct more readers to their blog, or to increase the number of followers they have on social media. Other advisors might create a newsletter with the aim of meeting more prospective clients. Whatever your goal, make sure your newsletter tells readers exactly how you want them to follow up.

Avoid saying, “feel free to contact me,” Daley says. That wording suggests you’re merely granting readers permission to phone, email or follow you on social media. Instead, directly urge your readers to take action, while also including a strong value proposition that will further encourage them to do so.

For example, you might say: “For a free consultation regarding your financial goals, call today.”

4. Promote your newsletter
Canada’s anti-spam legislation prohibits you from emailing newsletters to prospective clients without their consent. Offer the option to subscribe by including a sign-up form on your website; linking to a copy of your newsletter in your email signature; or introducing your newsletter though social media.

This is the second part in a two-part series on creating e-newsletters. For part one, click here.