When a client recommends you to a friend, relative or colleague, you stand a good chance of getting that business. But the prospective client still has no hard information about who you are.

To bridge that gap, some advi-sors send an information package before the first meeting to introduce themselves, the team and the firm to the prospect.

“Sending out an information package helps build trust,” says Dan Richards, president of Strategic Imperatives Ltd. in Toronto. The package can establish your credibility, list your qualifications and reassure the prospect that he or she will be dealing with a professional. An information package also reminds the prospective client of your upcoming meeting and helps ensure that he or she won’t cancel at the last minute.

What goes in your package? It should include some biographical information about you, including your education and designations, Richards says. It should also have key information about your team, your firm and a copy of your newsletter or brochure. Depending on your practice, the package may contain other information, such as:

> an invitation to an upcoming client event;

> a research report produced by your firm;

> client testimonials;

> an article you have written for a consumer publication;

> a copy of an article about you if you have been profiled in a magazine or newspaper.

But don’t overdo it, Richards warns. “You want to keep it relatively short,” he says. “You don’t want to be sending out a foot and a half of paper.”

You should also send an accompanying personal note telling the client you’re looking forward to the meeting.

And make sure the package looks professional. Use quality paper stock for your folder, which should have your logo on it, and send the package by mail or courier. IE