Originally published on Advisor Perspectives, January 2, 2017

Sivers believes a “now” page won’t “benefit you in any business way.” But I disagree. I believe it will.

Despite the overwhelming amount of time and money spent on websites, many of the advisor sites I’ve seen could use some tweaking. Here’s a simple way to make your site topical and engaging.

I credit this idea to Derek Sivers, who is a unique individual. He started two very successful companies, sold them at a young age and retired. He now lives in New Zealand and Singapore and spends his time writing very thoughtful articles about self-improvement, business, philosophy and culture. He loves “finding a different point of view.”

So do I, but he does it better.

The “now” page

I’ve known Derek for a number of years and am an avid follower of his blog posts. When I recently perused his website, I noted that he had a “now” page that told viewers about his current activities.

He explained why he created this page and why you should too. Here’s his reasoning:

The typical “about” and “contact” links provide dry background information and a way to communicate with someone. A “now” page tells you what this person is focused on currently.

Sivers noted that the “now” page fills a gap in sites like Facebook and Twitter. Those sites focus on immediate events like vacations and specific reactions to current news. He likened the function of the “now” page to an update you would give a friend you haven’t seen in a year.

Sivers believes a “now” page won’t “benefit you in any business way.” But I disagree. I believe it will.

I have written previously about the importance of making an emotional connection with prospects and clients. A “now” page permits you to share more of who you really are by describing the kind of activities you enjoy doing. While much of my writing focuses on how you can connect emotionally with others, prospects also want to connect with you. By sharing more of who you really are, you accelerate this process.

My “now” page

I created my own now page. It was fun and easy to write. The response has been eye-opening. Most of the feedback I’ve received has nothing to do with my coaching practice or my views on responsible investing. Instead, some readers wanted more information on The Sea Ranch, where we recently vacationed. Others were interested in the fact that I meditate daily. They wanted to know if there were apps that could help them get started.

The tone of these communications was warm and friendly. These people felt they knew me. That’s the purpose of the “now” page.

A caveat

One caveat: While I have no problem discussing my personal lifestyle, I’m careful not to proselytize. For me, diet, exercise and meditation are important parts of my life. But I am no more qualified in any of these areas than anyone else who reads the popular literature on those topics.

I have noticed a recent trend by advisors (and financial journalists!) to extend the limits of their expertise into areas where they lack objective qualifications. It’s one thing to direct people to articles written by experts on various lifestyle subjects. It’s quite another to present yourself as such an expert when your readers would be better served by consulting with a life coach, a career coach, a nutritionist or a professional trainer.

If you decide to do a “now” page, be sure to send me a link. I would like to know more about you!