“What’s your best advice for someone who’s creating mutual fund fact sheets?” A colleague’s question spurred this list of tips for mutual fund fact sheet templates that you can use repeatedly.
Focus on the information that your readers care about. Replace jargon with plain language. Trim unnecessary words.
Of course, you’ll still need the disclosures that your compliance officers demand. But even those can be clearly written. As I pointed out in “Ammo for your plain-language battle with compliance,” there’s no legal requirement to use jargon in disclosures. In fact, plain language may offer you a better defense, says lawyer Joseph Kimble in Writing for Dollars, Writing to Please: The case for plain language in business, government, and law.
Assuming that your mutual fund’s other materials are well written, you should borrow content from them for your mutual fund fact sheet templates. You’ll raise the standards for your fact sheets when you recycle compelling, clear, concise language. You’ll also benefit from consistency across your communications.
It’s hard for you to view your mutual fund fact sheet template through the eyes of an outsider. You’re too immersed in your product. Hire an outside writer or editor to help.
No budget for outside help? Show your draft to members of your target audience. Don’t simply ask them “Do you have any suggestions?” or “Do you understand?” Ask them, “What are the main messages of this fact sheet—and can you sum them up in your own words?”
Effective design, with plenty of white space and a layout that makes it easy for readers to find what they seek, can make a big difference in your fact sheet’s effectiveness.
Some fact sheets present a cacophony of data. Others draw readers’ eyes to the most important information.
If you have suggestions for how to create better mutual fund fact sheet templates, please comment. I enjoy learning from my readers.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of Kimble’s book after mentioning it in another blog post. If you click on the Amazon link in this post and then buy something, I will receive a small commission. I only link to books in which I find some value for my blog’s readers.
Image courtesy of ratch0013 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
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Tags: designing, fact sheet, mutual fund, writinghttps://www.investmentwriting.com/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/ID-100248476.jpg 400 400 Susan Weiner, CFA https://www.investmentwriting.com/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/investmentwriting_logo_2016.png Susan Weiner, CFA 2018-07-10 07:50:07 2020-06-26 14:22:40 4 tips for mutual fund fact sheet templates
Amy Chong says:Really impressive information in regards to fact sheet and I am going to improve my skills for sure. Thanks for the valuable information.
