Investment Proposal

Workflow

Step 1: Prospect Context

Gather:

• Prospect name and household details
• Current situation: Existing advisor? Self-directed? What prompted the meeting?
• Assets: Estimated AUM, account types, current holdings (if shared)
• Goals: Retirement, wealth preservation, growth, income, education, estate
• Risk tolerance: Conservative, moderate, aggressive (or questionnaire score)
• Constraints: ESG preferences, concentrated stock, illiquidity needs
• Fee sensitivity: What are they paying now?
• Competition: Who else are they considering?

Step 2: Proposal Structure

I. About Our Firm (1 page)

• Firm overview, history, AUM
• Investment philosophy (in plain English)
• Team bios (relevant to this client)
• Client service model (how often do we meet, who do they call)

II. Understanding Your Needs (1 page)

• Restate their goals and concerns — show you listened
• Key planning considerations identified in discovery
• What success looks like for them

III. Proposed Investment Strategy (2-3 pages)

• Recommended asset allocation with rationale
• How allocation maps to their goals and risk tolerance
• Investment vehicles (ETFs, mutual funds, individual securities, alternatives)
• Tax-aware strategy (asset location, tax-loss harvesting)

Proposed allocation:

IV. Expected Outcomes (1-2 pages)

• Projected growth scenarios (conservative, moderate, optimistic)
• Monte Carlo probability of meeting goals
• Income projections (if retirement or income-focused)
• Risk metrics (max drawdown, volatility)
• Comparison to current portfolio (if known)

V. Fee Structure (1 page)

• Advisory fee schedule (tiered if applicable)
• Underlying fund expenses
• Total all-in cost estimate
• How fees compare to industry averages
• Value proposition — what they get for the fee

VI. Getting Started (1 page)

• Account opening process
• Asset transfer timeline
• Transition plan (if moving from another advisor)
• First 90 days — what to expect
• Required documents and next steps

Step 3: Customization

• Match the tone to the prospect (corporate executive vs. small business owner vs. retiree)
• If they have a concentrated stock position, address it directly
• If they're comparing you to robo-advisors, emphasize the planning and relationship value
• If they're price-sensitive, lead with total value and outcomes, not just fees

Step 4: Output

• PowerPoint presentation (12-15 slides) with firm branding
• PDF leave-behind version
• One-page summary for follow-up email

Important Notes

• The proposal should feel personalized, not templated — reference their specific situation
• Don't oversell performance — set realistic expectations and emphasize process
• Always include disclaimers (projections are hypothetical, past performance, etc.)
• The transition plan matters — clients fear the disruption of switching advisors
• Follow up within 48 hours with the proposal and a clear next step
• Compliance must review before presenting to prospects