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