Investment Proposal

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