title: Presenting the Finished Plan description: [AFW S.11] The 2^nd Visit Client Conversation. published: true date: 2026-06-30T08:08:04.533Z tags: editor: markdown dateCreated: 2021-04-20T07:46:21.767Z

Watch Presenting Finished Plan VIDEO

Hints & Tips on Presenting the Finished Plan¶

This section is based upon Nick Murray's book The New Financial Advisor, chapter 9.

All Decision-Makers Present¶

Read Both Spouses Present, or None AFW S.12.33

All decision makers (usually husband and wife) must be present.
Not all meetings end in a decision, but you should not feel obligated to give a presentation when a decision is not possible.
If they both can't meet, wait it out.
If the appointment never gets rescheduled, then "next".

You Run the Meeting¶

Read The Messenger is the Message AFW M.1.46

Read Nick's ATY 197 July 16 - The Agenda Principle PDF

The prospects have to know that you are the expert.
Please don't act like an "information provider." You are an Advisor - be one.
You do have an opinion. And, it may conflict with what the client thinks. That's okay. "I will always tell you the plain, unvarnished truth."
Sell "you", not just the plan. They buy you. And your confidence; and your convictions.
You must be clearly seen as standing proudly for what everything costs, especially you.
You can't ever put yourself in the position of appearing to be apologizing for the costs, or trying to downplay them.
Never say your plan/products are cheaper than anyone else's. It doesn't matter.
Hold the moral ground of financial planing; which is that you're just doing what they said they wanted done, the best way you know how.

Tone¶

Read Friendly & Social Skills AFW P.1

Establish a very non-technical, non-selling, easy-going, consultative "tone" in your approach and presentation.
You are the "wise man on the mountain".
Calm. Relaxed. Not tied to an outcome. Get the dollar-signs out of your eyes.

Say as Little as Possible. Keep it Simple When You Do Speak¶

Read Keep It Short and Simple AFW M.1.22

Say as little as possible, so that everything you do say is of critical importance.
Give yourself permission to keep it simple, without worrying that you are somehow oversimplifying.
Don't oversell.
Don't over-explain; you'll sound defensive.

Don't Answer Unasked Questions¶

In general, don't answer questions nobody's asked you yet.
However, if you feel the need to "brag" a common objection, go for it.
Again, say less, not more.

You & the Plan are Flexible¶

Read Stand by Your Standards AFW M.1.50

Reassure the prospects that the plan isn't carved in stone, and that it's a work-in-progress.
However, state clearly that this is what you would ideally do if you were them.
Leave everyone some wiggle room.
What you are offering is a plan for the future, not a guarantee of it.
You don't want your prospect to feel that you are putting them in the position of "take it or leave it".

Presenting the Plan¶

Step 1: The Opening Statement¶

Organize your presentation around the few key areas of deep importance to your clients. (Retirement, kids college, security). Make it clear that you are simply stating a summary. That you're very concerned about not burying them in a mound of details.

John and Mary, I'd like to begin by thanking you both for agreeing to meet with us again! That tells me that you're serious about making smart choices about your money.

The most important thing: my job is to let you never worry anymore. You see, I insist that the people I serve do a Plan, and then stick to it. And then I absolutely forbid them to worry, because in a very real sense that's what you're hiring me to do. Understand that you are being asked to entrust your family's financial future to me. And I, for my part, am offering to accept that responsibility.

Step 2: Review Goals & Present the Numbers¶

Start by summarizing their goals, checking them off, and reporting that each has been solved (not how). This should just be a comforting outline of, "You indicated that a stress-free retirement was very important to you. I was able to build that plan for you."

Present your Plan with the big-picture concepts first, then working your way down to the details. But not down to the nitty-gritty; only dig into the micro details if the client asks you to.

Step 3: Your Summary Close¶

Watch AF MKOM 1669 - Closing Sales + The Long Game VIDEO

Stress that your proposed solutions are nothing more, or less, than what the prospects said was important. After your introduction, and covering the plan, then conclude by saying...

"I believe this plan is the most efficient, most effective, least complex, and least expensive way to accomplish what you want. Now, I don't want to bore you with too much detail, except to the extent that you want me to. So, I feel I should to ease up at this point and give you both the opportunity to ask some questions - or just tell me how you are feeling about all of this so far..."

The end of the Summary Close will almost always lead into the Q&A...

Step 4: The Q & A¶

You really have no idea how things are progressing until you start getting some feedback. And the best feedback is the Question and Answer Session that should begin after presenting the Plan.
Most amateurs view Q & A as an obstacle course at the end of which lies a question that they can't answer.
Champions welcome Q & A because they know it is the only real way to discover what the prospects are thinking.
The decision to adopt your plan is made in one of two places, either during the Original Contact phase before you present the plan, or during the Q&A.
Often when they ask you questions, they are watching to see how you react emotionally to being challenged.
Don't get rattled. Your demeanor must say, "This is what you said you needed, and this is the best way to get what you need."

Step 5: The Actual Close¶

When the timing feels right, or the client asks you, "What's next?", you roll into the Two-Question Close AFW P.7

“Can you see that this plan will enable you to build the retirement you want?”

Yes.

“If you were ever going to get it started, when do you think would be the best time to start?”

I guess the sooner the better.

"Well, the next step is gather some information to get the paperwork started..."

Bonus: The "Messenger is the Message" Close¶

When we establish a relationship, I can promise you that, throughout all of the decades we work together, you will never find another advisor who will care more about you and your family, or who will be more deeply committed to the achievement of your financial goals.

I promise to invest your capital as carefully as I do my own, because I know that your hopes and your family’s future are every bit as sacred to you as mine are to me. I commit to always tell you the plain, unvarnished truth, especially when you may not want to hear it. When you ask me something to which I may not have an answer, I promise to always say, ‘I don’t know’ – and then move heaven and earth to find it. Finally, I will never, ever tell you I can do something I cannot do, nor will I tell you I am going to do something, and then not do it.

It is feasible that you will encounter financial advisors ‘smarter’ than I am, and just as surely you will run across advisors who are ‘cheaper’ than I am. (You will not, however, find someone who is both ‘smarter’ and ‘cheaper’). But you will never, in your life, find an advisor you can trust more implicitly than you can trust me. If we work together, in that spirit of mutual trust, there is nothing, within reason, we cannot accomplish. And perhaps the most important thing is: you will no longer have to worry. You see, I insist on developing a written financial plan, and then ensuring you stick to that plan. Beyond that, I encourage hope, because I know that in investing, optimism is the only long-term realism. But I absolutely forbid my clients to worry, because in a very real sense that is exactly what you are hiring me to do. If you are going to pay for investment counsel, and then worry about it, you have not really accepted my advice, which in effect means you do not trust me. I can not accept the fate of your financial future in my hands on that basis; it would not be fair to either of us. Understand clearly that you are being asked to entrust your family’s financial future to me (much as you would a doctor to treat an illness or a lawyer to represent you in court) – not a particular financial plan and not to an investment portfolio – to me. And I, for my part, am offering to accept that responsibility.

Investment Policy Statement¶

After your client agrees to go-ahead you'll want to present your Investment Policy Statement (IPS). This is basically a brief summary of your strategy and principles. You can present this in writing or just recite it to them and get a verbal agreement.

Read Nick's NMS 29 - Investment Policy Statement: the accumulation phase PDF

Read Nick's NMS 30 - Investment Policy Statement: the distribution phase PDF

Giving Bad News to Client¶

Mr & Mrs client, one of the things I’ve always prided myself on in my practice is I will always tell the client the plain, unvarnished truth. Especially when they don’t want to hear it. Unfortunately, i think many advisors and salespeople won’t do that, they will just tell the client what they want to hear, just to make a sale. I won’t do that. I’ll always be brutally honest.

Having said that, in your current timeframe, frankly you’re not on track. You want $xxx per month coming in, in X years from now, it’s not gonna happen. I can show you the details later, basically comes down to this: you have 3 options, or a combination of the 3.

Extend the length of time. Retire at a later date
Take less money in retirement
Invest more money between now and retirement.

Or look at it like a bunch of trees as your retirement funds.

You can wait longer to pull fruit from the trees
You can take less fruit from your trees every month
Or you can plant more seeds before retirement

Most likely, you will do a combination of all 3.