successful financial advisor business plan

Financial Advisor Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 9,000 entrepreneurs create business plans to start and grow their financial advisor and financial planning businesses. On this page, we will first give you some background information with regards to the importance of business planning. We will then go through a financial advisor business plan template step-by-step so you can create your plan today.

Download our Ultimate Financial Advisor Business Plan Template here >

What is a Financial Advisor Business Plan?

A business plan provides a snapshot of your financial advisor business as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategy for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.

Why You Need a Business Plan for a Financial Advisory Firm

If you’re looking to start a financial advisor business or grow your existing financial advisor business you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your financial planning business in order to improve your chances of success. Your financial advisor business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.

Source of Funding for Financial Planning Businesses

With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for a financial advisor are personal savings, credit cards, bank loans and angel investors. With regards to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to confirm that your financials are reasonable. But they will want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business.

Angel investors are wealthy individuals who will write you a check. They will either take equity in return for their funding, or, like a bank, they will give you a loan.

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Your business plan should include 10 sections as follows:

Executive Summary

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.

The goal of your Executive Summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the type of financial advisor business you are operating and the status; for example, are you a startup, do you have a financial advisor business that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of financial planning businesses.

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan. For example, give a brief overview of the financial advisor business industry. Discuss the type of financial planning business you are operating. Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers. Provide a snapshot of your marketing plan. Identify the key members of your team. And offer an overview of your financial plan.

Company Analysis

In your company analysis, you will detail the type of financial advisor business you are operating.

For example, you might operate one of the following types:

• Financial Planning for Consumers : this type of financial advisor provides services such as retirement planning and investment management for individuals.
• Financial Management Consulting : this type of financial advisor business typically serves businesses and governments, providing portfolio management services.

In addition to explaining the type of financial advisor business you operate, the Company Analysis section of your financial planner business plan needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to question such as:

• When and why did you start the business?
• What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include sales goals you’ve reached, new store openings, etc.
• Your legal structure. Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.

Industry Analysis

In your industry analysis, you need to provide an overview of the financial advisor business.

While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.

First, researching the financial advisor business industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating.

Secondly, market research can improve your strategy particularly if your research identifies market trends. For example, if there was a trend towards cryptocurrency investment, it would be helpful to ensure your plan calls for continuing education in alternative investments.

The third reason for market research is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section of your financial advisor business plan:

• How big is the financial advisor business (in dollars)?
• Is the market declining or increasing?
• Who are the key competitors in the market?
• Who are the key suppliers in the market?
• What trends are affecting the industry?
• What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
• What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential market for your financial advisor business. You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section of your financial planning business plan must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments: families, high net worth individuals (HNWIs), baby boomers, businesses, etc.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of financial advisor business you operate. Clearly baby boomers would want different pricing and product options, and would respond to different marketing promotions than high net worth individuals.

Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, include a discussion of the ages, genders, locations and income levels of the customers you seek to serve. Because most financial advisor businesses primarily serve customers living in their same city or town, such demographic information is easy to find on government websites.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can understand and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.

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Competitive Analysis

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are other financial advisor businesses.

Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t direct competitors. This includes independent advisory firms, commercial banks, investment banks, insurance companies, broker-dealers, discount brokerages or self-managing one’s finances and investments. You need to mention such competition to show you understand that not everyone who seeks financial advice engages the services of a financial advisor.

With regards to direct competition, you want to detail the other financial advisor businesses with which you compete. Most likely, your direct competitors will be financial advisor businesses located very close to your location.

For each such competitor, provide an overview of their businesses and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as:

• What types of customers do they serve?
• What products and services do they offer?
• What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
• What are they good at?
• What are their weaknesses?

With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective.

The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

• Will you provide superior services?
• Will you provide products/services that your competitors don’t offer?
• Will you make it easier or faster for customers to engage your services?
• Will you provide better customer service?
• Will you offer better pricing?

Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.

Marketing Plan

Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. Your financial advisor marketing plan should include the following:

Product : in the product section you should reiterate the type of financial advisor business that you documented in your Company Analysis. Then, detail the specific products you will be offering. For example, in addition to financial advice, will you offer trust services or brokering and dealing?

Price : Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of your marketing plan, you are presenting the products and services you offer and their prices.

Place : Place refers to the location of your financial advisor business. Document your location and mention how the location will impact your success.

Promotions : the final part of your financial advisor business marketing plan is the promotions section. Here you will document how you will drive customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

• Advertising in local papers and magazines
• Pay per click advertising
• Reaching out to local bloggers and websites
• Social media advertising
• Local radio advertising
• Banner ads at local venues

Operations Plan

While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your financial advisory such as serving customers, procuring supplies, keeping the office clean, etc.

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to serve your 100th customer, or when you hope to reach $X in sales. It could also be when you expect to hire your Xth employee or launch a new location.

Management Team

To demonstrate your financial advisor business’s ability to succeed as a business, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company.

Ideally you and/or your team members have direct experience in the financial advisor business. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act like mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in financial advisor businesses and/or successfully running small businesses.

Financial Plan

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statements.

Income Statement : an income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenues and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.

In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you serve 50 accounts at a time, or 100? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.

Balance Sheets : While balance sheets include much information, to simplify them to the key items you need to know about, balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. For instance, if you spend $100,000 on building out your financial advisor business, that will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a bank writes you a check for $100.000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.

Cash Flow Statement : Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business, and make sure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt.

In developing your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a financial advisor business:

• Office location build-out including design fees, construction, etc.
• Cost of equipment like computer hardware and software, office equipment, etc.
• Cost of required licenses (e.g., FINRA fees)
• Payroll or salaries paid to staff
• Business insurance
• Taxes and permits
• Legal expenses

Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your office design blueprint or location lease, etc.

Additional Financial Advisor Business Plan Tips

When writing a business plan for a financial advisor practice, take great pains to avoid these three mistakes which each give funders reason to set the plan aside or stop returning your calls.

Resting on Your Laurels

Your financial experience that prepares you to be an advisor is certainly important to explain in your business plan, but this isn’t enough. You have to go beyond explaining the experience you bring to the table to explain how you will market and operate a business with that experience serving as a cornerstone. Without a plan for how the business will run, readers cannot truly judge how you expect the business to succeed.

Ignoring Competition

Writing that there is no competition for the customers you want in the location you will operate is a huge mistake in a business plan. There are always competitors, even if the competition is Fortune magazine or the Motley Fool website. At a minimum, clients have the option of finding financial advice in these inexpensive sources rather than working with you. The competitive analysis section of your plan must recognize the challenge you face in proving your practice’s worth beyond these competitors, at the very least.

Not Connecting the Dots

The business plan is a type of logic puzzle. When put together, it connects opportunity to means to methods to results. Think through the logic of whether the means you present (your experience, team, location, etc.) are adequate to take advantage of the opportunity. Consider whether the operations and marketing methods you propose make sense for the means. Look at whether the results you project are reasonable given these methods. If you don’t think through these steps, your readers will find gaps in your logic and turn down funding for your plan, even if each component sounds perfectly fine on its own. The plan must work as a cohesive whole to be fundable.

Financial Advisor Business Plan Summary

Putting together a business plan for your financial advisor business is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. You will really understand the financial advisor business, your competition and your customers. You will have developed a marketing plan and will really understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful financial advisor business.

Download Our Financial Advisor Business Plan PDF

You can download our financial advisor business plan PDF here . This is a business plan template you can use in PDF format.  

Financial Advisor Business Plan FAQs

What is the easiest way to complete my financial advisor business plan.

Growthink's Ultimate Financial Advisor Business Plan Template allows you to quickly and easily complete your Financial Advisor Business Plan.

Where Can I Download a Financial Advisor Business Plan PDF?

You can download our financial advisor business plan PDF template here . This is a business plan template you can use in PDF format.

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your Financial Advisor business plan?

OR, Let Us Develop Your Plan For You

Since 1999, Growthink has developed business plans for thousands of companies who have gone on to achieve tremendous success.   Click here to see how Growthink’s business plan writers can create your business plan for you.

Other Helpful Business Plan Articles & Templates

Financial Advisor Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Business Plan Outline

• Financial Advisor Business Plan Home
• 1. Executive Summary
• 2. Company Overview
• 3. Industry Analysis
• 4. Customer Analysis
• 5. Competitive Analysis
• 6. Marketing Plan
• 7. Operations Plan
• 8. Management Team
• 9. Financial Plan

Financial Advisor Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your financial advisor business plan.

We have helped over 10,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their financial advisor businesses. Our financial advisor business plan template will help you create your business plan, ensuring that you have all the necessary elements to make your financial advisor business a success.

To write a successful financial advisor business plan, you will first need to decide what type of financial advisor services you will offer. Will you be working with small businesses? Or are your target customers individuals saving for retirement?

You will need to gather information about your business and the financial advisor industry. This type of information includes business goals, customer demographics, market research, and financial statements.

Below are links to each section of a financial advisor business plan example:

Next Section: Executive Summary >

Financial Advisor Business Plan FAQs

What is a financial advisor business plan.

A financial advisor business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your financial advisor business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can  easily complete your financial advisor business plan using our Financial Advisor Business Plan Template here .

What Are the Main Types of Financial Advisor Companies?

There are different types of financial advisor firms . The most common kinds are the investment advisors, broker-dealers and brokers, certified financial planners, financial consultants, wealth advisors, and portfolio, investment, and asset managers. There are also digital platforms that provide automated, algorithm-driven investment services with little to no human supervision called robo-advisors.

What Are the Main Sources of Revenues & Expenses for Financial Advisors?

Financial advisors make money on client fees for financial planning services.  These are usually charged on an hourly basis or as a percentage of client assets under management. Another source of income are commissions for certain financial transactions, such as the sale of insurance products or the buying and selling of securities.

The key expenses are salaries and wages, and office space rent.

How to Start a Financial Advisor Business?

Starting a financial advisor business can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.

• Write A Financial Advisor Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include market research on the financial industry and potential target market size, information on the services and/or products you will offer, marketing strategies, pricing details, competitive analysis and a solid financial forecast.
• Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your financial advisor business is in compliance with local laws.
• Register Your Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your financial advisor business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws.
• Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms.
• Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations.
• Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees and a top notch management team, including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events.
• Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your business. Marketing efforts includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising to reach your target audience.

Learn more about how to start a Financial Advisor business:

• How to Start a Financial Advisor Business

How Do You Get Funding for Your Financial Advisor Business Plan?

Financial advisor businesses are typically funded through small business loans, personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors.

A financial advisor's business plan should include a detailed financial plan to secure any type of potential investor. This is true for all types of financial advisor business plans including a financial planner business plan and a wealth management business plan.

Where Can I Get a Financial Advisor Business Plan PDF?

You can download our free financial advisor business plan template PDF here. This is a sample financial advisor business plan template you can use in PDF format.

How to Write a Financial Advisor Business Plan (+ Template)

Creating a business plan is essential for any business, but it can be especially helpful for financial advisor businesses that want to improve their strategy and raise funding.

A well-crafted business plan not only outlines the vision for your company, but also documents a step-by-step roadmap of how you are going to accomplish it. In order to create an effective business plan, you must first understand the components that are essential to its success.

This article provides an overview of the key elements that every financial advisor business owner should include in their business plan.

Download the Ultimate Financial Advisor Business Plan Template

What is a Financial Advisor Business Plan?

A financial advisor business plan is a formal written document that describes your company’s business strategy and its feasibility. It documents the reasons you will be successful, your areas of competitive advantage, and it includes information about your team members. Your business plan is a key document that will convince investors and lenders (if needed) that you are positioned to become a successful venture.

Why Write a Financial Advisor Business Plan?

A financial advisor business plan is required for banks and investors. The document is a clear and concise guide of your business idea and the steps you will take to make it profitable.

Entrepreneurs can also use this as a roadmap when starting their new company or venture, especially if they are inexperienced in starting a business.

Writing an Effective Financial Advisor Business Plan

The following are the key components of a successful financial advisor business plan:

Executive Summary

The executive summary of a financial advisor business plan is a one- to two-page overview of your entire business plan. It should summarize the main points, which will be presented in full in the rest of your business plan.

• Start with a one-line description of your financial advisor company
• Provide a short summary of the key points in each section of your business plan, which includes information about your company’s management team, industry analysis, competitive analysis, and financial forecast, among others.

Company Description

This section should include a brief history of your company. Include a short description of how your company began and provide a timeline of milestones your company has achieved.

If you are just starting your financial advisor business, you may not have a long company history. Instead, you can include information about your professional experience in this industry and how and why you conceived your new venture. If you have worked for a similar company before or have been involved in an entrepreneurial venture before starting your financial advisor firm, mention this.

You will also include information about your chosen financial advisor business model and how, if applicable, it is different from other companies in your industry.

Industry Analysis

The industry or market analysis is an important component of a financial advisor business plan. Conduct thorough market research to determine industry trends and document the size of your market. 

Questions to answer include:

• What part of the financial advisor industry are you targeting?
• How big is the market?
• What trends are happening in the industry right now (and, if applicable, how do these trends support the success of your company)?

You should also include sources for the information you provide, such as published research reports and expert opinions.

Customer Analysis

This section should include a list of your target audience(s) with demographic and psychographic profiles (e.g., age, gender, income level, profession, job titles, interests). You will need to provide a profile of each customer segment separately, including their needs and wants.

For example, financial advisor business customers may include corporate human resources departments, small business owners, and individual investors.

You can include information about how your customers make the decision to buy from you as well as what keeps them buying from you.

Develop a strategy for targeting those customers who are most likely to buy from you, as well as those that might be influenced to buy your products or financial advisor services with the right marketing.

Competitive Analysis

The competitive analysis helps you determine how your product or service will be different from competitors, and what your unique selling proposition (USP) might be that will set you apart in this industry.

For each competitor, list their strengths and weaknesses. Next, determine your areas of competitive differentiation and/or advantage; that is, in what ways are you different from and ideally better than your competitors.

Below are sample competitive advantages your financial advisor business may have:

• Extensive knowledge and experience in the industry
• Proven track record of success
• Strong relationships with clients
• Offers a unique service that is not currently being offered by competitors
• Highly specialized services that cater to a specific niche
• Low overhead costs

Marketing Plan

This part of the business plan is where you determine and document your marketing plan. Your plan should be clearly laid out, including the following 4 Ps.

• Product/Service : Detail your product/service offerings here. Document their features and benefits.
• Price : Document your pricing strategy here. In addition to stating the prices for your products/services, mention how your pricing compares to your competition.
• Place : Where will your customers find you? What channels of distribution (e.g., partnerships) will you use to reach them if applicable?
• Promotion : How will you reach your target customers? For example, you may use social media, write blog posts, create an email marketing campaign, use pay-per-click advertising, or launch a direct mail campaign. Or you may promote your financial advisor business via word-of-mouth or referrals.  

Operations Plan

This part of your financial advisor business plan should include the following information:

• How will you deliver your product/service to customers? For example, will you do it in person or over the phone only?
• What infrastructure, equipment, and resources are needed to operate successfully? How can you meet those requirements within budget constraints?

The operations plan is where you also need to include your company’s business policies. You will want to establish policies related to everything from customer service to pricing, to the overall brand image you are trying to present.

Finally, and most importantly, in your Operations Plan, you will lay out the milestones your company hopes to achieve within the next five years. Create a chart that shows the key milestone(s) you hope to achieve each quarter for the next four quarters, and then each year for the following four years. Examples of milestones for a financial advisor business include reaching $X in sales. Other examples include acquiring a certain number of clients or partners, launching a new service, opening a new location, and hiring key personnel.

Management Team

List your team members here, including their names and titles, as well as their expertise and experience relevant to your specific financial advisor industry. Include brief biography sketches for each team member.

Particularly if you are seeking funding, the goal of this section is to convince investors and lenders that your team has the expertise and experience to execute on your plan. If you are missing key team members, document the roles and responsibilities, you plan to hire for in the future.

Financial Plan

Here, you will include a summary of your complete and detailed financial plan (your full financial projections go in the Appendix). 

This includes the following three financial statements:

Income Statement

Your income statement should include:

• Revenue : how much revenue you generate.
• Cost of Goods Sold : These are your direct costs associated with generating revenue. This includes labor costs, as well as the cost of any equipment and supplies used to deliver the product/service offering.
• Net Income (or loss) : Once expenses and revenue are totaled and deducted from each other, this is the net income or loss.

Sample Income Statement for a Startup Financial Advisor Firm

Financial advisor balance sheet.

Include a balance sheet that shows your assets, liabilities, and equity. Your balance sheet should include:

• Assets : Everything you own (including cash).
• Liabilities : This is what you owe against your company’s assets, such as accounts payable or loans.
• Equity : The worth of your business after all liabilities and assets are totaled and deducted from each other.

Sample Balance Sheet for a Startup Financial Advisor Firm

Cash flow statement.

Include a cash flow statement showing how much cash comes in, how much cash goes out and a net cash flow for each year. The cash flow statement should include cash flow from:

• Investments

Below is a sample of a projected cash flow statement for a startup financial advisor business.

Sample Cash Flow Statement for a Startup Financial Advisor Firm

You will also want to include an appendix section which will include:

• Your complete financial projections
• A complete list of your company’s business policies and procedures related to the rest of the business plan (marketing, operations, etc.)
• Any other documentation which supports what you included in the body of your business plan.

Writing a good business plan gives you the advantage of being fully prepared to launch and/or grow your financial advisor company. It not only outlines your business vision but also provides a step-by-step process of how you are going to accomplish it.

Following the tips and using the template provided in this article, you can write a financial advisor business plan that will help you succeed.  

Finish Your Financial Advisor Business Plan in 1 Day!

Wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your Financial Advisor business plan?

With our Ultimate Financial Advisor Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less!

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How to Create a Financial Advisor Business Plan

• March 21, 2024

The notion of crafting a business plan often takes a backseat for many financial advisors, seen more as an initiative for budding entrepreneurs rather than established professionals. The apprehension tied to formulating a business plan can stem from its perceived complexity or unfamiliarity. 

However, the distinction between an ordinary practice and an elite one can often be attributed to a well-curated financial advisor business plan. This is corroborated by findings from the consulting firm CEG Worldwide , which show that 70 percent of top-earning advisors possess both formal business plans and marketing strategies. 

Although having a written financial advisor business plan does not necessarily guarantee success, there is compelling evidence to suggest that the act of planning instills a valuable level of clarity and discipline. Read on to learn about what elements make an effective business plan for a financial advisor. 

Calculate Your Business Growth Number  

It’s often said that you can’t manage what you can’t measure. As a financial advisor, objectively assessing the needs and growth trajectory of your own business can be a complex task. The concept of the “Business Growth Number” has been introduced to simplify this process, providing a clear metric that can guide your strategic decisions and formulating your financial advisor business plan. 

This number serves as a barometer of your firm’s growth potential, helping you identify the areas where improvement is most needed, and guiding you to the resources that can help amplify your effectiveness, revenue, and profit. Employing this metric allows you to select the most fitting for your enterprise, optimizing your potential for growth.

5 Elements to Include in Your Financial Advisor Business Plan  

When creating an effective financial advisor business plan, several key considerations can guide your strategy and decision-making process. These elements are crucial in determining your business’s direction, shaping its growth, and ensuring its sustainability. Read on to learn five of these essential considerations, providing insight into how they can be effectively integrated into your business plan.

1. Your Niche

Understanding ‘WHO’ your niche will be is step one. The success of your practice hinges on knowing who your ideal client is and tailoring your services to meet their precise requirements. A niche focus can significantly enhance the efficiency of your service delivery and even empower you to command a premium for your specialized advice.

While many advisors aspire to carve out a niche, the challenge lies in aligning core business elements such as service offerings, marketing, and business development to the specific profile of the niche. Examples of such niches could include clients from a specific profession, individuals experiencing life transitions , or employees from a specific industry. Therefore, it is essential to introspect and identify the client segment you genuinely enjoy working with, enabling you to design a specialty planning practice that can not only cater to, but even anticipate, their needs.

2. Your Services and Tech Stack 

The second essential consideration in formulating your financial advisor business plan involves defining your distinctive services and the technology that will enable them, which forms your Unique Value Proposition (UVP). Your UVP answers the question, “Why should I work with you?” and can set you apart in the marketplace.

Such differentiation could be serving entrepreneurs in managing personal and business finances, helping pre-retirees and retirees with retirement income plans, or offering financial planning for engineers. Prospective clients who identify with these profiles will find your value proposition attractive.

3. Your Marketing Plan  

Implementing your marketing strategy is the next pivotal step in making your presence known and demonstrating how you can assist potential clients. This strategy will be influenced by your target market, UVP, and tech stack, and will serve as a road map to attract and convert prospects into clients .

4. Your KPIs

It’s critical to set key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure your business plan’s efficacy. Your KPIs will be influenced by your ultimate objectives, which can range from amassing $1 billion in assets under management and building a legacy, to establishing a solo practice that maintains your family’s lifestyle and serves a client base you enjoy working with.

Various financial planning indicators can be used to benchmark your practice. For instance, consider tracking metrics like the next-generation client relationship rate. If your primary aim is to deliver an outstanding client experience , focus on service KPIs such as Net promoter scores, referrals per client, and response times.

5. Your Role & Operations

In the operation of your business, it’s essential to prioritize and focus on a limited number of key areas at a time, rather than attempting to direct efforts towards several tasks at once. This strategy entails first attending to the most substantial and important responsibilities in your business, such as business development and financial planning, ensuring that they are adequately integrated into your business schedule.

Once the primary elements of your business have been addressed, consider utilizing technology and creating repeatable processes for the less significant tasks. The option of outsourcing these secondary, less critical tasks could also be beneficial.

How IFG Can Help  

Integrated Financial Group delivers a unique, comprehensive solution for business development that goes beyond mere financial planning. Our Advisor Development team positions itself not just as a consulting entity, but as partners committed to accompanying you throughout your journey from being a financial planner to a successful business owner.

We provide strategic support in areas such as transition and integration meetings, business planning, and strategic coaching, which can help you focus on the fundamental aspects of your business. This allows you sufficient time to concentrate on primary tasks while we assist with the handling of secondary and tertiary responsibilities, enabling smoother operations and a stronger business foundation. This partnership with Integrated Financial Group empowers your business to flourish and reach its maximum potential.

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5 Key Elements to a Financial Advisor Business Plan

As a financial advisor, the idea of building a business plan can seem a low priority—merely an exercise for entrepreneurs trying to launch a startup. But as a business owner, you may know that you should take care of it, but you also know that it’s going to be uncomfortable. Just like avoiding your annual physical or regular car tune-up, not creating a business plan can hurt further down the road.

A lot of the anxiety financial advisors have over building a business plan can be because it’s unfamiliar or daunting. However, research shows that businesses that plan grow 30 percent faster than those that do not . Despite these results, a study by the Financial Planners Association showed that only 28 percent of advisors actually have a business plan.

In this article, we’ll explore some of the common myths surrounding financial advisor business plans. We'll also highlight some signs to watch out for that could indicate your practice is in need of a business plan. Lastly, we'll discuss what elements you need to incorporate into your new plan for the future of your financial advisory practice.

3 Myths Financial Advisors Believe About Business Plan

1. “business plans require a lot of detail and effort to make.”.

This myth is a common one because it is, in certain circumstances, true. For example, if you were just starting your financial advisory practice and wanted to secure a loan from the Small Business Administration, you would want to build a highly comprehensive business plan that covers everything from market analysis to your financial projections.

Fortunately, most financial advisors’ business plans will be for internal use only and serve a narrower scope of purpose. Realistically, building a business plan doesn’t even have to take a full day.

2. “I don’t need a business plan because I’m not trying to grow my practice right now.”

Plenty of financial advisors have settled into a lifestyle practice, plan on retiring soon, or have any number of reasons why they may not want to grow their business . In fact, our data suggests that a full third of advisors aren't actively growing—and that they prefer it that way.

But there’s no law that says a business plan needs to have growth as its goal. Ultimately, the purpose of your business plan is up to you. Succession planning is an excellent reason to craft a business plan, as is wanting to maintain the same level of assets under management (AUM) or client load as you have now. If you want to grow, that’s great; if not, that’s fine too.

3. “I know what my goals are, so I don’t need a business plan.”

Having goals is important, but a business plan isn’t just about defining goals. It’s about making a plan to obtain those goals, a definite set of objectives and expectations you can hold yourself to, criteria for measuring success, and defining those goals in detail.

Even if building a business plan was just about defining goals, it would still be a worthwhile exercise. External pressures and the difficult reality of making changes make it easy to allow goals to slip or morph into something that feels more attainable. Six months down the line, you might discover that the goal you’re currently pursuing bears no resemblance to the one you set out to achieve. Writing your goal down formally ensures that you have something to refer back to when the going gets tough.

How to Tell Whether You Need a Business Plan

Now that you’re familiar with the common misconceptions surrounding a business plan, the next step is to determine whether you need one. At AssetMark, we believe that any financial advisor—no matter where they are on their journey or what stage they’re at in their career—can benefit from a business plan. Furthermore, it’s better to have a plan and not use it than to need one and not have it. That being said, there are some common signs of distress in a practice that a financial advisor business plan can help with:

That being said, there are some common signs of distress in a practice that a financial advisor business plan can help with:

1. Your projects tend to go unfinished.

When there are a lot of great ideas but not enough follow-through, a well-defined business plan can help you focus your efforts and ensure that you hold yourself and your staff to making progress.

2. Your wishlist is growing long.

Similarly to the above, maybe there are just too many things you’d like to do to even get started on them. Again, a business plan can help you prioritize your wishlist and ensure you’re on the right track.

3. You and your staff are suffering from change exhaustion.

In order to reach their goals, many advisors undertake initiative after initiative, project after project, campaign after campaign—at a certain point, all of these efforts drain any reserves you and your team had and it's time for a break. The first thing to do is take that break. Then, after a recharge, a business plan can help you focus your efforts in a sustainable way.

4. Your advisors are starting to feel frustrated.

Frustration can come from many sources. Your advisors could feel like they have an unmanageable number of clients, that their hands are tied in how they serve those clients, that their hours are too long, or their pay isn’t enough. Whatever the issue is, a business plan can help you narrow in on solving the root cause.

Learn how AssetMark can make a difference in your firm's business performance.

What Are the Essential Elements of a Financial Advisor Business Plan?

Knowing when you need a business plan isn’t much good if you don’t know how to put one together. For most advisory firms, these 5 key elements can serve as a financial advisor business plan template.

1. Your Vision

Where are you trying to go? If you don’t have some desired future for your practice, then it doesn’t matter what you do and you don’t need a business plan. But, if you want to bring in more clients, grow AUM, maintain your current caseload, or transition your practice off to a promising junior advisor, then defining that vision will give you the Point B to your Point A.

2. Objectives and Goals

Take your vision and break it down into achievable goals. This could be, for example, increasing your AUM by 15% next year or onboarding 3 new high-net-worth clients. As a best practice, follow the SMART framework—that is, define goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound.

3. A Plan of Action

In order to achieve these goals, you’ll need to establish a plan of action. Assign responsibilities to different members of your practice, set priorities, identify requirements, and document all of this so that whenever the wires get crossed, you’ll know who is supposed to get what done and when.

4. Measurable Metrics

Arguably the most important element of any financial advisor's business plan is the inclusion of metrics. Define the key performance indicators (KPIs) that you’ll track on the way to achieving your vision and goals. Evaluate your progress against these KPIs and, using those metrics, determine whether you need to take corrective action or stay the course.

5. Scheduled Reviews

You need to schedule your plan of action, of course. But, you also need to schedule regular reviews of and management sessions for your business plan. As you progress towards your vision, it's important to evaluate whether that vision still seems realistic or desirable, whether you need to tweak any metrics, reassign duties, and so on.

Build a Plan that Works for You

A financial advisor business plan doesn’t have to take weeks to craft together, nor is it only useful for advisors interested in growing their practice. The important thing to take away is that a business plan should be tailored around your goals. Whatever form it takes should be in service of those goals.

If that prospect seems a bit overwhelming, reach out to an AssetMark business consultant to walk you through the process. Any given financial advisor might make a handful of business plans over the course of their career, but our business consultants have worked with thousands of advisors on their business plans, so we’ve learned a few things about the practices that work best.

Take, for example, financial advisor Kit Tiell's experience. "At the onset of working with AssetMark, my goal was to spend 80 percent of my time in front of clients," said Tiell.

In addition to outsourcing administrative tasks to AssetMark, Tiell also leaned on our business consulting services: "I have also taken advantage of their practice management resources and business coaching to streamline office workflow, create business goals, and develop employee career ladders (among other things). My continued engagement with AssetMark’s elite practice management team has allowed me to continue building the practice that evolves with the current business environment."

If you're interested in building a business plan that—like Tiell's—sets a foundation for your practice, get in touch with us today to get started on your business plan, no matter what your goals are.

"AssetMark’s elite practice management team has allowed me to continue building the practice that evolves with the current business environment. "  -Kit Tiell

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Essential Parts of a Financial Advisor Business Plan

In the world of finance, foresight is everything, and that extends to how one manages their own business affairs. At the heart of a successful advisory firm lies a well-constructed financial planner business plan. But why is such a plan indispensable?

First and foremost, having a concrete business plan provides clarity. It allows financial advisors to map out their business goals with precision. This ensures every move is calculated and in line with their larger vision. 

This isn’t a luxury—it's a necessity. You wouldn’t advise clients without a detailed financial strategy, right? Similarly, running an advisory firm without a plan can lead to haphazard decisions and missed opportunities.

Moreover, in the realm of small businesses, which many advisory firms fall under, the terrain is fraught with challenges. From competition to regulatory changes, the landscape is ever-evolving.

Through meticulous planning, including identifying potential risks and strategizing on growth opportunities, advisors can navigate these complexities with confidence.

Here's our breakdown of everything you need to include in your comprehensive wealth management business plan. 

The Executive Summary

At the forefront of every robust business plan for financial advisors lies the executive summary. Think of it as the trailer to a blockbuster movie. It provides a concise overview of your business's entire narrative, touching on the highlights, the challenges, and the anticipated outcomes.

For a financial advisor, this section is vital. It encapsulates everything from your firm's mission and operational strategy to financial projections. The executive summary serves a dual purpose. 

First, it's a quick reference tool for those already familiar with your firm. It’s also a comprehensive introduction for potential investors who might be pursuing your plan for the first time.

While the bulk of your business plan dives deep into specifics, the executive summary gives readers an aerial view. It captures the essence of your advisory venture and its potential trajectory.

The Company Overview

The next step is to delve into the specifics of your enterprise with a comprehensive company overview. This section acts as the backbone of your blueprint. It provides critical details about your advisory firm's inception, its goals, and how it operates in the financial landscape.

The company overview addresses the "who, what, and why" of your business. It's where you define your target market, specify your services, and highlight your unique selling propositions. For instance, your firm might lean heavily on social media for client acquisition or financial education. If so, this is the place to note that.

Furthermore, understanding the nuances of cash flow and the financial structure of your business is crucial. This overview provides a clear snapshot for stakeholders, ensuring that they grasp the operational and financial vitality of your advisory firm. It sets the stage, offering context and clarity for the subsequent sections of your plan.

Industry Analysis

The industry analysis is a pivotal section in a financial advisor's business plan. It sheds light on the larger financial landscape in which the advisor operates. It encompasses a thorough competitive analysis, allowing the business owner to understand where their firm stands in relation to peers. 

Recognizing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in the industry provides invaluable insights. Such comprehension forms the bedrock of a sound marketing strategy. Staying informed about the industry's dynamics is essential. It allows an advisor to pivot when necessary, capitalize on emerging trends, and stay ahead in a competitive market.

Customer Analysis

In the realm of financial advising, understanding one's clientele is paramount. A thorough customer analysis provides insights into the specific needs and preferences of the clients in your target market. 

Financial advising clients are all different. Some are seeking wealth management to grow their assets. Others want financial planning for long-term stability, or retirement planning for a secure future. 

Still more need assistance with estate planning to ensure their legacy is passed on as intended. Recognizing these distinct requirements is crucial. 

By comprehensively analyzing the diverse financial objectives of clients, advisors can tailor their services more effectively. Ultimately, this will ensure they meet the unique goals and expectations of each individual they serve.

Competitive Analysis

A competitive analysis is a cornerstone for any RIA business plan. It involves diving deep into the market to understand how your financial advisory firm stacks up against competitors. What strategies are other firms using in their marketing plans? Which financial advisor business models are proving to be the most successful? 

By understanding the strengths and weaknesses of competitors, you can identify potential opportunities and threats in the marketplace. This information can be invaluable. It allows you to fine-tune your services, adjust your marketing strategies, and ultimately create a more resilient and successful business. After all, in the world of finance, knowledge truly is power.

Marketing Plan

Central to any investment advisor business plan is the marketing plan. It's where you lay out strategies to attract and retain clients. The marketing plan outlines how you'll position yourself in the industry. This includes the channels you'll use to reach potential clients and the tactics for engagement. 

Whether it's through social media campaigns, seminars, or referral programs, the marketing plan gives direction on promoting your services effectively. By aligning marketing efforts with overall business goals, you ensure that resources are used efficiently. Ultimately, this will drive growth and enhance your firm's reputation in the financial advisory landscape.

Operations Plan

The operations plan is a blueprint for the day-to-day functioning of a financial advisory firm. It outlines the nuts and bolts of how the business will run. From the client onboarding process to the management of resources. From the roles of members on your team to protocols for service delivery, the operations plan covers it all. 

A well-crafted operations plan ensures smooth operations, minimizes errors, and promotes a consistent, high-quality service experience for clients. Having this plan in place is essential to maintain efficiency, build trust, and nurture a growing client base.

Management Team

The management team section of a financial advisor's business plan highlights the individuals steering the firm towards its goals. It showcases the qualifications, experience, and expertise of key team members, underscoring their ability to execute the business's vision. 

By detailing their backgrounds and roles, potential investors or partners can gauge the leadership's competence and the firm's potential for success. This section provides reassurance to stakeholders that the business is in capable hands and that the team possesses the requisite skills and experience to drive growth, navigate challenges, and make sound financial decisions.

Financial Plan

The financial plan is a pivotal section of a financial advisor's business strategy, mapping out the fiscal foundation and anticipated growth of the firm. This section details the company's current financial status, projected revenue, expenses, and profitability. 

By laying out investment requirements, forecasting cash flows, and setting financial milestones, it offers a clear picture of the business's fiscal health and viability. Stakeholders, including potential investors and lenders, often scrutinize this portion to understand the sustainability of the business and to ascertain the potential return on investment.

Take Planning to the Next Level

Having created a business plan template is, unfortunately, only the first step to success. Lucky for you, Planswell has been perfecting the process of prospecting and closing deals for years. In fact, we’ve spent over $15 million on this learning process. 

We’ve developed a complete system advisors can use to boost their booking and close rate. We guarantee it.

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Business Plan Template for Financial Advisors

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As a financial advisor, having a solid business plan is essential to building a successful practice. It's your roadmap to attract and serve clients, and ultimately achieve long-term success.

ClickUp's Business Plan Template for Financial Advisors is designed to streamline your planning process and help you create a comprehensive strategy that aligns with your goals. With this template, you can:

• Define your business goals and objectives with clarity
• Identify your target market and client profile for effective client acquisition
• Develop marketing plans to promote your services and stand out from the competition

Don't miss out on the opportunity to take your financial advisory business to the next level. Start using ClickUp's Business Plan Template for Financial Advisors today and set yourself up for success!

Business Plan Template for Financial Advisors Benefits

A Business Plan Template for Financial Advisors can provide numerous benefits to help financial advisors achieve long-term success. Here are just a few of them:

• Streamline your business goals and strategies, giving you a clear roadmap to follow
• Define your target market and client profile, allowing you to focus your efforts on the most profitable opportunities
• Develop effective marketing plans to attract and retain clients in a competitive industry
• Provide a comprehensive overview of your business to potential investors or partners
• Set measurable objectives and track your progress towards achieving them
• Identify potential risks and challenges, allowing you to proactively address them
• Enhance your credibility and professionalism in the eyes of clients and industry stakeholders

With a Business Plan Template for Financial Advisors, you can ensure that your business is well-positioned for success in the fast-paced and ever-changing financial advisory industry.

Main Elements of Financial Advisors Business Plan Template

To help financial advisors effectively plan and strategize their business, ClickUp offers a comprehensive Business Plan template with the following key elements:

• Custom Statuses: Track the progress of different sections of your business plan with statuses like Complete, In Progress, Needs Revision, and To Do, ensuring that every aspect of your plan is accounted for and easily manageable.
• Custom Fields: Utilize custom fields such as Reference, Approved, and Section to add specific details and categorize different sections of your business plan, providing a streamlined approach to organizing and accessing vital information.
• Custom Views: Access different perspectives of your business plan with views like Topics, Status, Timeline, Business Plan, and Getting Started Guide, allowing you to focus on specific areas of your plan or get an overview of the entire document effortlessly.

How To Use Business Plan Template for Financial Advisors

If you're a financial advisor looking to create a solid business plan, our Business Plan Template for Financial Advisors can help guide you through the process. Follow these five steps to get started:

1. Define your target market and services

Take the time to identify your target market and the specific services you will offer to them. Are you focusing on retirees, young professionals, or small business owners? Determine who your ideal clients are and what unique value you can provide to them.

Use custom fields in ClickUp to track your target market segments and the services you plan to offer to each segment.

2. Set your business goals and objectives

Establish clear, measurable goals and objectives for your financial advisory business. Do you want to increase your client base by a certain percentage? Are you aiming for a specific revenue target? Setting goals will help you stay focused and motivated as you build your business.

Create Goals in ClickUp to track your business objectives and monitor your progress.

3. Develop a marketing and client acquisition strategy

Outline the strategies and tactics you will use to attract and acquire new clients. This could include digital marketing, referrals, networking events, or partnerships with other professionals. Determine the most effective channels to reach your target market and develop a plan to execute your marketing initiatives.

Use the Board view in ClickUp to create a visual marketing plan and track your progress in acquiring new clients.

4. Create a financial forecast

An essential part of your business plan is a financial forecast. This will help you understand your projected revenue, expenses, and profitability over a specific period. Consider factors such as operating costs, pricing structure, and client retention rates when creating your forecast.

Utilize the Gantt chart in ClickUp to create a timeline for your financial projections and monitor your business's financial health.

5. Monitor, review, and adjust

Once your business plan is in place, it's important to regularly review and monitor your progress. Track key metrics and indicators such as client acquisition rates, revenue growth, and client satisfaction. Analyze the data and make adjustments to your strategies or tactics as needed to ensure you're on track to achieve your business goals.

Use Dashboards in ClickUp to create visual reports and track your business's performance over time.

By following these steps and utilizing our Business Plan Template for Financial Advisors in ClickUp, you'll have a comprehensive plan to guide your financial advisory business towards success.

Get Started with ClickUp’s Business Plan Template for Financial Advisors

Financial advisors can use this Business Plan Template for Financial Advisors to outline their business goals, strategies, target market, target client profile, and marketing plans to achieve long-term success.

First, hit “Add Template” to sign up for ClickUp and add the template to your Workspace. Make sure you designate which Space or location in your Workspace you’d like this template applied.

Next, invite relevant members or guests to your Workspace to start collaborating.

Now you can take advantage of the full potential of this template to create a comprehensive business plan:

• Use the Topics View to organize your business plan into different sections such as goals, strategies, target market, and marketing plans
• The Status View will help you track the progress of each section of your business plan, with statuses like Complete, In Progress, Needs Revision, and To Do
• The Timeline View will give you a visual representation of your business plan's timeline, allowing you to set deadlines and milestones
• The Business Plan View will provide a holistic overview of your entire business plan, allowing you to see how all the sections fit together
• The Getting Started Guide View will give you a step-by-step guide on how to use the template effectively and create a successful business plan
• Utilize custom fields like Reference, Approved, and Section to add additional information and categorize different aspects of your business plan
• Update statuses as you progress through each section and task to keep stakeholders informed of progress
• Monitor and analyze your business plan to ensure it aligns with your goals and objectives
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The 9 Elements in Every Successful Financial Advisor Business Plan

While there are no defined rules regarding crafting a plan, keep in mind that your plan is intended to map out your future business – the clients you want to work with, the needs and challenges you’re uniquely suited to address, the processes around solutions, and the team you will surround yourself with to deliver those solutions.

Every strategic  business plan must be unique – a reflection of what makes your firm stand apart. Nevertheless, there are certain core elements that are essential to a sound and well-thought-out plan. How you flesh out the underlying specific details is what will ultimately differentiate your practice from other similar firms.

Financial Advisor Mission Statement: Define your ideal (but achievable) future business and articulate your goals, ambitions, beliefs and values. Clearly spell out the business that you want to create and the life you want to live. (Coach Note: A clear mission/vision statement is a “beacon” that guides you forward. Without one, it will be difficult to align your business goals with your life goals.

Executive Summary: This section serves as a brief highlight of your plan details, and if intended for potential investors, should serve as a hook that grabs their attention. Include a short description of the firm and its objectives, an outline of your service offering, a well-defined target market, a glimpse at your competitive advantage, and finally an overview of your growth potential and funding requirements.

Service Offering: Describe the unique opportunities you offer prospective clients, and the processes by which you will do so. Highlight elements of your service offering that will differentiate the client experience. Define how you will be compensated for particular services (asset fees, commissions, and hourly fees) and what your time and your team’s time costs.

• Acquisition Strategy: How will you directly and indirectly reach out to and connect with potential clients? What centers of influence (Loyal Client Advocates and Professional Advocates) will help you in connecting with your target market and how will you go about building and cultivating those referral relationships? Identify target goals for number of new relationships and expansion of existing ones. Make sure your processes are scalable and repeatable.
• Competitive Analysis/SWOT: Once you’ve identified whom you’re ideally suited to serve, you need to gain a strong understanding of who else serves this market. Strive to create a side-by-side SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis to help you better differentiate your offering and craft a compelling story about what sets you and your team apart from the competition.
• Operations: What are the documented and repeatable processes and procedures that you and your team will follow to deliver on your service promise? What systems and operations will be kept in-house and what will be outsourced? What sort of oversight will be applied? And as your practice continues to grow, how will you ensure that operations are sufficiently scalable?
• Team Development: Discuss not only your vision for the continued growth of your team from a hiring perspective (net new additions by job function) but also how you will partner with and develop team members to become future leaders. How will you work with team members to serve existing clients, and help them acquire the skills needed to succeed in the future business? Do you envision a future internal succession, and if so, how do you plan on facilitating it?
• Financial Analysis: Provide the current and project the future financial status of your practice through a balance sheet, income and cash flow statements, an operating budget, and a break-even analysis. This financial analysis will serve to provide you with the guardrails for running a profitable business, as well as provide potential investors with the information they need to accurately determine the value of your firm.

Interested in a Benchmark Asessment Report to jumpstart your new Business Plan? 

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10 Things That Make a Successful Financial Advisor Business Plan

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In active etfs, dimensional puts ‘d’ in dominance, relationship building is not required to make the sale, 5 reasons institutions are investing in longevity-oriented investments, is private credit growth cannibalizing the high yield market, is buffett’s cash hoard a market warning, a significant wage disparity emerges between the us and global competitors, five key questions to ask before making a private market investment.

A business plan is one of the most powerful tools you can use to help your business evolve and grow so you can achieve the outcomes you want. Financial Advisers know all too well, the power of planning – and see the impact of it every day with their clients achieving greater outcomes as a result of their foresight to make a plan. Indeed, if there’s ever been a better time for an adviser to take their own medicine and create a business plan, it’s now!

Your desired outcomes might be renovating your business to adapt to the new environment, business growth, improving your client experience, more profits, simplification, greater efficiency, or succession. No matter your vision, the key to success is to make a plan and then put that plan into action.

After all, as Benjamin Franklin so aptly said, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”.

10 THINGS THAT MAKE A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS PLAN: 

1. TAKE THE TIME TO MAKE ONE! 

Sounds obvious, right? We know all too often advisers get so caught up working IN the business they don’t set aside time to work ON the business. 

2. IT’S CONNECTED TO THE GREATER PURPOSE AND VISION OF THE BUSINESS.   

Following the process we’ll share with you, you can create a Business Plan that isn’t just about achieving ‘more’ on a superficial level. Done well, your plan will be authentic and drive success in more areas than simply finances.

3. IT’S COMPLETED AFTER A DIAGNOSTIC PROCESS.  

This process highlights the areas of your business that will require focus this year. So rather than having templated categories, the goals and actions of your plan will be specific and unique to what you want to work on from now moving forward. 

4. THE WHOLE TEAM PARTICIPATES IN CREATING THE PLAN.

Meaning they’re engaged with it from the outset. The most effective plans are shared and understood by all staff in the business – everyone knows where they’re heading, what they’re responsible for, and that they’re along for the ride (as an active participant!).

5. IT’S QUANTIFIABLE.

‘Be more successful’ is a meaningless statement without context – what does success look like to you? Financial targets and also qualitative targets need to be measurable.

6. EACH OF THE TARGETS HAVE CORRESPONDING ACTIVITIES. 

When the activities are completed, they will deliver the results you’re after.

7. THE WHOLE TEAM REVIEWS THE PLAN REGULARLY.

Regular reviews are important to monitor incremental achievements and tweak the plan when necessary, as well as to maintain the focus of where the business is heading. Even the most brilliant plan will not generate results if it is left on your hard drive and not regularly revisited.

8. YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS ARE CELEBRATED.

Not necessarily just at the end of the year, but also throughout. Celebrating milestones, no matter how small, can help motivate you to achieve the big ones.

9. IT’S EASILY ACCESSIBLE, AND SUCCINCT. 

Your plan should capture the high level outcomes and strategies you actually have the capacity to implement – so it’s challenging, but absolutely achievable. You want a succinct picture of your targets, outcomes and projects, rather than a long wish-list of actions you’ll never be able to conquer.  

10. YOU USE IT! 

You’ve put the time and effort into creating a plan, so refer to it often and make it happen!

SO WHAT’S THE PROCESS USED TO CREATE EFFECTIVE PLANS THAT REALLY WORK?

There are three key elements that are vitally important to help ensure that your plan is effective. If you start at the right place, your WHY, and clearly define WHAT you want to achieve and HOW you will get there, your Business Plan will hold meaning for you – and will be an effective blueprint to deliver the results you’re seeking in your business. 

HOW TO CREATE A BUSINESS PLAN FOR ADVICE BUSINESSES THAT ACTUALLY WORKS!

There are actually a few different types of Business Plans – those used to attract investors into a start-up business, those used to obtain finance from a bank, even those used to merge multiple businesses… the Business Plan template we have created is one that is designed to help you improve your business, and achieve more of what you want from it. 

We’re talking about a plan on a page – that’s right – a  Business Plan on one page  to provide real clarity on what you want to achieve and how you will achieve it…and importantly – to help you to celebrate your achievements. While you will have a 3, 5, 10 year vision for the longer-term picture of your business, this one-pager will be a tactical plan for what you’ll achieve in the next 12 months.

Introducing the Evolution Map – our one-page business plan template.

The Evolution Map summarises where your business is starting from at the beginning of the year, where you want to take it to in 12 months’ time, and the Strategic Directions you’ll take to get from A to B. On this page are also the activities you will complete between now and then that will help you to achieve those outcomes. Some activities are completed throughout the whole year (i.e. number of new clients, new enquiries, client reviews etc.), and the remaining projects are allocated to the quarters in which you will complete them.

The Evolution Map template and instructions are available to Evolve Alliance members for download in the  Evolve Alliance portal  here.

NOT YET AN EVOLVE ALLIANCE MEMBER? BECOME A MEMBER TODAY FOR ACCESS TO:

• Business Analysis tools – revisit your Business Success Wheel as often as you’d like.
• Successful business strategies available any time from anywhere
• Specialised content, tools, and templates across the 16 elements of an advice business that will impact your success.
• Video and audio ‘warts and all’ interviews with advisers and service providers.
• Peer-to-peer online discussion forum.
• An entire procedures manual template, including workflow processes and client communication templates across most processes in an advice business (new client onboarding, client reviews, referral management, advice implementation) – all fully customiseable to suit your business.
• Over 250 articles, videos, procedures, templates etc. with new content added every month.

BECOME A MEMBER TODAY

ALREADY DOING ALL THE WORK AND FEEL LIKE YOU’RE GETTING NOWHERE? 

If you find that the activities you’re doing aren’t working, you don’t know how to get a different result, or you need extra support as you step outside your comfort zone, then it’s time to seek assistance from an awesome business coach. 

The first step is to book a FREE 30-Minute Discovery Call with one of our expert coaches, so we can learn more about your business and visions for success. 

BOOK YOUR FREE 30-MINUTE DISCOVERY CALL

Related:  Why It's Time for Financial Advisors to Re-Evaluate Everything

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Financial Advisor Business Plan Sample

Published Jun.07, 2018

Updated Apr.22, 2024

By: Noor Muhammad

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Table of Content

Do you want to start financial advisor business?

Do you want to start a financial advisor business? Well, there are many benefits of starting this financial advisor business plan, the biggest one of which is the extremely low initial investment required for its startup. Secondly, you can also start it from your home, or a small office or even a virtual location and can still make huge profits. The only problem associated with this business plan for a financial advisor  is that it is never easy for startups to find high-paying clients in the initial run. So, it is highly recommended that you prepare a comprehensive financial consultant business plan which will not only help you attract good clients but will also establish the basis of your company’s operations and future decisions. If you are wondering how to write a good business plan for financial advisor, here we are providing you with the business plan for a financial advisor  business startup named ‘Martin Financial Services’.

Executive Summary

2.1 the business.

Martin Financial Services will be a licensed and registered financial advisory company aimed at solving all your financial problems by providing exceptional financial advisory and consultation services. The company will be owned by Nick Martin, a renowned financial expert, and the company’s main office will be located in Downtown Chicago.

2.2 Management

The success of a startup heavily depends on its staff and management that’s why Martin planned it before developing his financial advisor business model . The company’s management will comprise of sales executives, financial analysts, and insurance consultants.

2.3 Customers

This sample business plan for a financial advisor position also outlines what are the main target customers for a financial advisory firm. Martin Financial Services will provide financial consulting services to individuals, organizations, and businesses located in Chicago.

2.4 Business Target

Our target is to balance the initial cost of the startup with earned profits and to achieve the net profit margin of $10k per month by the end of the first year.

Company Summary

3.1 company owner.

Martin Financial Services will be owned by Nick Martin, a business graduate from the University of Illinois. Martin has more than ten years’ experience of working with various financial organizations including Wells Fargo and Equifax.

3.2 Why the Business is being started

The financial advisor business plan is being started with the purpose of making profits in this industry while also providing quality services.

3.3 How the Business will be started

Before starting your own financial advisor business , you have to plan everything beforehand otherwise you have very lower chances of succeeding in it. Martin Financial Services is a well-planned venture and its exceptional planning will become one of the reasons behind its success. The company will be started in a leased office in Downtown Chicago. In addition to computer systems and usual office inventory, professional financial software will also be procured. The startup summary is as follows:

The detailed startup requirements are given below:

Services for customers

Considering the economic demands of today’s world, there are countless firms that are providing financial advisory services. You can do some research about them and find out what services they are offering to their customers. You can also find many financial advisor business plan free templates on the internet or you can take help from this sample business plan for financial planners . Deciding your services is extremely important since the planning of other subsequent components depend on it. Martin Financial Services will offer a variety of financial advisory and consulting services to its clients from United States. Our main services include:

• Insurance and Tax Consulting
• Accounting and Financial Services Consulting
• Budgeting and Financial Planning
• Financial Auditing
• Estate Planning
• Income Tax Preparation
• Mortgage, Pension, Retirement and Investment Advisory Services
• Asset Management
• Wealth Creation and Wealth Management
• Investment (Business Portfolio) Management

Marketing Analysis of financial advisor business

The most important component of an effective financial advisor business plan is its accurate marketing analysis that’s why Martin acquired the services of marketing experts to help know how to write a business plan for financial advisor and develop a financial advisor marketing plan template . The success or failure of a business plan for a financial advisor  totally depends upon its marketing strategic business plan which can only be developed on the basis of accurate marketing analysis. Marketing analysis is a must-do thing before you develop your financial advisor business plan. If you are starting on a smaller scale, you can do marketing analysis yourself by taking help from this business plan for a financial advisor  or any other financial advisor business plan template available online.

5.1 Market Trends

For finding the marketing trends before starting your business plan for a financial advisor , you can take help from this financial advisor business plan example or any other financial advisor business plan template free available online. This financial advisor marketing plan example also contains information about current industry and market statistics of financial advisory services. Financial advisory industry is one of the booming industries of the United States. Currently, the industry generates more than $56 billion annually with around 121,000 businesses employing more than 215,000 people across the United States. Furthermore, the industry grew by 8.1% over a course of 5 years from 2012 to 2017. This increase is attributed to the economic development and the increase in other industries of the country, thus creating more demand for financial consulting and advisory services.

5.2 Marketing Segmentation

It is very important to analyze the market segmentation of the future customers of your services before you start your business plan for a financial advisor  because a successful and efficient marketing strategy can only be developed after we completely know our potential customers. Our target market is the residential community as well as the corporate sector located in Chicago however, we will primarily focus on our clients from business sector. Our experts have identified the following type of target audience which can become our consumers in future:

The detailed marketing segmentation of our target audience is as follows:

5.2.1 Corporate Sector:

The biggest consumer of our services will be the corporate sector located in the Downtown Chicago ranging from small startups to established multinational companies. This group includes product manufacturers and distributors, real estate owners, hotels, restaurants and food companies, IT and software development firms, branding and advertising agencies as well as many other industries. These businesses will frequently need our advisory services for insurance and tax consultation, asset management, budgeting and financial planning, as well as investment management and auditing.

5.2.2 Institutions & Organizations:

Our second target group comprises of various institutions and organizations located in Manhattan including government organizations, schools, colleges, universities, non-profit organizations, religious and cultural institutes as well as social bodies. This group will also need our financial advisory services for addressing all their financial needs as well as in their budgeting and auditing.

5.2.3 Individuals:

Our third target group consists of individuals including both the employed and retired persons belonging to all age groups. This group will mostly need our services for getting advice and consultation related to mortgages, pension, retirement and investment. The detailed market analysis of our potential customers is given in the following table:

5.3 Business Target

Our main goal is to become the best financial advisory service in Chicago within next 10 years. This goal is not something that can be achieved easily. For achieving this goal, we will have to increase our revenue, create an exceptional clientele and establish a name across the country. Our main goal of the business plan for financial planner can be divided into three main business targets, which are as follows:

• To achieve the net profit margin of $10k/month by first year, $15k by second year, and $25k by third year
• To balance the initial cost of the startup with earned profits by the end of the first year
• To start an online financial advisory service by the end of the first year

5.4 Product Pricing

Product pricing is one of the most important factors in deciding the strategy for a business plan for a financial advisor . After considering the market demands and our current competition, we have priced all our products in the similar ranges as of our competitors.

Like marketing analysis, sales strategy is also an important component of financial advisor business plans so it must be given proper attention before you think about creating your own financial consultant business plan .

6.1 Competitive Analysis

As mentioned earlier, there are more than 121,000 financial advisory companies in the United States, so we can say that we have a tough competition ahead. In addition to that, many international and local banking companies also financial consultation services to their customers, thus making this field even more competitive. Although we have a lot of competitors, we hope to surpass all of them by providing exceptional quality services and unparalleled customer experience.

6.2 Sales Strategy

• We will carry out a large-scale advertising campaign on social media sites
• We will offer a 20% discount on our advisory and consultation services for the first three months of our launch
• We will arrange free financial consultation seminars in various organizations and companies and will thus promote ourselves

6.3 Sales Monthly

Our monthly sales from target groups are forecasted as follows:

6.4 Sales Yearly

Our yearly sales from target groups are forecasted as follows:

6.5 Sales Forecast

Our forecasted sales are given in the following column charts.

The detailed information about the company’s forecasted sales is given in the following table.

Personnel plan

Personnel plan is an important part of a business plan for financial advisor services since it gives an estimate about the staff you require along with their salaries. Martin has developed the following personnel plan for his company.

7.1 Company Staff

Martin will act as the General Manager of the company and will initially hire following people:

• 1 Accountant to maintain financial and other records
• 2 Sales Executives responsible to market and discover new ventures
• 6 Financial Analysts to provide advice on various financial matters
• 2 Insurance Consultant to provide consultation on insurance services
• 2 Customer Representatives to interact with customers
• 1 Front Desk Officer to act as a receptionist

All employees will be hired by following strict testing procedures and all of them will undergo 2 weeks training prior to onboarding.

7.2 Average Salary of Employees

The estimated salaries of the staff required are given in the following table. These salaries can deviate slightly but the total sum will nearly be the same.

Financial Plan

Just like the other plans, you must also prepare a detailed financial plan covering all financial aspects of your financial advisory startup. The financial plan should present a detailed map of the costs of startup, inventory, payroll, equipment, rent, utilities and how these costs will be covered by the earned profits. Also, make sure to carry out a detailed profit and loss analysis of your startup venture. While developing the financial plan, you can take help from various financial advisor business plan examples available online so as to know which things to include in it. Martin has developed the following financial plan for his company.

8.1 Important Assumptions

8.2 brake-even analysis.

8.3 Projected Profit and Loss

8.3.1 profit monthly.

8.3.2 Profit Yearly

8.3.3 Gross Margin Monthly

8.3.4 Gross Margin Yearly

8.4 Projected Cash Flow

8.5 Projected Balance Sheet

8.6 business ratios.

Download Financial Advisor Business Plan Sample in pdf

OGS capital professional writers specialized also in themes such as holding business plan , insurance agency business plan ,  business plan loan , tax preparation business plan , credit repair company business plan and many others.

OGSCapital’s team has assisted thousands of entrepreneurs with top-rate business plan development, consultancy and analysis. They’ve helped thousands of SME owners secure more than $1.5 billion in funding, and they can do the same for you.

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