STAGE 01 — FIRST MEETING

Discovery
Meeting

30–60 MINUTES IN PERSON ADVISOR LED NO MATERIALS
THE SETUP — WHERE THEY ARE COMING FROM
The client arrives curious but guarded. They have probably met with other advisors before and are evaluating whether Presidio is different or just another version of what they have already seen. They are not yet ready to trust — they are ready to be impressed or disappointed. Your job is to do neither. Your job is to make them feel understood in a way no one else has.

They leave committed to the next meeting when they feel two things: that you see their situation more clearly than they do, and that the path forward starts with a plan, not a pitch.
WHAT YOU SHOW THEM
MATERIALS AT THIS STAGE
  • Nothing. No presentations, no proposals, no screens.
  • A notepad and a pen — you are here to listen, not to sell.
  • The absence of a pitch deck is itself a signal. Let it work.
WHAT YOU SAY — WORD TRACKS
OPEN Setting the agenda before they wonder what this is
"Before we get into anything, let me tell you how I like to run this first conversation. I'm going to ask you a lot of questions — about where you are, what you've built, what's on your mind. I'm not going to pitch you anything today. My job right now is just to understand your situation well enough to tell you whether we can actually help and what that would look like. Fair enough?"
This removes the sales pressure immediately. They relax. The conversation that follows is completely different when they are not waiting for the pitch.
PAST ADVISOR Opening the wound gently
"Can I ask — have you worked with a financial advisor before? What was that experience like?"
Listen fully. Do not interrupt. The gap between what they had and what they wanted is the opening for everything that follows. What they say here tells you exactly how to position Presidio.
THEIR STORY Let them talk — the real reason emerges here
"Tell me a little about where you are right now. Not just financially — what's going on in your life that made now the right time to have this conversation?"
This question surfaces the real reason they are sitting across from you — which is almost never purely financial. It also signals that Presidio thinks about clients as whole people, not portfolios. Give them time to answer. The silence is working for you.
QUALIFY Work it into the conversation — not an interrogation
"To make sure we're talking about the right things — roughly what does your investable picture look like right now? Retirement accounts, brokerage, any equity comp still on the table?"
Keep this light and conversational. You need the number but asking too directly too early feels transactional. Frame it as wanting to make the conversation relevant to their actual situation.
GOALS Go deeper than the surface answer
"If we got everything right — three years from now, what does that look like for you? Not just the number. What does the life look like?"
Most clients have never been asked this. The pause before they answer is meaningful — they are realizing they have not thought about it clearly. That moment of realization is exactly where trust begins.
PAIN POINTS Find the thing that keeps them up
"What's the thing you feel least certain about right now? The part of your financial picture that, if you're honest, you haven't fully figured out yet?"
This is the most emotionally revealing question in the meeting. What they say here is the thread you pull on for every subsequent conversation — including the plan presentation.
GAP PLANT Surface something specific they haven't named — the most important moment in Stage 1
"One thing I'm hearing that I want to make sure we look at — you mentioned you still have a significant RSU position that hasn't been addressed. That's actually one of the most common places we find real exposure. Not always a problem, but always worth understanding. That would be one of the first things the plan would tell us."
Adapt this to what they've actually told you. The structure is: name the specific thing they mentioned → normalize it ("common with people in your situation") → create mild urgency without alarm → connect it to the plan as the solution. This plants the seed that the plan is necessary, not optional.
CLOSE Sell the next meeting — not the firm
"Here's what I'd suggest as a next step. Before I can give you any real guidance — guidance that's actually specific to your situation, not general advice — I need to see the full picture. What we do is build a complete financial plan first. It covers everything: your retirement trajectory, tax exposure, investment picture, insurance gaps, estate basics. It gives us a real foundation to work from instead of guessing. I'd like to get together again and walk you through exactly what that involves, what it costs, and what you'd have at the end of it. That way you can decide whether it makes sense before committing to anything. Does that work for you?"
The ask is low-commitment: come back and hear what the plan involves, then decide. Every word of this is designed to remove friction. "Before committing to anything" is the key phrase — it tells them they are not being sold today.
BOOK IT Lock the next meeting before they leave
"Let's get that on the calendar now while we're both here. What does your schedule look like in the next week or two?"
Do not leave without a date and time confirmed. "I'll follow up" loses half the appointments that "let's book it now" keeps. If they hesitate, make it easier: "Even a placeholder — we can always move it."
THE OFFER AT THIS STAGE
STAGE 1 OFFER
There is no financial offer at Stage 1. The offer is the next meeting. Frame it as low commitment and high value — "come back, hear what the plan involves, and decide then." The entire meeting is designed to make that one ask feel obvious.
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STAGE GATE — WHAT A YES LOOKS LIKE
FPA Sales Meeting booked with a confirmed date and time before they leave. Same-day confirmation email sent with a one-line summary of what the next meeting covers. If they leave without a booking, the appointment rate drops significantly — do not let this happen.
STAGE 02 — FIRST CLOSE

FPA Sales
Meeting

45–60 MINUTES IN PERSON BOTH DECISION-MAKERS FEE: $4,950 / $2,950
THE SETUP — WHERE THEY ARE COMING FROM
They came back. That matters — they were not obligated to. They are now curious enough to hear what the plan involves and what it costs. They are evaluating two things: whether the plan is worth the money, and whether Presidio is the firm that should build it.

The emotional target coming out of this meeting is conviction — not excitement, not curiosity, but a clear sense that moving forward without this plan would be the wrong decision. They should feel that the cost of the plan is nothing compared to the cost of getting this wrong.
WHAT YOU SHOW THEM
MATERIALS AT THIS STAGE
  • A one-page FPA scope document — what the plan covers, section by section
  • The FPA agreement itself — clean, professional, ready to sign
  • Optional: a sample financial plan (anonymized) to make it tangible
  • The invoice — prepared and ready to issue immediately upon signing
WHAT YOU SAY — WORD TRACKS
OPEN Recap Stage 1 — show them you were listening
"When we talked last time, a few things stood out to me. You mentioned [their specific goal]. You also said [their specific pain point]. And the one thing that's sitting with me is [the gap you planted]. I want to make sure everything we do today is grounded in that — because that's what actually matters here."
Fill in the brackets with exactly what they said. This moment — hearing their own words reflected back — builds more trust than any credential or track record. It proves you listened.
SCOPE Walk through what the plan covers — make it feel comprehensive
"Here's what the financial plan actually covers. We start with a complete net worth statement — everything you own, everything you owe, full picture. Then cash flow — where the money is going and what the savings rate actually is. Then the retirement projection — your current trajectory mapped year by year against what you actually need. Investment review — allocation, fee drag, tax efficiency, any concentration risk. Insurance — are you exposed anywhere you don't realize? Estate basics — beneficiary designations, titling, do the documents say what you think they say? Tax efficiency opportunities — Roth conversions, bracket management, anything we can do now before you retire. And Social Security optimization if that's relevant. By the end of it you have one document that shows everything in one place — most people have never had that."
Walk this slowly. Each category should land individually. Do not rush to the price.
WHY THE PLAN FIRST Sell the diagnosis before the treatment
"I want to be straightforward with you about something. We don't make recommendations before we see the full picture. Not because it's a process we follow — because giving you advice without understanding your complete situation would be irresponsible. The plan is how we make sure anything we suggest is actually right for you specifically, not just generally sound advice."
This reframes the FPA from a product being sold to a professional standard being upheld. It positions every advisor who skips this step as someone cutting corners.
THE OFFER Present the fee with confidence — anchor high, land soft
"The financial plan is $4,950. Given where you are and what we need to look at, I'm going to bring that to $2,950 for you. The plan is yours regardless of what you decide next — you own it. And what we find in it almost always surprises people in ways that matter. One decision informed by this plan is worth ten times what it costs."
State the full fee first, then the discount — never lead with the discounted price. The discount should feel like a gesture, not a negotiation. Pause after delivering the fee. Do not fill the silence.
CLOSE Ask for the agreement — then stop talking
"Does this feel like the right next step for you?"
This is the most important line in Stage 2. It is short deliberately. After you say it — stop. The next person who speaks loses. Let the silence work. If they say yes, move straight to the agreement. If they hesitate, ask: "What's making you pause?"
THE OFFER AT THIS STAGE
STAGE 2 OFFER — THE FPA
A complete financial plan built specifically for their situation. Fee: $4,950, commonly presented at $2,950. The plan is theirs regardless of what they decide next. Frame it as the professional standard — no serious advisor recommends anything without seeing the full picture first.
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STAGE GATE — WHAT A YES LOOKS LIKE
Signed FPA agreement and invoice issued before they leave. Document checklist sent same day. If they want to think about it, ask what specifically is giving them pause — surface and resolve the objection in the room. Do not leave it for a follow-up call.
STAGE 03 — CLIENT ACTION

Document
Gathering

NO MEETING CLIENT COMPLETES CHECKLIST SENT SAME DAY FOLLOW UP AT 5 DAYS
THE SETUP — THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THIS STAGE
This is the only stage with no advisor present — but it still has a word track. The way the document request is framed determines whether the client treats it as paperwork or as the first meaningful step in their plan. A confused client delays. A clear client acts.

The act of pulling statements, tax returns, and beneficiary pages is also the first real commitment the client makes. Small actions increase investment in the outcome. Every document they send makes them more committed to seeing this through.
WHAT YOU SHOW THEM
THE DOCUMENT CHECKLIST — SENT SAME DAY AS SIGNED FPA
  • Last 2 years tax returns
  • All investment and retirement account statements
  • Social Security statement
  • Pension documents (if applicable)
  • Life insurance policies and current coverage amounts
  • Mortgage statement and remaining balance
  • Existing estate documents — will, trust, POA
  • Employee benefits summary (if still working)
WHAT YOU SAY — WORD TRACKS
CHECKLIST EMAIL Same day as signed FPA — frame it as the beginning of their plan
"[Name] — great meeting today. I'm attaching the document checklist — this is what our planning team needs to build your plan. The more complete the picture we have, the more specific and useful the plan will be. Most people find it takes about 30 minutes to pull everything together. Send whatever you have and we'll work with it. Looking forward to showing you what we find."
The phrase "looking forward to showing you what we find" builds anticipation. It frames the plan as a discovery — something is being revealed, not just compiled. This keeps engagement high during the document phase.
5-DAY FOLLOW UP If documents not received — brief, direct, no guilt
"Hey [Name] — just checking in on the documents. No rush, but once we have everything we can get started on the plan right away. Anything I can make easier on your end?"
Keep this short and warm. The offer to make it easier signals service, not pressure. If they still do not respond after a second follow-up, address it directly — a client who delays documents after paying for the plan is signaling something worth surfacing.
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STAGE GATE — WHAT A YES LOOKS LIKE
Complete document package received. Do not begin the plan build on a partial package — the plan is only as good as the information it is built on. If critical documents are missing, call it out specifically rather than working around it.
STAGE 04 — INTERNAL

Financial Plan
Build

NO CLIENT PRESENT ADVISOR + PLANNING TEAM EVERY GAP IN DOLLARS
THE SETUP — WHAT THIS STAGE IS REALLY ABOUT
No client is present but there is still a client-facing moment — a brief communication that maintains momentum and builds anticipation for the plan presentation. Most advisors skip this entirely. A simple well-timed message here signals that work is being done and that the next meeting will be worth showing up for.

The plan itself must quantify every gap in dollars. Feelings don't close. Numbers do. The presentation in Stage 5 is only as powerful as the analysis done here.
WHAT YOU BUILD
PLAN COMPONENTS
  • Full net worth statement — assets and liabilities
  • Cash flow analysis — income, expenses, savings rate
  • Retirement projection — current trajectory vs. what they need, year by year
  • Investment analysis — allocation, fee drag, concentration risk, tax efficiency
  • Insurance gap analysis — life, disability, long-term care exposure
  • Estate plan review — beneficiary mismatches, titling issues, missing documents
  • Tax efficiency opportunities — Roth conversions, bracket management, harvesting
  • Social Security optimization (if applicable)
  • Prioritized recommendations summary with dollar cost on every gap
WHAT YOU SAY — CLIENT COMMUNICATION DURING BUILD
MID-BUILD CHECK-IN Brief message while the plan is being built — keeps engagement high
"[Name] — we're working through your plan now. Everything came through clearly. We should be ready to sit down [timeframe]. I'll reach out to confirm the meeting. Looking forward to walking you through what we've put together."
This message costs 30 seconds to send and prevents the most common reason plan presentations get cancelled — the client loses momentum during the gap between document submission and the meeting. It signals that the firm is working, not waiting.
THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE IN THIS STAGE
Every gap identified in the plan needs a dollar cost attached before the presentation meeting. "Your current allocation has meaningful concentration risk" is an observation. "Your current RSU position represents 64% of your investable assets and a 20% decline would cost you approximately $340,000" is a reason to act. Build the plan to land that way.
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STAGE GATE — WHAT READY LOOKS LIKE
Complete plan built, every gap quantified in dollars, presentation deck reviewed internally before the client meeting. The plan presentation meeting should not be booked until this is true.
STAGE 05 — SECOND CLOSE

Plan Presentation
Meeting

60–90 MINUTES BOTH DECISION-MAKERS REQUIRED ADVISOR LED
THE SETUP — THE HIGHEST-STAKES MEETING IN THE PROCESS
The plan is paid for. The client has already made one commitment. They are sitting across from you expecting to see what you found. Your job in this meeting is to present the plan in a way that makes the PMA feel like the obvious and natural conclusion — not a new ask, but the logical next step of everything they have already agreed to.

They leave having signed the PMA when they see their situation clearly for the first time, feel the cost of inaction in real numbers, and trust that Presidio is the right firm to execute the plan they just reviewed together.
WHAT YOU SHOW THEM
MATERIALS AT THIS STAGE
  • The complete financial plan document — their name on the cover
  • Retirement projection visual — current trajectory vs. target, year by year
  • Gap summary with dollar costs on every identified exposure
  • Prioritized recommendations — what needs to happen and in what order
  • The PMA agreement — prepared and ready to present at the close
WHAT YOU SAY — WORD TRACKS
OPEN Bring them back to Stage 1 — show the thread
"Before I walk you through what we found, I want to go back to something you said when we first met. You told me [their exact words about their goal or fear]. That stayed with me the entire time we were building this. Everything in this plan is oriented around that."
This opens the meeting with emotional resonance. They feel that the plan was built for them — not generated from a template. The connection to Stage 1 makes the entire process feel like a single continuous conversation.
PRESENT THE GAPS Walk each gap with its dollar cost — do not rush this section
"Here's what we found. [Walk each gap.] Your current fee structure is costing approximately $X per year in drag that compounds against you over time. Your RSU position represents X% of your investable assets — a meaningful concentration that the plan addresses directly. Your current trajectory puts you at [number] at retirement, against a target of [number] — that's a gap of [dollar amount] that the plan shows exactly how to close."
Pause after each gap lands. Do not move to the next one until you see them absorb it. Ask "does that make sense?" after each major finding — this keeps them engaged and builds agreement progressively before the close.
THE BRIDGE Transition from the plan to the PMA — the most important sentence in the meeting
"The plan tells us exactly what needs to happen. The question now is whether you want us to execute it with you."
Say this and stop. Let it land. This sentence does the close without closing — it frames the PMA as execution of a plan they already understand and have already agreed makes sense. The decision is no longer "should I hire Presidio" — it is "do I want to act on what I just saw."
THE PMA Present the agreement — keep it clean and confident
"Here's how we work together going forward. [Walk the PMA — fee structure, what's included, ongoing service model, how the Diamond team operates.] This is what it looks like to execute the plan we just reviewed."
Present the PMA as a natural continuation, not a pivot. The fee conversation should feel like a detail being confirmed, not a new negotiation beginning.
CLOSE Ask once — then be quiet
"Does this feel like the right path forward for you?"
Ask this and stop talking. The silence is working. The next person who speaks determines the outcome. If they say yes — move directly to the agreement. If they hesitate — ask "what's giving you pause?" and resolve the specific objection. Never leave without either a signed PMA or a single specific objection and a confirmed follow-up date.
THE SPOUSE RULE
Both decision-makers must be present at this meeting. If the spouse or partner is not coming, reschedule. A decision of this size — transferring assets, changing advisors, executing a financial plan — will not survive "I need to talk to my husband." Reschedule with warmth: "I want to make sure we're all on the same page when we go through this — it's worth waiting for."
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STAGE GATE — WHAT A YES LOOKS LIKE
Signed PMA before they leave. If not signed: one specific identified objection surfaced and a confirmed follow-up date set. Never leave with "I'll think about it" as the outcome — that is a slow no. "I'll think about it" means something is unresolved — find it and address it in the room.
STAGE 06 — ACTIVATION

Asset
Boarding

OPS + ADVISOR SPEED MATTERS 90-DAY REVIEW SCHEDULED
THE SETUP — THE FIRST PROOF OF EVERY PROMISE
The sale is made. The relationship is just beginning. The boarding experience is the first proof of everything promised in the sales process. A slow or disorganized onboarding erodes trust built across every prior stage.

The client signed the PMA because they believed Presidio was exceptional. The boarding process is where that belief is either confirmed or quietly questioned. Speed and communication here are not optional.
WHAT YOU SHOW THEM
BOARDING MATERIALS
  • Account opening paperwork — clean, organized, pre-filled where possible
  • Transfer instructions — ACATS for brokerage, direct rollover for retirement
  • Investment Policy Statement — confirms what was agreed in the plan
  • Welcome packet — team contacts, service model, how to reach Presidio
  • 90-day review date confirmed in writing
WHAT YOU SAY — WORD TRACKS
WELCOME First communication after the PMA is signed — same day
"[Name] — welcome to Presidio. This is the beginning of exactly what we talked about. Attached is everything you need to get the accounts opened and transfers initiated. [Team member] will be your primary contact through the transition and will reach out within 24 hours to walk you through any of it. We have your first review scheduled for [date]. Looking forward to getting to work."
Same-day communication after signing sets the tone for the entire relationship. It signals that Presidio moves fast and that they made the right decision. The introduction to the team member by name makes the relationship feel immediate rather than abstract.
TEAM INTRODUCTION Introduce the Diamond team — make it feel like an upgrade
"I want to introduce you to the team that will be working on your behalf. [Name] handles the planning and analysis — you'll work closely with them on the ongoing financial plan updates. [Name] manages the investment side — they'll be the one making sure the portfolio is executing against what the plan calls for. And I'll be your lead advisor — the person you call when anything significant changes in your life."
The Diamond Model is a differentiator — make sure the client understands they have a team, not just one advisor. This also protects the relationship if personnel changes occur — the client's loyalty is to the team and the firm, not just one individual.
THE REFERRAL MOMENT
The 90-day review is the first natural referral moment in the relationship. By that point the client has seen the plan executed, assets transferred, and the team performing. That is when to ask — not at signing, not at boarding, but when they have evidence. "Is there anyone in your life going through something similar who might benefit from having this conversation?"
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STAGE GATE — CLIENT ACTIVATED
Assets transferred, IPS confirmed, initial portfolio constructed per plan, 90-day review scheduled. The client has heard from the team within 24 hours of signing. The relationship is live.
PRESIDIO
CLIENT JOURNEY PLAYBOOK — CONFIDENTIAL — FOR INTERNAL USE