The Foundational Sales Growth Journey for RIAs ($500M–$1B AUM)

I love working with RIAs. They care deeply about their clients — but eventually, every firm in the $500M–$1B AUM range must confront a crucial question:

• Do we have a real sales strategy?
• Do we have a sales foundation to support growth?
• How do we scale while staying compliant?

This is an exciting but delicate phase of growth. Firms must decide: remain where they are, or move forward with a scalable, structured sales model.

At this stage, growth typically means shifting from inconsistent advisor-led selling to a disciplined, repeatable, and measurable sales process. This foundation is essential — without it, firms can’t confidently scale to the next level.

The 9-Point Sales Growth Foundation for RIAs

1. Sales Process Discovery & Awareness
   • Identify gaps in advisor prospecting and conversion.
   • Recognize overreliance on rainmakers.
   • Surface inefficiencies in client acquisition.
2. Process Documentation & Mapping
   • Document advisor sales activities step by step.
   • Map the client journey from lead → prospect → client → advocate.
   • Pinpoint bottlenecks and dropped opportunities.
3. Standardization & Framework Design
   • Create a standardized sales process (6–7 stages).
   • Define advisor roles, responsibilities, and checkpoints.
   • Clarify qualification criteria for prospects.
4. Sales Tools & Enablement
   • Introduce foundational tools (CRM basics, referral tracking, templates).
   • Simplify compliance-ready documentation.
5. Advisor Training & Skills Development
   • Build consultative, relationship-focused sales capabilities.
   • Provide training on discovery, messaging, and closing.
   • Use role-play and scenario-based practice.
6. Pilot & Iteration
   • Test the process with select advisors.
   • Collect feedback, refine tools, and ensure adoption.
7. Full Rollout & Team Alignment
   • Roll out firmwide with accountability checkpoints.
   • Align leadership around KPIs and cadence.
8. Measurement & Tracking
   • Establish dashboards for conversion rates, pipeline velocity, and referrals.
   • Use data to coach and reinforce best practices.
9. Continuous Optimization
   • Update scripts, templates, and tools based on feedback.
   • Evolve the process to include digital channels and new growth levers.

Bottom Line

For RIAs in the $500M–$1B AUM range, building this foundation is the first floor of scalable growth. Without it, firms risk stalling — but with it, they can grow confidently while preserving compliance and client trust.