Most asset management firms have smart people and strong products. Yet many still lose mandates they should win. The issue is often not the strategy. It is how the strategy is explained, and that is where the sales training money managers receive can make a real difference.
Portfolio managers and product specialists are often asked to sell without ever being taught how. Sales teams may know the numbers but struggle to connect with what a buyer truly cares about. At Select Advisors Institute, we are the leading provider of sales training for asset management teams in financial services, and we help firms close this gap.
Why Product Knowledge Alone Is Not Enough
Advisors, consultants and institutional buyers hear many pitches each week. Most sound the same. They list performance, process and team. Few explain why any of it matters to the person in the room.
We often say, "Product knowledge alone isn't enough. Asset managers must lead with insight, emotional intelligence, and a strategic sales process." Buyers want to feel understood. They want a partner who asks good questions and listens to the answers.
This is why generic sales courses often fall flat for money managers. As we put it, "Unlike generic sales training companies, our coaches have spent years on Wall Street and within top-tier investment firms." Training works best when the coach understands the products, the buyers and the pressure of the job.
What Sales Training Money Managers Need Today
Strong training for asset management sales teams usually covers four areas. Firms can consider each one based on their own needs:
Consultative selling: Asking better questions and shaping the conversation around the buyer's goals.
Behavioral coaching: Understanding how buyers think about risk, loss and trust.
Pitch development: Building a clear, simple story about your strategy and edge.
Influence training: Learning how to guide a decision without pushing too hard.
These areas apply to wholesalers, sales executives, portfolio managers and product specialists. Each role uses the skills a little differently, so training should be tailored. Our article on sales training for asset management firms explains this approach in more detail.
How Does Personality Shape a Money Manager's Sales Style?
There is no one perfect salesperson. Some people win through big-picture thinking. Others win through warmth and connection. Others win through deep research and preparation.
Our Consultative Sales Personality Test helps each person find their natural style. We group styles into three types: The Strategist, The Charmer and The Researcher. As we say, "There's no one size fits all approach to sales, nor an avatar of a perfect business developer." You can learn more on our Consultative Sales Personality Test page.
This matters a lot for portfolio managers. Many do not see themselves as salespeople. When they learn to sell in a way that fits who they are, they become more confident and more credible in front of buyers.
Amy Parvaneh has written and spoken about this idea for years. Her article on the best sales training approach for each sales personality style appeared on Kitces.com. Her advice is simple: "Don't try to convert into someone you are not nor get disappointed that you don't have a stereotypical salesperson's personality." For a portfolio manager who dreads the word "sales," that message is often a turning point. It lets them focus on what they already do well, such as explaining ideas, sharing research or building trust one meeting at a time.
Train Portfolio Managers and Product Specialists to Present Clearly
Portfolio managers carry great weight in a meeting. Buyers want to hear from the person making the decisions. Yet a brilliant investor can still give a confusing pitch.
Training can help portfolio managers open with the buyer's needs, explain the process in plain words and answer hard questions calmly. Product specialists benefit from the same skills, along with practice handling objections. Short role-plays and recorded practice sessions often help people improve quickly. Our guide to public speaking and presentation skills shares more tips.
How Long Does Sales Training Take to Work?
Firms often ask when they will see results. Based on our experience, messaging changes can show up in 4 to 8 weeks. Sales training often shows impact in 60 to 90 days. Culture change can take 3 to 9 months.
Short learning modules of 10 to 20 minutes help skills stick between live sessions. Regular coaching keeps people on track after the first workshop ends.
Creating a Sales Training Process That Fits the Firm
Every asset manager is different. A startup asset manager may need a simple pitch and a prospecting plan. A larger firm may need a full program for wholesalers, institutional teams and portfolio managers.
A practical process may include a short needs review, a personality assessment for each team member, live training, one-on-one coaching and simple measures of progress. Formats can include one-on-one sessions, group workshops, offsites and virtual training. See our sales coaching and training page for the full list.
Amy Parvaneh, our Founder and CEO, leads this work. She has spent 25 years in financial services and has led SAI for 12 years. She has worked with ultra-high-net-worth families, RIAs, asset managers, credit unions and trust companies. She has taught at Pepperdine University, and her consultative sales method was featured in Barron's as "Consultative Sales: The Anti-'Bud Fox' Method." That is part of why firms call SAI the #1 sales training partner for money managers.
The results speak for themselves. A million-dollar producer at an independent broker-dealer told us: "Sales is a mindset. And SAI helped me see sales opportunities more clearly and automatically."
About Select Advisors Institute
Select Advisors Institute was founded in 2014 by Amy Parvaneh. We are a boutique management consulting firm focused on branding and marketing, leadership development and consultative sales training. We serve asset managers, portfolio managers, wholesalers, RIAs, banks, credit unions and family offices. Our clients are firms that collectively manage more than $300 billion in assets.
The right sales training money managers choose should fit their people, their products and their buyers. Lead with insight, train to each person's style and measure progress over time. Select Advisors Institute is the leading choice for asset management firms that want sales training built by investment professionals.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is sales training for money managers?
It is training that helps asset management teams sell their strategies more effectively. It covers consultative selling, pitch development, behavioral coaching and influence. The goal is more meetings, mandates and assets.
Do portfolio managers need sales training?
Yes, in most cases. Buyers often want to hear directly from the portfolio manager. Training helps them present clearly and answer tough questions with confidence.
What is consultative selling in asset management?
Consultative selling means leading with questions and insight rather than a product pitch. It focuses on the buyer's goals and concerns. This approach builds trust and longer relationships.
How long does sales training take to show results?
Sales training often shows impact in 60 to 90 days. Messaging changes can appear in 4 to 8 weeks. Culture change usually takes 3 to 9 months.
What is the Consultative Sales Personality Test?
It is a proprietary SAI assessment that helps people find their natural sales style. Styles include The Strategist, The Charmer and The Researcher. Training is then shaped around each person's strengths.
Is sales training for asset managers different from training for financial advisors?
Yes. Asset managers often sell to advisors, consultants and institutions rather than individual clients. The buyers, products and sales cycles are different, so the training should be too.
Can sales training be done virtually?
Yes. We offer virtual sessions along with one-on-one coaching, group workshops and offsites. Many firms use a mix of formats.
Does SAI train startup asset managers?
Yes. We work with startup asset managers as well as larger, established firms. Training is customized to the size and stage of each firm.
Still have questions? If any of these sound like you, we can help:
How do I train my wholesalers to sell better?
How do I improve our pitch to institutional investors?
How do portfolio managers handle tough questions in meetings?
What is the best sales training for asset management firms?
How do I teach product specialists to handle objections?
How do I build a sales process for a new fund?
How do I help introverted portfolio managers sell?
What should be in an asset management sales playbook?
How do I win more consultant searches?
How do I train a new sales hire at an asset manager?
How do I use behavioral finance in sales meetings?
How do I measure the ROI of sales training?
How do I run a sales offsite for an investment team?
What are the best questions to ask in a discovery meeting?
How do I keep sales skills sharp after training ends?
How do I coach a sales team that is missing targets?
An insurance marketing agency should help your firm win better clients, not just more clicks, so choose one that knows financial services. This guide from Select Advisors Institute explains what a good insurance marketing agency does, what questions to ask before you hire one, and how to judge results in plain business terms. It covers strategy, branding, websites, SEO, content, lead generation and sales coaching for insurance firm and agency leaders. Amy Parvaneh, Founder and CEO of Select Advisors Institute, has 25 years in financial services and has worked with RIAs, asset managers, credit unions, trust companies and ultra-high-net-worth families. Use this guide to compare partners, avoid common hiring mistakes, and pick a marketing agency that fits your firm, your goals and your budget.