Why a Portfolio Summary Alone Isn’t Enough: Clients Need a Clear Narrative to Be Engaged

The Excel sheet shown here will look familiar to many advisors—it's our bread and butter. A standard portfolio summary that we compile and pass on to prospects and clients. It typically includes all the essential details: premium amounts, policy start dates, coverage types—nothing but raw data. In short, it’s a fact sheet.

Image - From Seedly

There’s no doubt that a portfolio summary is important. In fact, it’s a common practice used by 99% of advisors in the industry. But here’s the real question: beyond soft skills like rapport and communication, how can an advisor truly stand out?

At A-Think Lab, we believe the key is in turning these facts into a compelling narrative. Through our platform, we help advisors transform the traditional portfolio summary into a powerful story that can illustrate real-life scenarios.

For example, instead of just stating what policies a client holds, an advisor can walk them through a "what if" scenario—what if a critical illness strikes, or what if a certain income stream stops? How would their current policies respond?

Or if a client shares a vision for their retirement lifestyle, the advisor can visually show how their existing plans support that vision, and where the gaps are.

We’ve created multiple ways to bring both appointments and post-appointment follow-ups to life. This not only enhances client understanding and engagement, but also leads to more business, more "yes" decisions, and more referrals—because the advisor stood out by going beyond the numbers.

Want to see how this can work for you?

Book a demo with A-Think Lab and discover how to become the advisor clients remember.