This section, one of the last in our book is focussed on the keys to success (pardon the pun) of a strategist. Within this module you will gain insight in the mindset you need, how to set up your day to ensure success at every turn as well as all the tips and tricks you will use to go from good to great.
Table of Contents
The Advisor Mindset
As a Portfolio Strategist, you are the central point of contact for clients throughout their portfolio journey. You guide them on strategy, help them understand research, explain how properties are tailored to their needs, and coach them on their investment mindset.
To become their trusted advisor, you must proactively build ongoing relationships. Your goal is to be the first person they think of whenever they consider property investment and wealth creation.
Clients need three key elements to feel confident in executing their plan:
- Clarity - Understanding the plan and required steps
- Motivation - Believing the plan will help them achieve their goals
- Capability - Trusting that we are the best team to guide them to success
What do clients expect from you?
- Guidance - Clear direction rather than leaving decisions to them.
- Authority - Demonstrated expertise and knowledge
- Respect - Genuine care and appreciation for their journey
- Trust - Do what you say, proactively and timely
Section: Time, Communication & the Results Economy
Purpose: To shift your mindset and practices from reactive task management to proactive, guidance-led strategy that drives real client outcomes.
Core Principles
- Time issues are communication issues.
Poorly run strategy conversations create downstream time drain. When we don’t give clear guidance, we invite ongoing Q&A, second-guessing, and delays.
- Operate in the results economy.
We don’t measure success by how busy we are or how quickly we respond. We measure success by clarity, client conviction, and outcomes. Impact, not input.
- Be the guide, not the encyclopaedia.
Clients come to us for direction. That means fewer options, more clarity. Less explaining, more guiding. When in doubt, always anchor back to their goals, not just the property or the data.
- Prevention is the best time management.
If you go deep once, you won’t have to circle back five times.
Strategy calls should reduce your to-do list, not inflate it.
🎯 What Great Strategists Do Differently
- Pre-handle objections during strategy calls (e.g. yield, timeline, trust structure).
- Set expectations upfront to reduce reactive communication later.
- Structure strategy calls to give direction, not just data or scenarios.
- Use time-blocking for key admin and comms tasks so you’re in control, not reactive.
- Use SMS as a high-impact tool to reduce phone tag and increase responsiveness.
🧠 Summary: The Strategist’s Role in One Line
You are not here to give answers, you’re here to give direction
Being a great strategist is not about being the fastest, most responsive person in the room. It’s about having the control, clarity, and composure to lead your clients confidently toward their goals, with less noise, more guidance, and better outcomes.
Setting up the ideal day
Managing your day effectively is essential for maintaining productivity and delivering outstanding service to clients. By matching tasks to your energy levels and carefully scheduling activities, you can maximise your impact.
Here is an example of what an ideal day might look like:
9 AM | Messages / Attio task management (This is sales tasks/revenue tasks for repeat nurturing, follow-ups, etc) - Daily (15/30 min slot) |
9:30 AM | Portfolio Strategy Session |
10 AM | Portfolio Strategy Session |
10:30 AM | Portfolio Strategy Session |
11 AM | Break |
11:30 AM | Portfolio Strategy Session |
12 PM | Portfolio Strategy Session |
12:30 PM | Portfolio Strategy Session |
1 PM | Break |
1:30 PM | Break |
2 PM | Milestone + General Messages (Whatsapp/Portal/Email daily checks, proactive client management) |
2:30 PM | Portfolio Review Session |
3 PM | Portfolio Review Session |
3:30 PM | Team training |
4 PM | Team training |
4:30 PM | Milestone + General Messages (Whatsapp/Portal/Email daily checks, proactive client management) |
5 PM |
The above is just an example, but other less regular appointments to factor in as well are:
- Team training - Fortnightly
- 1:1’s (Power, Growth, experience) - Weekly
- Fortnightly client updates - Weekly on Fridays
- Urgent client discussion - Fortnightly
*Note: as your client base builds more portfolio strategy sessions start filling up with review sessions instead. And more time gets extended for task management to stay on top of a larger client base. Same on the opposite where reviews will largely be strategy sessions as a newer strategist.
Here are the key areas to focus on, with practical examples and strategies to optimise your time.
Core Activities to Include:
Click into each section to learn more
Portfolio Strategy Sessions:
Dedicate focused time to these sessions, ideally during peak concentration hours (e.g., late morning or mid-afternoon). For example, you might schedule two strategy sessions between 10:00 am and 12:00 pm on Monday and Thursday, allowing you ample time for preparation and follow-ups.
Portfolio Review Sessions:
Planning and conducting portfolio review sessions with clients to discuss their progress and potential portfolio expansion. These sessions are scheduled by clients as needed and will become a natural part of your calendar.
Replying to Messages & Emails:
Allocate 30-minute blocks at the beginning, middle, and end of the day to clear your inbox and respond to client queries. For instance, handle emails from 9:00–9:30 am, after lunch at 1:30–2:00 pm, and again at 4:30–5:00 pm to maintain a responsive workflow.
Sending Client Milestone Messages:
Celebrate client wins (e.g., “Congratulations on your first investment property!”) by setting aside 15–20 minutes daily after your first email block. These personal touches can also be batched every Friday afternoon as a wrap-up for the week.
Fortnightly Client Updates:
These are typically done every Friday to wrap up the week that was for clients. It’s easiest to do them all together at once, so you’re not switching between different days and there is consistency for the client.
Post-Settlement Follow-Ups:
Allocate 20 minutes after your Portfolio Review Sessions to follow up with recently settled clients. A quick check-in or sending relevant resources can ensure they feel supported even after their purchase.
Learning and Development:
Invest in yourself by setting aside an hour or two weekly for training. For example, book Thursday mornings from 8:30–9:30 am for reading, webinars, or industry updates, ensuring you’re constantly sharpening your skills.
Other Ad-Hoc Client Requests:
Keep a 30-minute “buffer block” in your calendar every day for unforeseen client needs. This flexibility helps you stay on top of urgent matters without disrupting your planned schedule.
Pipeline Management and Internal Admin:
Reserve Friday mornings or afternoons for admin tasks like updating CRMs, reviewing pipelines, and preparing for the following week. Treat this as a time to reset and organise your workload.
How do I manage a large amount of clients?
Managing 500+ clients might seem daunting at first. However, with high organisational skills and proper time management, you can handle this workload effectively during regular business hours.
Organisational skills
Referencing the 'second brain' concept from the first module, this will be your superpower for staying on top of every client. After each casual chat or message exchange, update your notes with those small details. Don't rely on your memory for tasks—you'll likely forget them! Instead, create dated tasks that you can review daily to stay on track with everything you need to complete.
You also have views to view all ongoing agreements, but clients as well.
To take care of every client, means to self-audit and ensure that no client is missing a task or booking upcoming. Every client has a next check-in date.
The following topics will show you how to use your time efficiently.
How to best manage your time
The secret to your success as a strategist will lie in your ability to manage your time effectively and intelligently. Below are some methods and tactics you can apply as you get started
Spread Out High-Intensity Tasks:
Avoid scheduling all your Portfolio Strategy Sessions or Portfolio Reviews on the same day. Instead, alternate these high-focus tasks with lighter activities, like replying to emails or sending milestone messages, to maintain energy levels.
Leverage Peak Concentration Times:
Identify when you’re most focused and reserve these hours for mentally demanding tasks. For instance, if you’re sharper in the morning, use that time for Strategy Sessions or learning, and save admin or client updates for the afternoon.
Use Time Blocking to Stay Organised:
Plan your week in advance using time blocks for each activity. For example:
• Monday: Strategy Sessions (10:00–12:00), Email Block (1:30–2:00), Admin (3:00–4:00)
• Tuesday: Client Updates (9:00–11:00), Learning (2:00–3:00)
• Friday: Milestone Messages (10:00–10:30), Pipeline Review (3:00–4:00)
Update calendly to show time buffers:
Calendly - Availability tab - Tick ‘include buffers on this calendar’
It will then create buffers in your calendar and make them visible - good to have for you all to have visibility
Batch Similar Tasks:
Group similar tasks together, such as responding to all client emails or preparing client updates in one go. This reduces context switching and helps you work more efficiently.
Set Clear Boundaries:
Protect your focus time by minimising interruptions. Let your team know when you’re in deep work mode to avoid distractions during critical activities.
By balancing your workload and aligning tasks with your energy levels, you’ll not only improve your productivity but also ensure you’re delivering exceptional service to your clients. Take control of your calendar, stay consistent, and adjust your schedule as needed to maximise your effectiveness.
To produce deep, strategic work and protect your mental clarity, it’s essential to guard your focus. Turn off non-critical notifications during dedicated focus blocks, even just 1–2 hours a day can dramatically increase output. Consider setting your status to “Do Not Disturb” and letting your team know your focus windows. Context-switching is the enemy of good strategy so protect your time with intention.
How to manage after-hours requests:
New Clients may occasionally request meetings outside business hours. When this happens, first check if any other strategists are working during those hours and would like to take the meeting. If not, you can choose to schedule the meeting during your free time on weekends or after hours. If you cannot find a suitable time that works for the client after exploring alternatives, please notify your leader. For repeat clients that can generate a new sale you can do your best to adjust these or meet in these hours and give yourself back time through late starts or longer breaks as you see fit. However repeat clients are more understanding of availability.
Top Tips to help you get started
While you will learn as much on the job as you will from your onboarding (more in fact) we wanted to ensure you had some of our top tips that our strategy team have learnt over the years, this is the fastest way to move through life; taking on the lessons of others.
Avoid the rollercoaster:
This means avoiding having ups and downs in your work where some weeks you are busy and productive and other weeks you are slow. The goal is consistency. Try to balance your new clients with your existing client’s workload to keep it refreshing and different for the activities you do.
Always have a check-in date:
BAMFAM (Book a meeting, from a meeting) This means being proactive and on top of the plan for clients. Clients will get distracted and life will get in the way of them reaching out, it’s important to always have a check-in date for clients when they are on pause or if they have a planned purchase in a year, etc.
Never force it:
Don't pressure clients to purchase properties if they’re not comfortable. Positively influence clients with your energy, your personal experience and client stories, don't force them.
Organisation and time blocking is key:
Managing multiple client messages and tracking their journeys can be challenging. To succeed, maintain detailed CRM records with all information gathered during conversations. Make sure no messages slip through the cracks. Instead of casually reading messages while multitasking, set aside dedicated time to properly respond and take action. Simply glancing at messages will likely lead to forgotten follow-ups as they quickly get buried in your inbox.
Be the expert
Stay on top of our research and our marketing content, your life will be that much easier when you are consuming the same content your clients are. Make sure you subscribe to our podcasts and that you listen to them all and read all of our research blogs and whitepapers. Many of our clients have warmed up to us as a result of our content and they will want to get your thoughts and opinions on it.
Additionally, follow our competitors and their content too! There is always something to learn from others and many ways to skin a cat.
Always remember though, if you don’t know something then own it. Commit to getting the answer within a set timeframe and then stay true to your word.
Most common mistakes and how to avoid them
Below are some of the mistakes we have seen impact the experience our clients have, nearly all will come from learning and repetition, but to help you learn from those that came before we have compiled the most common ones for you to review. Click in to each to learn more.
Lack of preparation
This will be your biggest challenge, if a client feels that you aren’t prepared and one step ahead of them, they will doubt your ability to guide them. Walk into meetings thinking about every possible thing they could question or doubt and ensure you have a robust logical answer in your recommendations.
How to avoid: Ensure you have time before a session to review Gameplans and their sales call notes so you understand their current situation thoroughly, and their goal. Put some prep work in and come up with some proposed strategies that if followed will clearly get them to where they need to be.
Not responding
While it's perfectly acceptable not to respond on weekends and after hours, letting weekday messages slip through can create a poor impression—clients may feel forgotten if they need to chase you for responses. When you do respond, be specific about timing rather than using vague terms like "soon," "shortly," or "ASAP." Instead, set realistic deadlines that you can exceed, following the principle of under promising and overdelivering.
How to avoid: Set reoccurring check-ins across the day so you can manage WhatsApp / Portal messages. Set specific timelines, for example; ‘I will come back to you tomorrow by 11 am with an update.’ and then make sure you set a reminder and follow through.
Lack of depth in the session
Clients expect us to demonstrate deep knowledge that goes beyond their own understanding. They want clear reasoning behind our recommendations and insights. Surface-level suggestions like "Yeah, we're going to buy you a property in South East QLD for $850k and it will grow by 30% — sound good?" are inadequate. Instead, you must thoroughly explain the "why" and guide clients through each recommendation rather than simply directing them.
How to avoid: Know our research inside and out, prepare for your session based on the notes left by the sales team, and give yourself permission to love the numbers and data. Be fanatical about detail and give more than the client needs. Always follow your responses with questions like; ‘Does that make sense?’ or, ‘I know that may have felt complex, and I want to make sure you are comfortable, do you have any questions?’
“Piggy in the middle”, lacking resourcefulness
Avoid simply passing clients on to other professionals without first trying to source answers yourself. Clients dislike being bounced around. Take ownership of the interaction by first understanding why they're asking, then researching the answer yourself. While you can certainly involve other professionals when needed, aim to manage the interaction yourself.
Example - Client comes to you for rental advice. The wrong approach would be to immediately refer them to their PM. The right approach would be to research current rents online, draw from your knowledge of similar properties in the area, and provide informed guidance: 'Hmm, I can see that rents in this area are ranging between X and X. What were you quoted? Ah, that seems below market—we're achieving higher amounts for comparable properties. Let me connect with your PM to address this…'
Being led by the client instead of guiding and respectfully challenging
Surrendering control by letting clients position themselves as the 'expert' in their property journey. This often happens when clients raise multiple objections—disliking neighbourhoods, property appearances, or aspects. If we fail to understand their concerns and educate them with a different perspective, we lose control and end up simply trying to 'please' the client. Remember, they sought your expertise. You are the expert—so act like one!
Missing milestones of communication during an active purchase
Not celebrating key milestones or providing advisory support at key moments is a surefire way to kill the client’s experience. It can happen as the number of clients grow, active buyers can then be left for days without the acknowledgement from their strategist - Leaving them to feel uncertain if they are on the right track or if things are going right.
How to avoid: Set up reminders in Attio, ensure you have time blocked in your calendar to do a sweep in WhatsApp/Portal, and ensure you have your calendar up to date. Client success will support here too, but it’s up to you to make sure you create the time to action these key communication moments.
Missing conviction in progressing to the next purchase and portfolio review follow-up
A follow-up call with missing conviction often feels hesitant and lacks direction, leaving the client unsure of their next steps. For example, the consultant might ask, “Have you looked into your equity position recently?” without offering any insights or context, making it seem like they’re unsure themselves. Using phrases like, “I guess we could review your goals again and see what might be possible,” which sound non-committal and fail to inspire confidence. When discussing strategy, they might say, “There’s no pressure to move forward if you’re not feeling ready,” rather than guiding the client toward actionable steps. This lack of confidence and urgency fails to remind the client of the importance of their goals, the potential of their equity position, and how a proactive strategy can accelerate their property journey. As a result, the client may feel disengaged or see no immediate reason to proceed with their next purchase.
How to avoid: Bring an advisor mindset. Have the information ready and an idea of the next steps so you can guide the client through the journey with a clear vision and certainty in what they can and can’t do. Respectfully hold them to account for their goals, if they need to buy the next property in the coming months to achieve this, then you must remind them of this and work through the barriers stopping them from staying committed.
Ongoing training and Development
We believe in continually investing in your skills and capabilities as a strategist here at InvestorKit, and we recognise that learning never stops. So across your time you will be exposed to the following trainings:
🌱 Growth Sessions
- Frequency: Weekly
- Duration: 1 hour
- Focus: Client management, consultation reviews, objection handling, sales skills and much more. Every session builds adaptability and confidence across every aspect of your role.
🔋 Power Sessions
- Frequency: Monthly (1st week of the month)
- Duration: 30 mins
- Purpose: Track KPIs, get feedback, and refine your game. You’ll dive into what’s working, what’s not, and actionable fixes.
⭐️ Experience Sessions
- Frequency: Every second month
- Duration: 1 - 1.5 hours
- Purpose: A deep dive into the end-to-end client experience you have provided to a client, including a review of all communication and sessions conducted.
Fortnightly Team Trainings
Our weekly training events cover a wide range of topics that align with various stages of the client journey and are focussed on building skills that will enable you to do more and earn more.
Tracking repeat agreements on Attio
A key part of becoming a top strategist is staying on top of repeats and repeat signups. To do this effectively, there are two views you should be using consistently:
1. Agreement Tracker
- Shows agreements that have been sent but are not yet signed or not yet paid.
- This is essentially your target list, the clients you need to move across the line to completion.
- Check this regularly to ensure nothing stalls at this stage.
2. Pay Tracker
- Shows clients who have signed and where funds have been received.
- This gives you visibility over:
- Clients who have officially signed up and may need onboarding.
- Clients who have already onboarded
- Historical signup data for yourself, which you can use to measure and reflect on your performance.
Together, these two trackers allow you to maintain focus, manage momentum, and ensure you’re consistently pushing repeats through to successful completion.
What do I do if I have some white space?
The below activities are great ways to improve your knowledge and help you become the ultimate advisor!
Research
Stay subscribed and current with all the content and research we publish! It’s important you are across every single IKIT research blog, whitepaper, YouTube video or podcast.
Our content is the best resource for understanding our investment decisions. Many client objections have already been thoroughly researched and addressed in these materials. When you're familiar with all our content, you'll be equipped to explain why we invest in specific areas, our due diligence criteria, and why we maintain these parameters.
While our research is excellent, it's important to avoid an echo chamber. Review content from other creators and competitors to maintain a well-rounded and informed perspective.
CoreLogic monthly reports are also a great publication to stay updated with a high-level understanding of the market!
Recent purchase review
Review monthly statistics and actual purchase data, including wins, losses, and price points across different areas to build your market knowledge for client conversations.
While median and aggregate data can provide useful insights, they don't tell the complete story. Examining on-the-ground purchases gives you a better understanding of area-specific pricing, market competitiveness through win/loss ratios, and market momentum as shown by price movements.
You can find all this information in the Properties section of Attio.
Client activities
Doing a self-audit to make sure no clients have slipped through the cracks!
‘Awaiting review’ status with no task assigned
BAMFAM Audit view: https://app.attio.com/investor-kit/collection/c1967aa6-3d75-480d-919d-5a759f4fb937/view/1a78c906-601d-4b86-932a-8a5e87a0266c
‘Active Client’ status with only Post Settlement / Completed agreements
Settlement audit view: https://app.attio.com/investor-kit/collection/c1967aa6-3d75-480d-919d-5a759f4fb937/view/fa9d6328-c197-42a4-814e-0d46c4f3f035
Task list - mandatory to at least review every day for tasks that need to be actioned on the day.
- Minimum reviewed every day
Restricted briefs - Clients with highly specific requirements often receive fewer property options, which may lead to dissatisfaction. If you anticipate this becoming an issue, proactively share suitable alternatives that align with their criteria, highlighting the positive aspects and explaining our reasoning for recommending them.