How Client Conversations About Alternative Assets Are Evolving

The following is an abridged transcript of an interview with Liam Hanlon, Head of Insights at Jump AI. Liam did a deep dive into the aggregated data of 3,000 conversations in order to better understand how advisors are positioning alternative investments today. Additionally, he used alternative investments as an entry point to better understand what persuasion tactics tend to work best for advisors, and what tactics tend not to succeed.

For the full conversation, and a deeper look at the data, please watch the video above.

From Saving Time to Driving Growth

Liam:

Jump’s original mission was simple: give advisors back time. They were spending 75% of their day on admin. Now, 60% of our users are saving over an hour a day, which adds up to 250 hours a year. So the question becomes: what do you do with that time?

That’s where Insights comes in. We’re shifting from just time savings to helping advisors make that time matter. We do that by identifying the conversational signals that lead to client action—whether it’s reallocating a portfolio, avoiding panic moves, or making key introductions.

Daniel:

It’s a big shift—from efficiency to effectiveness.

Liam:

Exactly. One example: we analyzed conversations around wealth transfers. We found that if advisors asked the right types of questions, in the right order, spent the right amount of time, and used the right persuasion strategy, they could triple the chance of their recommendation being accepted. That’s the kind of thing we’re after—behavioral levers.

Why Focus on Alternative Investments?

Liam:

We wanted to dive into how advisors are talking about alternatives. Alternatives have been booming, partly due to increased accessibility—private credit and private equity aren’t just for the ultra-high-net-worth anymore. Even platforms like SoFi are offering access now.

So we wanted to understand: How often are these being discussed? Who’s bringing them up? What’s being said? And how are clients responding?

Alternatives Are Rising Fast

Liam:

Over the last year, mentions of alternatives in portfolio allocation conversations increased by 56%. That’s a huge jump. They’re now coming up in almost 1 in 4 of these conversations—up from 15% a year ago.

Other asset classes—like crypto or real estate—are driven by news cycles. Alts aren’t in the news. They’re not being triggered by headlines. So what’s driving the increase?

Advisors Are Driving the Conversation

Liam:

The answer is: advisors. In 86% of the conversations where alts came up, the advisor initiated the topic.

That makes sense. When you look at crypto, it’s client-driven about half the time—people see it in the news and ask about it. Alts are different. They’re complex, and the advisor needs to explain them. That’s why it’s usually the advisor introducing them, not the client.

Daniel:

So advisors are stepping into a more strategic role—talking about things that aren’t obvious or in the headlines.

Liam:

Exactly. They’re playing the “trusted expert” role. Clients ask about flashy assets. Advisors guide them to the ones that build real long-term value.

Advisors Are Bullish on Alts

Liam:

Here’s the wild part: when advisors do recommend something about alts, 98% of the time they recommend maintaining or increasing exposure. Only 2% recommend decreasing.

That makes alts the most bullishly positioned asset class in our dataset. Even something like cash—where a lot of clients are sitting today—gets a recommendation to reduce exposure a third of the time.

Daniel:

That’s a massive difference.

Liam:

It reflects how new and underrepresented alts have been. Most clients don’t already have exposure, so there’s nothing to reduce.

But Clients Are Harder to Convince

Liam:

Despite all this bullishness, clients only go along with alt recommendations 37% of the time. Compare that to 75% for cash. So it’s a much harder pitch.

Daniel:

And it makes sense. Alternatives are complex. There’s no standard return profile. They vary wildly in risk. Even for advisors, it’s a newer space.

Liam:

Exactly. Complexity is the barrier. It’s also why annuities and gold show up similarly low in terms of client follow-through. Anything hard to understand is hard to act on.

The Power of a Systematic Approach

Liam:

We looked at six common persuasion strategies that advisors use.

The only one that reliably increased acceptance rates was a systematic investment approach.

That means suggesting a process—like, “Let’s put in 10% now, 20% next quarter,” or “We’ll dollar-cost average into this over time.” That kind of structure made clients more likely to say yes.

Daniel:

Makes sense. It feels thoughtful. It shows the advisor has a plan—and that gives confidence.

Liam:

Exactly. Clients want a roadmap. Not just, “Buy this.” They want to know how and why—and feel there’s a method behind it.

Emotional Appeals Work Best Alone

Liam:

Surprisingly, emotional appeal—like talking about family, legacy, or peace of mind— works best when used by itself. If you try to combine it with urgency or stats, it actually becomes less effective.

We think that’s because clients perceive it as manipulative if it’s bundled with other tactics. But if it’s authentic—used alone—it works really well.

Daniel:

So it’s about sincerity. If you’re going to appeal to emotion, you have to commit to that approach.

Liam:

Right. Otherwise, it feels like a sales script.

Fewer Strategies Work Better

Liam:

Another insight: using more than two persuasion strategies hurts your chances. Once you layer on the third or fourth tactic, success rates drop sharply.

Daniel:

That’s when it starts to feel like a hard sell. Clients can sense it.

Liam:

There’s probably some correlation here—advisors may be piling on tactics because the client is already hesitant. But still, the effect is real.

Market Sentiment Makes or Breaks the Pitch

Liam:

We used AI to classify client sentiment on calls—confident, cautiously optimistic, neutral, uncertain, or concerned. That sentiment had a big impact on whether they accepted advisor recommendations.

• Confident clients followed through 60% of the time.
• Concerned clients only did so 45% of the time.

Even if the product fit was perfect, concerned clients were much less likely to act.

Daniel:

So sentiment is a gate. If they’re not feeling optimistic, nothing else matters.

Liam:

Exactly. If you’re pitching a product before addressing their market concerns, you’re already swimming upstream.

Match the Strategy to the Mood

Liam:

Most strategies don’t work well when clients are on the extremes—very confident or very concerned. They’re already decided.

But in the middle—cautiously optimistic or neutral—persuasion works best. That’s the zone where strategy matters most.

One key takeaway: don’t sell to a confident client. Just present your approach and let them go. And don’t pitch products to a concerned client without first changing their perspective.

How Sentiment Affects Each Asset Class

Liam:

Alternatives were the most sensitive to sentiment. When clients were confident, they accepted alt proposals 50% of the time. When they were uncertain, only 28% accepted.

For comparison, equities and cash had much smaller drops. Bonds and real estate were barely affected by sentiment.

So if you’re pitching alts, it’s extra important to warm the client up first. Address outlook before offering a product.

Surface Insights That Drive Better Conversations — Directly in Jump

With Jump Insights, advisors and firms will soon be able to access powerful conversation intelligence right within the product. We’re bringing the most impactful data from advisor-client interactions directly to the surface — making it easier than ever to see what’s working, what’s not, and what needs attention.

Advisors and firms can instantly see which assets clients are talking about, which topics are dominating conversations, what news is trending across accounts. It’s insight that sharpens strategy, fuels follow-through, and drives growth.

By turning everyday conversations into actionable intelligence, Jump helps you deliver more value to clients while setting your firm apart.