The survey, conducted by Cogent Research, polled 268 independent brokers and registered investment advisors to measure their attitudes towards alternative investments.

The research revealed that 92 per cent of respondents ranked integrity and transparency among their top three criteria.

"The results of this survey confirm the validity of our thesis that advisors and their clients want their asset managers to provide the same commitment to transparency and best practices demanded by large institutional investors," said Michael Forman, chief executive of Franklin Square Capital Partners.

Strong consistent investment performance came in second, with 91 per cent of those surveyed citing it among their top three criteria.

The third highest priority was a low degree of correlation to other asset classes, with 82 per cent of respondents ranking it in their top three considerations.

Other popular criteria included competitive pricing (74 per cent) and the length of a provider's track record (72 per cent).

"Advisors want to do business with providers they trust. We, as advisors, should seek out firms whose money management approach produces solid results while truly embracing transparency and responsible business practices," said Ron Carson, CEO of Carson Wealth Management Group.