(Read this if you want to find an off-market SMB deal)...
Step 1.
Identify the locations(s) where you want to buy.
Maybe it's in your current city.
Or maybe it's across the country.
Maybe you can even run it remotely.
Pick your home, and start from there.
2) Step 2
Decide what you want your post-close life to look like.
- Will you need to work weekends?
- Will you need to get your hands dirty in the field?
- Are you significantly involved in day-to-day ops?
Don't put your/your family's livelihood above an SMB acquisition.
3) Step 3
Identify industries of interest that fit your step 1 + 2 success criteria.
Focus on 1-3 industries at a time, waiting to cycle through losers in a few months to maintain credibility and engagement.
4) Step 4
Build a list of companies and individuals to contact within the selected industries.
Remember, creating a comprehensive list takes time, so be patient and thorough.
Luckily, today you can leverage the internet to significantly reduce time spent on this step.
5) Step 5
Engage with industry experts for introductions to business owners.
You might already know a few river guides in your existing network who are more than willing to help out.
If not, you can offer a trivial % of your deal or $ in exchange for their help.
6) Step 6
Create a cold outreach process to cover all your bases.
The three primary methods are:
- Letters
- Calling
- Emailing
While industry experts are often the best path to success, you can't exclusively on them to find your deal.
7) Step 7
Try to meet with as many owners in person as you can.
Your goal in the first few in-person meetings isn't necessarily to buy their biz, but to learn and build industry expertise.
This will increase your credibility with sellers + build confidence for future meetings.
8) Step 8
Your goal should be to generate quality leads using industry experts and cold reach-outs after several of these first meetings.
While fairly inefficient at first glance, you'll build a foundation of skills + competence that'll pay off big later in the search phase.
9) Step 9
Keep knocking on doors.
The average searcher spends###-###-#### months before they buy a deal.
Some may get lucky (I did!) but only your effort and dedication can speed the process up.
Remember: no one is going to search for you.
10) Step 10
Congratulations if you made it this far!
If you want to learn more helpful searching tips like this + more or are ready to take your search to the next level, apply to the #1 live self-funded searcher accelerator program in the world here:
https://www.pursuantcapital.com/bootcamp/
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