101 on Founder outreach

Dear community! I come from an M&A/finance background — I’m used to building models, running diligence, and closing once both sides are already at the table. Now I’m reaching out directly to founders to understand if they’d ever consider selling, and I’ll be honest — I’ve never done outbound sales before. I know the human touch matters more than any deck or LOI, so I’d love advice from those who’ve done this well: • How do you open the first conversation without sounding transactional? • Do you use a light script or go fully natural and focus on rapport? • What signals tell you it’s time to shift from relationship-building to deal talk? • Best day/time to call for owners in traditional B2B services? Any sample emails or voicemail scripts you’re willing to share would be hugely appreciated. Thanks Toño