Best ways to get off market SMB leads?

August 25, 2025

by a searcher from University of Southern California - Marshall School of Business in Los Angeles, CA, USA

What are some of the ways you have successfully found off market (likely to sell) businesses (ideally mainstreet businesses)? Cold calling, lead gen companies, brokers? What has worked/not worked? Whats the best way to approach owners?

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Reply by an investor
from Georgia State University in Atlanta, GA, USA

Things worked for me, White collar- LinkedIn automation. Blue collar- cold email, cold call.

Reply by a professional
from Arizona State University in Scottsdale, Arizona, United States

This is the exact question most people eventually ask when they try to go off market. You cold call, email, message on LinkedIn, maybe get a few replies but they're mostly dead ends. The real issue isn't effort, it's process. Most outreach is built on generic lists, weak targeting, and messaging that doesn't land with business owners. You might get a deal, but you're mostly rolling the dice. That gap is what led me to start Sorsa Capital, a white-glove buy-side advisory that builds and runs your entire off-market sourcing engine, start to finish. At McKinsey, I worked with PE firms to design sourcing systems that actually worked. We focused on tight industry selection, layered data, and disciplined outreach that drove real conversations. Now I run that same process on behalf of buyers who want a more strategic and consistent path to deal flow. Sorsa is just launching, and I'm offering a discounted retainer to a small group of early clients. If you're serious about building a real pipeline and moving beyond chance-based sourcing, happy to connect.

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