From Cold Email to Proprietary Dealflow: Nearly 400 Seller Leads in 18 Months

Overview

This engagement focused on building a sustainable, discreet outbound channel for a boutique M&A advisory firm operating in a competitive market.

Rather than chasing volume, the objective was to generate high-quality, owner-level conversations that could realistically progress to valuations and transactions over time.

Strategy

We treated outbound as deal sourcing, not marketing.

Targeting was refined around businesses with:

• Stable revenues

• Founder or owner-led management

• Clear succession or transition considerations

Messaging avoided urgency, pressure, or “selling” language. Emails were framed as exploratory and confidential, acknowledging that most owners are not actively planning an exit.

Execution

Campaigns were run continuously with:

• Controlled sending volumes

• Ongoing deliverability monitoring

• Regular feedback from the client on lead quality and deal progression

This allowed us to improve targeting and messaging using real outcomes rather than surface metrics.

Outcome

After 18 months, outbound had become a core part of the client’s sourcing strategy, delivering nearly 400 seller conversations and a steady pipeline of proprietary opportunities.