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How Serious Buyers Build Trust Before the First Offer

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July 18, 2025

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In small business acquisitions, the early steps matter way more than people think. Before an LOI, before any due diligence, before the spreadsheet even gets opened... the seller is already deciding whether they trust you.

And the truth is, most sellers aren’t just evaluating offers. They’re evaluating people.

If you want to stand out from the crowd — especially with legacy-minded owners who care about their team and reputation — it’s not about how smart you sound or how fancy your deck looks. It’s about how you show up early in the process.

Here’s one simple way serious buyers do that: they send context before they send terms.