2025 is shaping up to be a buyer’s market, but only for those who’ve evolved their origination strategy. For private equity firms, independent sponsors, and search funds, the old-school playbook of waiting for intermediaries to send over teasers just doesn’t cut it anymore.

The most successful buy-side M&A teams right now are thinking like marketers, proactively targeting the right founders, delivering the right message, and building relationships long before a deal hits the market.

So what’s actually working?

1. Precision Targeting Over Broad Lists

Instead of mass-blasting generic outreach to thousands of companies, savvy acquirers are starting with crystal-clear acquisition criteria: recurring revenue, sticky customer base, founder-owned, sub-$5M EBITDA. Platforms like OutSearched help filter these exact profiles so you’re not wasting time on low-fit leads.

2. Multi-Channel Outreach

Top-performing buy-side teams are no longer relying on email alone. They're layering in direct mail, phone calls, and even LinkedIn messaging. This creates more touchpoints and drives higher engagement from owners, especially those not actively looking to sell.

3. Automated but Human

AI and automation are driving scale, but the outreach still needs to feel human. What’s working now is high-volume outreach that’s still personalized: a note referencing the founder’s background, a direct reference to their industry niche, or a comment on recent company growth.

4. Focusing on Founder Experience

Founders care about more than just valuation. Inbound buyers who highlight cultural fit, strategic alignment, and a clear path post-close are rising to the top. It’s not just “how much will you pay?”. It’s “do I trust you with my life’s work?”

5. Speed Wins Deals

The most agile buyers are setting up processes that let them move fast: preliminary diligence in days, financing conversations pre-baked, and a clean offer in hand before a deal even hits the market. It’s not always the highest bid that wins. It’s the fastest, clearest path to close.

Key Takeaway:

If you’re still waiting for a banker to bring you a perfect deal, you’re already behind. In 2025, buy-side origination is about ownership, including owning your outreach strategy, your tech stack, and your positioning with sellers.

Tools like OutSearched are enabling buy-side teams to reach founders faster, more efficiently, and with messaging that actually resonates.

This year, the best deals won’t be found, they’ll be created.