B2B SEO & Web Design For Revenue Not Vanity | DM To Discuss | Host @ Business Growth Show (Top 10 B2B Marketing Podcast, Cognism)

Your website struggling to drive a steady flow of qualified demos/leads?
Tired of losing leads to competitors ranking higher on Google/AI?
Frustrated your SEO agency isn't delivering demos & revenue?

WE FIX THAT.

OUR GROWTH STRATEGIES:

→ SEO to get top of Google & LLMs, bringing revenue-focused demos and signups
→ Start driving pipeline from AI and Google organic as fast as 90 days

BREAKING B2B - B2B MARKETING & DEMAND GENERATION PODCAST

Grow your b2b/SaaS company without the BS. Weekly top 2.5% podcast with actionable marketing tips to grow your revenue: www.breakingb2b.com

STILL NOT CONVINCED?

→ See our work, client results & starting rates here: www.breakingb2b.com

BOOK A CALL:

💻: www.breakingb2b.com
📧: Connect & DM Me
✉️: sam@samdunning.org

CORE SERVICES:

→ B2B SEO strategy and execution
→ Content marketing
→ Digital marketing for SaaS

WHY BREAKING B2B?

→ We focus on revenue, not vanity metrics
→ Our strategies are data-driven and results-oriented
→ We have a proven track record with B2B and SaaS companies
→ Our podcast (Breaking B2B) gives you free, valuable insights into B2B marketing

About time your website became your best (24/7) salesperson?
Get in touch today, and let's start growing your business.

P.S.
Agencies: We offer white-label SEO to help you deliver results on time and within budget.

Sam Dunning

If Backstreet Boys did b2b marketing.

SaaS SEO for revenue NOT vanity in the world of AI search: https://lnkd.in/e7XuM6au

What cover should Breaking B2B do next? 👇

Founder @ Breaking B2B | B2B SEO For Revenue Not Vanity | SaaS & B2B Teams Hire Us To Scale Organic Pipeline From Google & AI Search | DM To Discuss | Host @ Breaking B2B (Top 2.5% B2B Marketing Podcast)

Breaking B2B is HIRING for a SaaS SEO strategist. FT and remote. Please read below fully BEFORE applying 👇 

UPDATE: Role filled. Thank you to all applicants for taking the time to apply. Much appreciated! 🙏

___

SAAS SEO STRATEGIST - QUICK SUMMARY

● Remote and contract role (we have team members in 5+ countries)
● SEO and AI search focus for pipeline and revenue (not vanity metrics)
● Understands what B2B/SaaS orgs care about driving (sign-ups, demos, sales calls, mindshare, brand, positioning in marketplace)
● Update our clients from initial on-boarding call, to campaign updates, loom video updates, sharing starting assets/strategy/monthly plan of action/content/technical/linkbuilding updates each month, pulling info we need for results, sharing reports, giving new ideas for new solutions
● Keyword research, prompt research, quick wins reviews, competitor reviews, AI/LLM reviews, technical audits, monthly plan of actions, assigning work to our teams, reporting.
● Video calls and slack comms with clients
● We work to 'surprise and delight' clients to go 5%+ above and beyond what they pay for e.g. extra ideas, loom vid reviews, CRO tips, share industry trends, useful Breaking B2B podcast eps, we invite them onto our podcast etc. every week.
● Helping build ‘SEO Quick Look’ plans for our sales opportunities
● $3.5-4k month starting salary and plenty of scope for promotion as the company grows (we are bootstrapped, and profitable and have promoted all of our strategists, fast).

___

ABOUT BREAKING B2B.

We are focused on B2B/SaaS SEO & AEO for revenue NOT vanity. 

Working with 35+ active SaaS clients right now.

We've been blessed with solid growth as we being year 2 and need another solid strategist to join us.

___

READY TO APPLY?

Apply here: https://lnkd.in/dZFMSHWK 

___

No need to connect, message or email.

Please carefully read and fill in above form to apply.

We will be in touch for a paid test for good fit applications. 

No recruiters or agencies at this stage. Thank you.

Know someone solid? Tag em below.

Cheers!

Open article: B2B/SaaS SEO Strategist Application by docs.google.com

LinkedIn: SEO is dead. AEO is in

Anthropic: hold my beer

graphical user interface, text, application, chat or text message

Marketing: please don't rely on AI for SEO

CEO:


Watch full B2Backstreet Boys vid: https://lnkd.in/e9warMqW

RB2B are coming for the incumbent with AI search. 2yr old vs 14yr old SaaS. Here's our game-plan this month for Adam Robinson to keep ramping organic market share and pipeline from SEO/AEO:

QUICK SNAPSHOT.

Our focus is to continue driving sign-ups as quick as humanly possible from SEO/AEO and earning mindshare for RB2B whenever ICPs need visitor identification software, are comparing vendors, annoyed with their current provider or have the expensive problem we solve.

We've seen solid AI & search wins against long-term competitors (see images).

We’ll keep prioritizing competitor-focused bottom funnel KWs to capture high-intent demand. The plan includes 2x product listicle articles and 2x pricing-intent pages, targeting folks in evaluation or purchase mode.

“Uplead alternatives” pages across multiple domains are currently driving high-value traffic, indicating strong switch intent. RB2B can intercept this demand with a differentiated alternative page. “Hunter io pricing” represents a high-volume BOFU query where capturing comparison-driven traffic to directly influence purchase decisions.

We're crafting a comprehensive guide on “Lead scoring best practices”, a strong mid-funnel topic for RB2B because buyers searching it are actively trying to improve lead prioritization and sales efficiency. It allows RB2B to reframe why traditional scoring fails and position real-time website intent as the missing input that makes lead scoring actionable.


NET NEW CONTENT CREATION.

listicle articles:
- uplead alternatives
- happierleads alternatives

a quick summary and intro, why listen to us, what is uplead/happierleads, why look into alternatives (based on what prospects say e.g. on G2), list of 10 alternatives, RB2B at #1 with why customers choose them, show product in action, pricing and feature info, where we are a good + poor fit then list of 10 other options below with fair summary + conclusion and FAQs.

listicle and alternative/competitor content on your own site is solid for being cited and recommend in AI search and enables you to control the narrative with dream clients on ChatGPT and google ai overviews.

pricing guides:
- hunter io pricing
- snitcher pricing

these pages review the software pricing, share user feedback, breakdown of costs and share where RB2B is differentiated and why customers choose them. plus they often rank well within 90 days.

mid-funnel guide:
- lead scoring best practices


EARN BACKLINKS.

Secure niche relevant da50+ backlinks for:
- sales outreach strategy
- sales outreach plan
- lead capturing
- how to identify website visitors


EXTERNAL LISTICLE ARTICLE PLACEMENTS.

Secure placements on articles evaluating software like ours that are well ranked in google and AI searches for:
- sales prospecting platforms

___

Grab a call to see if Breaking B2B can scale demos quick as 90 days for your SaaS: https://lnkd.in/e7XuM6au

Watch my 34-minute SEO/AEO breakdown video for RB2B: https://lnkd.in/eiZfaXXq

Last year we drove pipeline and revenue in 67 days with SEO for George Coudounaris outranking HubSpot….time to see if we can do it again. Here’s our battle-plan to scale demos from SEO/AEO in record time:

BACKGROUND.

We worked together a year back and outranked Hubspot driving pipeline and revenue in 67 days for ‘demand generation course’ and similar keywords. Now The B2B playbook wanna ramp demos for their core paid media services offerings to B2B SaaS. So we've crafted an aggressive plan to get SEO and LLM visibility and drive inbounds from high-intent dream clients as quick as humanly possible. Lets dive in.


NET NEW CONTENT

Landing pages.

Focused on driving high intent leads from people needing our solutions.
Following problem, agitation solution framework. Plenty of social proof and FAQs to answer real sales call Qs.

- google ads agency for b2b (1.3k searches/mo)
- b2b meta ads agency (10 searches/mo)
- demand generation agency (1.5k searches/mo)

Listicle articles.

These rank super well in classic organic search and get pulled from like crazy in LLMs and AI search to get brand mentions. We include a quick summary + shortlist, larger comparison table above main list, at least 11 options, consistent subsections for each agency section, position us as #1 backed by customer research sharing pricing, differentiator, social proof and where we are a great and poor fit.

- best linkedin ads agencies for b2b (300 searches/mo)
- b2b saas marketing agencies (700 searches/mo)
- best google ads agencies [for b2b] (100 searches/mo)
- best demand generation agencies (350 searches/mo)


UPDATE EXISTING CONTENT

Landing page:
- linkedin ads agency

Turn the social proof under the hero into a slider with multiple images and intro with an H3 like “Real Results from Our LinkedIn Ads Clients.”

Add a customer testimonial block under “What to expect from our LinkedIn Ads Agency.” H2 something like “Hear From Our Clients”

Listicle article: 
- b2b marketing courses

Add shortlist table + adjust the title tag (cut “the ultimate list of” and make it “13+ best…”). Add any other options that make sense. Update last published date (LLMs often pull from fresh, relevant content).


EARN BACKLINKS

DA50+ niche relevant backlinks for:

- b2b linkedIn ads agency 
- linkedIn ads agency for b2b
- linkedin ads
- the b2b playbook linkedin ads agency
- Linkedin ads agency

We'll ramp up external listicle placements and backlinks again next month once all the net new content is written and published.

Follow along as George and I share learnings and results.

___

Want us to evaluate your B2B SaaS SEO/AEO to see if we can ramp organic pipeline as quick as 90 days? 

Visit Breaking B2B site to see our results, pricing or apply for a call.

Or grab my free 90 days to revenue SEO playbook & video: https://lnkd.in/et7yce7s

I burnt domains and my TAM cold emailing like crazy all to get one client after months of work...until I found a better way to drive demos and build a long-term foundation for pipeline and mindshare:

Lets rewind 2 years ago...

The year is 2024

I grabbed data for Series A and B funded B2B SaaS companies.

Targeted marketing leaders - VP Marketing, CMOs etc.

Built out painfully short email messages focused on real problems from customer research.

For all positive replies, I recorded custom Loom videos reviewing their SEO and sharing reccos.

And from months of work, I got one single recurring client.

Then, the domains burned out and we had to close the whole channel down.

___

The avg cold email reply rate is 3.43% (instantly 2026 report). 

Which is why at Breaking B2B us and many SaaS marketing teams go big on SEO/AEO and evergreen organic content. Here’s why:

It builds on itself over time.

Think about when you search something on YouTube.

You often see videos that are weeks, months, or even years old still getting views.

SEO works exactly the same way.

Your pages and content can drive prospects and leads not just now, but for years to come.

Each page you publish is an asset you actually own.

It's like building a moat around a castle.

You keep building and building upon that moat.

Eventually you've got a kingdom of pages working 24/7 to drive qualified opps.

If you follow the right strategy when it comes to SEO, you get visitors that are actively searching for your solution, comparing options, frustrated with their current vendor or looking to fix expensive problems.

By the right strategy, I mean focusing on keywords that your dream customers who are in buying mode are searching for right now.

___

Your sales team is way happier working these leads than cold prospects

It's not just about Google anymore.

More and more prospects are using AI tools and LLMs to research vendors and compare options.

If you're creating solid bottom funnel organic content (best in class articles, listicles, landing pages, integration pages etc) and building that SEO moat...

You can show up in AI-generated answers too.

We're actively focusing on this with the companies we work with

Along with getting featured in industry lists around your offer.

The content you're building now isn't just for Google - it's positioning you for where search is going in the future.

It builds trust, brand, and mindshare.

And many folks place more trust in organic results than sponsored listings.

___

Watch my full 14-minute breakdown below to get your SEO/AEO pipeline engine in shape for 2026: https://lnkd.in/eU2ZnXjF

Worlds first b2boyband.

Watch now: https://lnkd.in/e-pb7qH2

No alternative text description for this image

Breaking B2B went from $50k/mo to $185k/mo last yr. George Coudounaris runs our LinkedIn Ads and most enquiries mention LinkedIn on calls. Here’s exactly what he did (and our plan to hit $400k/mo this year):

BACKGROUND.

With organic reach tanking like crazy I knew LinkedIn ads would be key to keep top of mind for our SEO/AEO services for B2B SaaS marketing leaders and to amplify my organic content. 

Plus, fixing our funnel of SEO/AEO and YouTube traffic who hit our site but didn't convert.

Getting the deadly trio: SEO, YouTube and LinkedIn cookin'


THE STRATEGY.

(1) George made me get brutally clear on ICP 

With a very limited budget to start (1.2k/mo), we weren’t going to rely on LinekdIn’s native filters. We wanted a TIGHT company list that matched his ICP of B2B SaaS companies he serves best. 

So he asked me:
Who are your best clients? 
Who gets the most value?
Which companies do you want more of? 

Turned that into firmographic filters, pulled a list, looked through it manually - so we knew we were getting in front of the right companies from Day 1. 


(2) Thought Leadership Ads became the growth engine

Thought Leadership Ads are winning right now for many b2b orgs with execs already organically posting with a following. Its high engagement rates mean you get better bang for your buck, and is a great place to start.

(my engagement rates are 8-15%) 

But we don’t just boost any content. 

Before we started,
We mapped best performing posts to the 5 Stages of Awareness

• Stages 1-3 → cold audiences
• Stages 3-5 → warm audiences

Then filled any content gaps.

Next step: every post needed a CTA.

Early-stage posts link to helpful resources.
Later-stage posts push toward booking a call.

Result?

Thought Leadership Ads consistently hit engagement rates as high as 15%, which meant Sam was everywhere his buyers looked.

Since then, we’ve layered in:

• Company page ads so Breaking B2B grows beyond my face
• Amplifying clients/partners getting results posting about Breaking B2B

So the brand scales, not just me.


(3) Constant Optimisation of Thought Leadership Ads

Judge the top performing Thought Leadership Ads by looking at:
Engagement rate
Cost per landing page click (a custom metric not available in platform)
New subscribers
High intent pages
Calls booked

And have a tight feedback loop on what’s landing to closed-won. 


(4) Acknowledge the reality of the buying journey 

Most prospects aren’t in-market today. Many have an SEO vendor they’re probably not seeing value from. 

Others are getting their business to the point where they can finally invest in SEO/AEO. 

The ads keep us top of mind. So when they’re ready, they come straight to Breaking B2B.

—

What’s next as we push toward our stretch goal?

• Upload a new company list to double audience size
• Increase spend to scale reach
• Scale top-performing ads into the expanded audience
• Grow company page ads so demand scales beyond me


Follow along as George and I share results!

Here's the 7 top pipeline channels for SaaS marketers & founders....based on 24 months of data and 755 discovery calls:

(755 sales call transcripts analysed across 2 years).


1. Paid Ads (Google + LinkedIn): 28%

Most explicitly stated dominant channel.

Quotes:
“70% of our inbound comes from Google ads, LinkedIn…” 
“We’d kind of spent money on Google ads for a few years… last year we got two inbound inquiries qualified.” 

Often described as:
- Majority of inbound
- Primary measurable driver
- First lever to scale or cut


2. Outbound Sales: 24%

Extremely common among:
- Early-stage SaaS
- Bootstrapped companies
- Technical founders

Examples:
“Outbound, sort of outbound work.” 
Hiring AEs / BDRs to fill pipeline 

Many companies say:
- Inbound is low
- Sales team drives growth


3. Referrals / Word of Mouth: 18%

Example:
“Word of mouth, referrals, they trust way more…” 

Often described as:
- Best quality leads
- Hard to scale
- Relationship-driven


4. SEO/AEO: 14%

Rarely dominant, but often present.

Quotes:
“30% coming from direct or organic.” 
“It’s not doing that at the moment.” 
“I want it to be a big jumping off point for inbound… and it’s not doing that at the moment.” 

Common answers:
- A desired channel
- Underperforming
- “Trickle of leads" 

Organic search often described as:
- Secondary
- Under-optimized
- Desired but not yet performing


5. Partner / Ecosystem (marketplaces, integrations): 7%

Usually:
- Supplemental
- Not fully controlled


6. Social Content (LinkedIn, Podcast, YouTube): 6%

More common among:
- Founder-led brands

Organic linkedin posting and social selling is big here.

YouTube massively neglected still in B2B SaaS.


7. Events / PR / Community: 3%

Mentioned occasionally but rarely primary pipeline driver.

Often:
- Trade shows
- Speaking
- Industry PR
- Slack/Discord groups

____

PS. join 1,951+ b2b legends enjoying the Breaking B2B newsletter (instantly unlock 90 days to revenue SEO/AEO playbook): https://lnkd.in/et7yce7s

As of December, Google AI Overviews reduce organic click-through rates for position one content by 58% [Ahrefs]. So is this RIP SEO for your B2B/SaaS???

Nah.

But the game has changed.

There are still clicks to be had ranking top of the classic organic blue links.

Many of our clients drive demos daily from bottom funnel, pipeline driving pages here.

BUT.

That's one piece of the puzzle.

Google are making it harder to get the organic click.

With AI overviews and ads above fold before you get to the organic results.

Many prospects start their research and evaluation for new software and solutions in an LLM like ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude.

Then discuss solutions with their team and may eventually google your brand name or head straight to your homepage when ready to speak to sales.

So when they're researching, evaluating and comparing....

You're brand needs to be mentioned consistently. 

In AI overviews and LLMs.

If not, you're giving competitors a free lunch.

And likely missing our one a flow of inbound opportunities you never knew existed.

These platforms want you to stay on in-feed for as long as possible before hitting an external site. 

We're moving more and more into the zero-click and mindshare game for SEO/AEO.

The good news?

At Breaking B2B we work with 36+ active B2B/SaaS orgs and getting consistent brand mentions is really classic pipeline focused SEO plus ecosystem marketing.

PS. join 1,941+ b2b legends enjoying my 90 days to revenue SEO/AEO playbook and video guide: https://lnkd.in/et7yce7s

Content Strategist for M&A Advisors | Helping You Write Narratives that Attract $5M+ Founders | Organic Deal Flow Strategy & Copywriting

Most M&A Advisors are excellent at closing deals but struggle to open conversations with ideal clients on LinkedIn.

You look at a $10M EBITDA business and see the nuance, the hidden value, and the exit potential. But when you sit down to write a LinkedIn post or an email to a Founder, that expertise gets lost in translation. You end up sounding like every other "listing agent" chasing a commission.

That is where I come in.

I am a conversion copywriter and content strategist specifically for the M&A and Business Brokerage industry. I don't just "write posts." I translate your technical deal experience into compelling, founder-focused narratives that demonstrate Niche Authority.

In the era of AI-driven algorithms (like LinkedIn’s 360Brew), "generic" content is invisible. To attract sophisticated sellers of $5M+ enterprises, you cannot rely on volume or engagement hacks. You must rely on Clarity and Semantic Reasoning.

I help advisors pivot from: ❌ "I have a buyer for your business." (Transactional) ✅ "Here is why your inventory management is hurting your 3x multiple." (Authoritative)

I partner with M&A firms and independent advisors to build organic deal flow engines. My strategy focuses on:

Profile Symbiosis: aligning your digital identity with your actual deal history.

Narrative Construction: Turning dry case studies into human-centric stories that Founders actually read.

Consumption Optimization: Creating content assets (carousels, newsletters) designed to hold attention and signal value to the algorithm.

Who I Work With

M&A Advisors targeting Lower Middle Market (LMM) exits.

Business Brokers moving upstream to $5M+ EV deals.

Deal Teams need better copy for CIMs and Teasers.

Clarity equals confidence. And confidence closes deals.

If you are ready to stop chasing leads and start attracting them through authority, subscribe to my newsletter, The M&A Content Roast, or send me a DM here on LinkedIn.
_______
Here's what you'll get:

▪️Founder First Copywriting (We do all the heavy lifting for you by writing persuasive LinkedIn Profiles, Websites, Sales Pages,  Landing Pages, Content Writing, and Email Nurturing Drip Campaigns.)

▪️LinkedIn Organic Social Selling Deal Flow Strategy (We apply the same strategy that got clients a steady deal flow - go down to the "projects section" to see the full tactics applied.)

...And all of that with a 100% MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE.

👉🏼 Shoot me a DM, or head over to my Featured section & check out our Sample Copywriting

Ramy Ghaly

Valuation is a math problem. 

But a successful close is a psychology problem.

For founders with $2M+ in revenue, the "number" is rarely the issue. 

The issue is the structure and how many "invisible anchors" are dragging down your actual walkaway cash.

M&A Advisor experience, three structural traps kill more deals than the sale price ever will:

1. The "Owner-Dependency" Tax If you are the primary salesperson and the chief problem-solver, a buyer isn't buying a business. They are buying a job they have to pay you for.

The Fix: 12 months before exit, you must become the least important person in the room.

2. The "Earn-out" Illusion Founders love a high headline price. But if 40% of that price is tied to future performance you no longer control, you haven't sold the business (you’ve taken a high-stakes bet on your successor)

3. The "Working Capital" Blindside I’ve seen $50M deals stall over how much cash stays in the business for "normal operations." If your books aren't clean, the buyer will use your own working capital against your purchase price.

M&A isn't a lottery; it's a mechanical process of removing risk.
__________
Founders: Which of these three "anchors" feels the heaviest in your current operation? Let’s talk specifics in the comments.

Business owners have stopped sifting through search results. 
They are asking LLMs: 
"Who is the top M&A expert for my business exit?"

The internet was a Library. 
You just needed to be on the shelf.

The LLM is a Librarian. 
It doesn't "search." 
It reasons.

It scans your professional footprint to see if you provide:
Original analytical depth.
Nuanced deal insights.
Proof of authority.

If the Librarian can’t summarize your value in three seconds, 
you don't exist. 

You aren't losing clicks. 
You are losing the "Hand-Picked Recommendation."

Stop writing for the shelf. 
Start teaching the Librarian.

How to get hand-picked by the AI Librarian.

LLMs don’t recommend "generalists." 
They recommend proven authorities. 

If you want to be the answer when a founder asks 
for an exit expert, 
you need three things in your content:

1. Contextual Nuance Stop posting "5 tips to sell your business." Start posting "How to bridge a $2M valuation gap in a high-interest-rate environment." The Librarian looks for complexity. Complexity proves expertise.

2. Proprietary Logic The AI has already read every public textbook. It needs your unique "Internal Framework." Define your specific process for due diligence or deal-structuring. If the AI can quote your methodology, you own the category.

3. Verified Associations The Librarian checks who you talk to. High-quality comments on peer-reviewed content act as "backlinks" for your reputation. 

The AI sees your network as your net worth.

The shift is simple: 
Old SEO was about volume. (Still important)
New AI Search is about density.

Don't just post. 
Provide the data the Librarian needs to vouch for you.

"Who is the top M&A expert for my business exit?" Infographics showing the new shift from old way of search to AI search 

To a business owner, M&A professionals are either 
a distraction 
or a solution.

Most M&A advisors fail because they only use one engine. 

They either wait for the phone to ring 
or they spam founders into oblivion.

There are only two ways to fill your pipeline. 
Social selling is the bridge between them.

1. The Reaching Out Engine (Speed)
You reach out to your ICP.
Immediate discovery calls.
High friction. Low trust.
Precision. 
Stop pitching "valuation services." 
Start solving a specific problem.

2. The Reaching To You Engine (Scale)
Your ICP reaches out to you.
Zero-friction leads.
Slow to build. Hard to maintain.
Authority. Write content that proves you’ve been in the trenches.

The Hybrid Machine: Social Selling
If you reach out (Outbound), the first thing a founder does is check your profile. If your content provides value (Inbound), you have instant credibility.

Reaching Out gets you in the door today. 
Reaching Out To You ensures the door stays open.
Run both, or run out of deals.

Outbound: Your short-term survival.
Inbound: Your long-term wealth.

You stay top-of-mind until they are ready to exit.
Which engine is currently stalling in your M&A firm?

Infographics: To a business owner, M&A professionals are either a distraction or a solution.

If you’re an M&A Advisor still using "The Pitch" to build your proprietary deal flow, you’re essentially invisible to the founders you want to represent.

In the world of low to mid-market transactions, outreach is a high-stakes game. 

But most advisors play it like a commodity broker.

"We have buyers for your sector." 
"Are you free for a 15-minute valuation call?"

Here is the reality

A founder who has spent 20 years building a legacy doesn't want to be "processed." They want to be understood.

Outreach isn't a transaction. 

It’s an invitation to a high-level dialogue. 

The goal isn’t to book a meeting; it’s to identify the bottlenecks keeping them from a clean exit.

If you want to win the long game, 
you have to stop selling "Exit Services" 
and start providing "Strategic Clarity."

Which of these would you respond to if you were a founder?

"We specialize in your industry and have a list of strategic acquirers. Can we jump on a call to discuss your 2025 exit plans?" 

(Result: Instant deletion. You sound like every other cold-caller.)

"I’ve been tracking the recent consolidation in [Sector]. Most founders I speak with are worried that [Specific Regulation/Market Shift] will create a valuation gap they didn't see coming. I’ve put together a brief framework on how to bridge that gap before going to market. Would you like me to send it over?"

The second approach opens a door. 

It addresses a pain point. 

It positions you as the expert who knows the "Who" and the "Why," not just the "How."

Your uniqueness isn't your firm's track record. 
It’s your approach.

Change the copy. 
Win the deal.

M&A is built on trust, yet outreach is often built on friction. 
__________
What is one piece of "conventional" outreach advice you’ve stopped following because it simply doesn't work for high-net-worth founders?

M&A Advisors: If your outreach is getting "ghosted," 
it’s likely because you’re asking for a founder's time 
before you’ve identified their friction.

The most dangerous phrase in a cold outreach is: "I'd love to learn more about your business."

To a founder, 
that sounds like a time-sink. 
It sounds like work. 

Instead, 
high-value outreach should focus on the Bottleneck.

In the lower to mid-market, founders aren't just looking for an exit; they are looking for a solution to a specific structural trap.

I help M&A professionals to pivot from 
"The Explorer" 
to 
"The Specialist." 

Instead of asking what they do, 
tell them what they are likely struggling with.

The "Door-Opener" Checklist 

Before you hit send, ensure your outreach identifies one of these three frictions:

The Concentration Trap: 
Is 60% of their revenue tied to one client?

The Owner-Dependency Gap: 
Can the business run for 30 days without them?

The Valuation Ceiling: 
Have they hit a plateau that only an institutional partner can break?

When you lead with a bottleneck, 
you aren't a salesperson. 
You are a diagnostic expert.
__________
Which of these three bottlenecks is the most common reason you see deals fall apart during due diligence?

The best M&A deals I’ve seen didn't start with a pitch deck. 


They started with a 2-year conversation where no one asked for a "meeting."

We live in an era of "instant results." 

Advisors are pressured to hit outbound KPIs, 
send 500 emails a week, and "close" the discovery call.

But M&A is a high-trust, low-velocity industry. 

The "short-term" mindset is exactly what kills your reputation with $20M+ founders.

If you want to win, 
you have to be willing to be the "Expert in the Inbox" for months before you ever become the "Advisor at the Table."

Outreach is about Presence, 
not just Pings.

Approach is about Empathy, 
not just EBITDA.

Copy is about Resonance, 
not just Reach.

The Reality Check: 
Your ideal client (the founder who has spent decades building their "baby")is hard-wired to sniff out transactional intent.

If you look like you’re chasing a commission, 
they’ll run. 

If you look like you’re protecting their legacy, 
they’ll listen.

Stop counting "leads." 
Start building authority.
__________
Are you playing the 30-day game or the 3-year game? 
The answer is visible in your outreach copy. 

Agree or disagree?

Most founders view an M&A exit like a lottery ticket. 


They expect a 90-day close, a "miracle" valuation they invented, and a strategic buyer to appear overnight 
(all on a $0 marketing budget)

It’s why 70% of deals die on the vine before reaching the LOI stage.

My M&A Advisor Client spoke with a founder doing $5M in revenue who wanted a "Friday close" and a 10x multiple. 
No prep. 
No clean books. 
No management team. 
Just a list of demands and a box of donuts for a "seat at the table."

Real M&A isn’t magic; it’s a mechanical process. 

When expectations are decoupled from market reality:

Due Diligence becomes a minefield of "deal-killers."
Valuation gets throttled by lack of owner-independence.
Momentum stalls because the "process" was never started.

Great M&A brokers walk away from these mandates not because they can't sell, but because they understand that a successful exit requires a partnership, not a miracle worker.

If you want a serious deal outcome, 
you start with a serious, 
realistic process.
__________

Founders: What was the biggest "reality check" you faced when you first looked at your business through a buyer’s eyes?

Advisors: What’s the most "miraculous" expectation a client has ever brought to your first meeting? Let’s swap stories below.

Infographics: The "Why": M&A Exit Reality 

M&A Professionals: Your ideal prospect is currently suffering from "Inbox Amnesia."

Imagine being a founder who has spent 15 years building a legacy. 

Today, you received:
3 LinkedIn DMs from "Senior Associates" with the same script.
2 Direct Mail letters with the same "we have a buyer" headline.
1 Facebook ad promising a "Free 30-Second Valuation."

Here’s the cold truth
 
To that founder, you don't look like an expert. 
You look like a commodity.

When every M&A professional uses the same "Copycat" narrative, the business owner stops reading. They stop clicking. They stop trusting.

Stop asking to "value" their business. 
Start proving you value their time.

Instead of a generic pitch, speak to the "Owner’s Trap" 
(the fact that their 80hour work week is actually the biggest red flag to a sophisticated buyer)
__________
If you sound like everyone else, you’re already invisible.

The "Free Business Valuation" ad is dead. 

I’ve spent the week auditing Facebook ads for M&A brokers, and the results are grim. Most advisors are still running "Copycat" ads that business owners have been ignoring since 2018.

The Hall of Shame (Bad Copycat Ads):

"Free Business Valuation" (The ultimate low-intent click-trap) 

"Thinking about selling?" (Too vague to be relevant) 

"We sell for top dollar" (A generic claim with zero proof) 

"Sell without a broker" (Attracts the wrong type of DIY-founder)

Why these fail: Meta's AI engine now filters for Semantic Reasoning. If your ad reads like a generic template, the AI classifies it as "semantically thin" and suppresses your reach.

To win the "Silver Wave" of retiring founders, you need a Narrative Shift. You must move from "What I do" to "Why it matters to your legacy."

Winning Hooks and Narratives:

1. The "Hero Gap" Strategy
Hook: The "Hero Gap" is costing you millions.
Narrative: See why your 24/7 hustle is actually lowering your business valuation. If you are the hero of every deal, you are the biggest risk to a buyer.

2. The Asset vs. Job Reality
Hook: Most owners are accidentally building a business they can never sell.
Narrative: If your company's value drops the moment you turn off your phone, you don't own an asset—you own a high-stress job.

3. The Ghost Multiplier
Hook: There is a 'Ghost Multiplier' in the market that has nothing to do with your revenue.
Narrative: I’ve seen $15M firms sell for a premium while $30M firms get ignored. Here is the invisible metric that makes the difference.

The 2026 Mandate: 
Stop chasing clicks. 
Start demonstrating Niche Authority. 
Your ideal prospect can finally tell the difference between a broker and an expert.
__________
Which of these narratives resonates most with the founders in your network?

I’m looking for a Business Broker. 


Must be a part-time magician, 
full-time therapist, 
and willing to work for "exposure."

My M&A Advisor Client had a meeting this week that felt like a fever dream. 

The Founder: "I want a 12x multiple." 

My Client: "Your industry average is 5x. Why 12?" 

The Founder: "Because I need that much to retire in Portugal."

Predict the future: 
Guarantee a 90-day close in a high-interest-rate environment.

Deliver overnight results: 
Find the "perfect strategic buyer" by next Friday.

Work miracles: 
Do it all on a $0 marketing budget (only pay when the "magic" happens).

A "seat at the table" (meaning My M&A Advisor Client gets to listen to the family lawyer complain).
Occasional client donuts.

This is why great brokers walk away. 
And it's why good deals die. 

M&A is often labeled as "magic" by those who refuse to follow a process.

If you want a serious exit, 
leave the magic wand at home. 

Bring your P&L, 
your management team, 
and a healthy dose of market reality.
__________
What’s the most "miraculous" expectation you’ve ever heard in a first discovery call? I’ll start in the comments.

Infographics: Business Broker facing the reality of business owner's unrealistic expectations. 

I saw the worst facebook ads for M&A professionals and brokers


Ads that only target the 1%

Copycat is the winner 

No 
Narrative
Creative
Landing Page

Bad
CTA
Form Collection
Pixel Implementations 

Really

Who are you hiring to do your ads?

M&A Advisors: A "Free Valuation" isn't the hook you think it is.


To a founder, a free valuation feels like a sales pitch in disguise. It’s the "low-intent" bait that attracts the tire-kickers but repels the high-value exits.

Why it fails to stop the scroll 
It focuses on the Price, not the Problem.

The "Silver Wave" of retiring owners isn't just looking for a check. 
They are looking for an exit from the chaos.

Try this instead 

Talk about the "Ghost Multiplier." Explain why two companies with the exact same EBITDA sell for vastly different multiples because of one invisible metric: Owner Independence.

The Narrative Change

Old way: "Get your free valuation today."

New way: "Why your best employee might be your biggest liability in a sale."

One is a transaction. 

The other is a conversation. 
__________
Which one would you reply to if you were the founder?

The most hated word in my opinion on LinkedIn

is

"Dead"

A G R E E ?

_____________
Your turn... most hated word is?

The founder didn't want a "Free Valuation." 

He wanted his life back.

Earlier this week, I spoke with an M&A advisor who was frustrated.
He’d spent $2,000 on "Copycat Ads" promising "Top Dollar."
Result: 40 clicks, 2 leads, 0 conversions.

We made one semantic shift.

Instead of asking, "Want to know what your business is worth?"
We asked: "What if your first Monday of 'retirement' happened three years before you actually sold the business?"

The result?
A $25M revenue founder (the kind who usually ignores brokers) replied within 4 hours.

His message: 
"I've had 10 guys offer me a valuation this month. You're the first one who described exactly how I feel every Sunday night."

The AI algorithm doesn't just look for the word "M&A." It looks for contextual depth. By talking about the "Sunday Night" anxiety of a founder, you prove to the AI (and the prospect) that you are a niche expert, not a lead-gen bot.

The "Sentinel Hybrid" Shift: We didn't talk about EBITDA. We talked about moving the owner from the "Center of Chaos" to the "Architect of a Machine."

This Facebook ad isn't fishing for "Likes." It’s designed for founders will stop and re-read that hook because it hits a nerve.

If your marketing feels like a transaction, you will only attract transactional clients.

If your marketing feels like a transformation, you attract the legacy-level founders.
__________
M&A Professionals: What’s one "Narrative Win" you’ve had this week where a human connection beat out a technical data point?

Drop a win in the comments. Let's head into the weekend with some momentum. 🥂

taplio

The Battle

Sam Dunning

Ramy Ghaly

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreSam Dunning's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreRamy Ghaly's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Sam Dunning

Ramy Ghaly

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Sam Dunning's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreRamy Ghaly's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreSam Dunning's LinkedIn Performance