How to Use Conferences for Proprietary Deal Sourcing

Conferences are one of the fastest ways to connect with business owners and executives for proprietary deal sourcing. By attending the right events, you can bypass brokers, avoid bidding wars, and negotiate better terms directly with sellers. Success comes down to preparation, targeted networking, and effective follow-up.

Key Takeaways:

• Preparation: Define acquisition criteria (e.g., industry, revenue, geography) and research attendees to pre-schedule meetings.
• Conference Selection: Focus on events with decision-makers, like sector-specific trade shows or regional dealmaker summits.
• Networking: Build trust through casual conversations and informal gatherings like mixers or dinners.
• Follow-Up: Send personalized emails within 48 hours and track leads in a CRM to measure ROI.

Inside the Source: Getting More Out of Conferences and Trade Shows

How to Prepare for Conference Deal Sourcing

Walking into a conference without a plan can lead to wasted time and missed opportunities. A well-thought-out strategy can turn casual networking into productive deal sourcing.

Set Your Acquisition Criteria

Know your focus before you arrive. Having a specific thesis, like "Commercial HVAC contractors in the Midwest", resonates much more than vague financial goals. Business owners are more likely to engage when you speak their industry’s language rather than relying on generic terms.

Define the key details of your target businesses: revenue range (e.g., $2M–$10M), EBITDA goals, employee count, and geographic focus. Decide whether you’re looking for family-owned companies, founder-led businesses, or multi-location operators. Before committing to your thesis, test it by researching at least three businesses in your chosen sector. Jake Nicholson of SMEVentures highlights this approach:

Quality usually trumps quantity.

Pinpoint your main goal for attending the event. Are you there to find sellers, raise capital, or build relationships with intermediaries? Rachel Shope from Grata underscores the importance of this clarity:

Establish what you want to gain from attending... clearly defining what they hope to achieve by attending an industry conference or event.

Once your criteria are set, use the conference program to identify potential prospects.

Research the Conference Program and Attendees

Dive into the attendee list to find high-value connections. Look for founders, executives, and business owners who align with your acquisition criteria. Platforms like ACG Access and PitchBook can help you filter attendees by industry, company size, or role.

Review the speaker lineup and panel topics to identify industry leaders in your target sector. For exhibitors, note booth locations so you can efficiently locate potential prospects on the conference floor. Jenna Schlageter from Bow River Capital stresses the importance of this preparation:

Pre-event planning is one of the most important pieces of the conference.

Reach out to key attendees ahead of time to set up one-on-one meetings. To stay organized, create a cheat sheet with photos and essential details about your top 10–15 targets. This will make it easier to recognize and connect with them during the event.

Create Your Networking Materials

Equip yourself with tools to make meaningful connections. Bring essentials like business cards, a one-page buyer profile that explains your acquisition thesis, an NDA template, and follow-up email drafts ready to send within 48 hours.

Don’t forget the practical items: comfortable walking shoes (you’ll likely log over 20,000 steps), a notebook, pens, a tablet, a water bottle, and snacks. Download the conference’s mobile app and sync your pre-scheduled meetings with your calendar. Be sure to leave time for breaks to recharge.

How to Select Conferences for Deal Sourcing

Once you’ve built a solid preparation plan, the next step is to carefully choose conferences that align with your goals for acquisitions. The right events can connect you directly with the decision-makers who matter most.

Choose conferences that connect you with key players. The ideal event should put you face-to-face with business owners, intermediaries, and decision-makers who meet your acquisition criteria. Picking the wrong conference can waste both time and money.

Start by defining your objective - whether it’s finding sellers, raising capital, or strengthening broker relationships. Then, confirm that the event will give you access to the right people. Conferences with pre-arranged one-on-one meetings are particularly effective for deal sourcing and fundraising. On the other hand, events with a heavy focus on panels are better for gaining insights into industry trends.

Take a close look at the audience. Tools like ACG Access or Grata's Conference Explorer can help you filter attendees based on roles, company size, and industry focus. Doing this research upfront ensures you avoid events where the attendees don’t align with your target profile. By combining these strategies with your preparation, you can ensure that every conference you attend supports your deal-sourcing goals.

Attend Industry-Specific Events

Sector-focused conferences often lead to better opportunities. For example, lower middle market events like the M&A Source Spring Conference (June 1–3, 2026) gather private equity firms, search funds, and advisors specializing in deals ranging from $2 million to $50 million. These events often feature structured "Deal Markets", allowing you to schedule meetings with intermediaries representing sellers.

Business broker conferences are especially useful for small and medium-sized business acquisitions. The International Business Broker Association (IBBA) hosts an annual conference (May 29–31, 2026, in Minneapolis, MN) where brokers openly share off-market opportunities. Regional affiliates like the Texas Association of Business Brokers (September 17, 2026, in Austin, TX) and Business Brokers of Florida (August 27, 2026, in West Palm Beach, FL) also provide access to localized deal flow. As Rick Chess from Chess Law Firm puts it:

IBBA annual conference is unique due to members' willingness to share personal insights... There are NO shy attendees at the IBBA!

Trade shows focused on specific sectors, such as healthcare, cybersecurity, renewables, or infrastructure, are another valuable option. These events attract business owners who might not yet be working with brokers. Similarly, regional summits like the Smart Business Dealmakers Conference allow you to connect directly with local middle-market CEOs.

Conference Type	Target Audience	Best For
LMM M&A Conferences	PE Firms, Search Funds, Advisors	Lower middle market deal flow
Business Broker Summits	Intermediaries, Brokers, Small Buyers	Meeting sellers' representatives
Regional Dealmaker Events	Local CEOs, M&A Advisors, Lenders	Connecting with local business owners
Sector-Specific Trade Shows	Founders, Industry Executives	Finding niche acquisition targets

Once you’ve identified potential events, confirm their value by analyzing historical data.

Review Past Conference Data

Reviewing historical attendee data helps confirm whether an event is worth your time. Look at past attendee lists to see if companies that meet your criteria - such as revenue range, ownership structure, or growth potential - were present. Tools like "Similar Search" can also highlight whether the event attracts companies adjacent to your current targets, potentially expanding your pipeline.

Check past session topics to ensure they cover relevant subjects like deal structuring, valuation, and regulatory changes, rather than generic business advice. Cross-check sponsor and attendee lists with your CRM to spot existing leads or gaps in your network. Finally, investigate whether past attendees turned leads into closed deals. A strong track record of success is a good sign that the event can deliver results for you.

Networking Tactics to Find Off-Market Deals

Conferences can be goldmines for sourcing exclusive deals. Once you're at the event, your mission should shift to building meaningful connections that could lead to off-market opportunities. The way you engage with other attendees will determine whether you walk away with actionable leads - or just a stack of business cards.

Ask Focused Questions

The right questions can uncover a seller's motivation. Instead of sticking to surface-level inquiries about someone’s business, dive deeper. Ask about challenges they’re facing, their long-term plans, or even succession strategies. These types of questions naturally reveal motivations without making the conversation feel like a sales pitch.

A helpful approach is to explore the "7 Ds" that often drive seller decisions: departure, divorce, disease, disagreement, distress, death, or dullness. For example, asking, “What’s your vision for the business in the next five years?” might highlight retirement plans. Similarly, discussing partnership dynamics could hint at internal disagreements that might lead to a sale.

Position yourself as someone interested in long-term stewardship rather than just another buyer. Start by showing genuine curiosity about their achievements and business operations. This sets a foundation of trust, encouraging owners to open up about sensitive details. Be prepared to act quickly if someone shows interest - have an “outreach package” ready, including a one-pager, a personal website, and NDA templates.

Pair these strategic questions with casual, informal interactions to strengthen relationships.

Attend Informal Events

Relaxed events often lead to more productive conversations than formal meetings. Mixers, casual dinners, and similar gatherings create an environment where business owners feel more at ease discussing their plans. As Rob Fox, Managing Director at McGuireWoods, explains:

Evening events are a great way to build relationships - not so formal as a one-on-one.

Make it a point to attend VIP dinners, breakfast meetups, or sponsor receptions. These settings often attract decision-makers and allow for deeper, more personal conversations. If mixers aren’t your thing, consider alternatives like morning run clubs or other casual group activities. Karin Kovacic, Managing Director at Baker Tilly Capital, highlights the importance of being yourself:

It's really important to be your authentic self.

Look out for recently retired attendees at these gatherings - they’re often eager to help and can introduce you to active business owners. These informal interactions can reveal motivations like retirement, portfolio consolidation, or urgent liquidity needs - topics that rarely come up in formal meetings. Keep in mind that off-market deals often take over a year to finalize, so treat these conversations as the start of a long-term relationship rather than a quick transaction.

To make the most of these in-person connections, leverage digital tools before and after the event.

Use Conference Apps and Directories

Conference tools can help you pinpoint high-value prospects before you even step foot in the venue. Platforms like ACG Access allow you to filter attendee lists by factors like deal size, industry, and role. By creating a targeted list of business owners and brokers, you can schedule meetings in advance and make the most of your time.

These tools are also great for building a quick-reference guide. Cross-check attendees on LinkedIn to help recognize faces during the event. Some platforms, like Grata, even provide booth numbers for target companies, making it easier to find them on the expo floor.

After the event, revisit the attendee directory to spot anyone you might have missed. Karin Kovacic shares her approach:

I go through the attendee list when I get back: Who'd I miss? You can use that as a launching pad: 'Hey, sorry we didn't get a chance to connect. Now let's have a call.'

This post-event follow-up can help uncover valuable prospects that slipped through the cracks during the busy conference schedule.

sbb-itb-97ecd51

How to Follow Up After the Conference

Turning conference connections into meaningful opportunities takes thoughtful follow-up. Acting quickly and with a clear strategy can make all the difference.

Send Personalized Follow-Up Messages

Reach out within 24–48 hours while the conversations are still fresh. Skip the generic templates - craft emails that show you were paying attention. Reference specific points from your discussions, like challenges they mentioned, milestones they’re proud of, or even personal interests. As Rachel Shope from SourceScrub advises:

Send follow-up messages within two days of returning from the conference so the material is still fresh in your mind. Be sure to make it personal. Reference your conversation, include how you can add value for them, and then propose a next step.

Make your message actionable. Suggest a quick call to explore opportunities or offer to share insights tailored to their business. For those showing interest, propose a specific time using tools like Calendly to avoid unnecessary back-and-forth. Keep in mind that most deals don’t close after a single interaction - plan for 4–6 follow-ups over time. Rob Fox from McGuireWoods puts it best:

At the end of the day, even a brief follow-up is better than none at all.

After sending your follow-ups, the next step is staying organized.

Track Your Leads

Don’t let potential opportunities slip through the cracks - organize your contacts right away. Use a CRM like HubSpot or Salesforce to keep everything in one place, from contact details to notes and deal specifics. Categorize leads into groups like "Hot" (ready to engage), "Warm" (needs nurturing), and "Cold" (long-term potential). Tag each contact with the conference name to make it easier to measure your ROI later.

For managing multiple deals, platforms like Kumo can simplify the process. These tools let you save contacts, add personal notes, track interactions, and even rank opportunities based on your criteria. Walter Akolo from Market Me More underscores the value of automation:

Don't waste time manually sorting through contacts - automation is your best friend here!

Finally, revisit the attendee directory to spot high-priority prospects you may have missed. A quick message expressing interest in collaboration could open doors with those who were too busy during the event.

How to Measure Conference Results

After wrapping up your post-conference follow-ups, it’s time to measure the results. Why? Because understanding what worked - and what didn’t - helps you fine-tune your approach for future events. Clear metrics are your best tool for evaluating success.

Monitor Performance Metrics

Start by tracking key metrics like the number of leads, meetings held, pipeline value, and cost per lead. These numbers give you a solid foundation to assess your return on investment (ROI) for the conference. For example, calculate your cost per lead by dividing the total conference expenses (registration fees, travel, accommodations, and preparation time) by the number of qualified prospects you gained. Make sure to tag each lead in your CRM with the conference name. This way, you can later connect your spending to the results you achieved.

Axial offers a practical tip:

Whether it's a new contact, a signed NDA, or a new deal to review, attach a dollar value to that metric so you can see the value that came from the conference.

Itxaso del Palacio, Partner at Notion Capital, highlights the competitive nature of the industry and the importance of data-driven strategies:

If you're a VC firm, it's a very competitive space, and everyone is trying to figure out what their edge is. For us, a core focus has always been around data, good coverage, and being very informed in the market rather than very reactive.

Armed with these insights, you can better evaluate which strategies delivered the strongest results.

Identify What Works

Once you’ve gathered your data, dig into the details to uncover what’s driving success. Compare results across various conferences to spot trends. For instance, do industry-specific events yield higher-quality leads compared to broader business gatherings? Are informal dinners more effective for building connections than formal panel discussions? Analyze which networking methods - like booth conversations, one-on-one meetings, or VIP events - produced the best opportunities.

This analysis is essential for deciding which conferences to prioritize next year and which ones to cross off the list. GrowthX puts it this way:

Assess your success based on your pre-defined goals. Did you generate leads, close deals, or gain actionable insights? Use this analysis to refine your strategy for the next conference.

Conclusion

Conferences remain one of the best ways to source proprietary SMB deals directly, but success requires careful planning and execution. Start by preparing thoroughly: define your acquisition goals, research attendees ahead of time, and lock in meetings before the event even begins. Once you're there, focus on building genuine connections - especially during informal settings like VIP dinners, where business owners are often more willing to share details about off-market opportunities.

The real work begins after the conference. The follow-up phase is where deals are often made - or lost. Send personalized messages within 48 hours, and include clear next steps to keep the momentum going. Keep in mind that it might take 4–6 follow-ups to close a deal. As Rob Fox, Managing Director at McGuireWoods, wisely points out:

At the end of the day, even a brief follow-up is better than none at all.

To stay organized, managing your leads effectively is key. Tools like Kumo can simplify this process. With over 101,453 active deals from various sources, Kumo allows you to centralize your leads and market listings. Add notes about specific opportunities you discovered at the event, export data to CSV for CRM integration, and use AI-powered summaries to quickly match companies with existing market data.

Finally, take the time to evaluate your performance. Track metrics like cost per lead, pipeline value, and which networking strategies worked best. Let the data guide your decisions so you can focus on conferences that consistently deliver the best proprietary opportunities.

FAQs

How do I find the best conferences for sourcing proprietary deals?

If you're looking to uncover proprietary deals, start by zeroing in on conferences that match your industry focus and acquisition goals. The ideal events will attract decision-makers, potential sellers, and strategic partners who operate in the sectors you're targeting.

To identify these opportunities, dig into attendee lists, read reviews of past events, and keep tabs on conferences that are known for fostering deal flow in your niche. Focus on events with a solid reputation for connecting buyers and sellers. By planning your outreach and travel around these key gatherings, you can open the door to meaningful networking opportunities.

Tools like Kumo can make this process even smoother. Kumo aggregates business listings and offers insights into potential deal opportunities, helping you refine your strategy. Pairing smart conference selection with data-driven tools like this can give you a serious edge in finding the right acquisition opportunities.

What are the best ways to network at conferences to find exclusive business deals?

Networking at conferences can open doors to exclusive business opportunities, but success hinges on preparation. Start by digging into the event details - research the attendees, participating companies, and the overall agenda. This groundwork helps you pinpoint key individuals or sponsors whose goals align with your acquisition strategy. With clear objectives in mind, you’ll be better equipped to make the most of your time.

Another smart move? Reach out ahead of time. Contact attendees or companies on your radar before the event to set up one-on-one meetings. This proactive step can lead to uncovering opportunities that aren’t publicly available. And don’t forget to use tools like Kumo, a deal sourcing platform that simplifies the process by aggregating proprietary listings and enabling precise searches. By combining thorough preparation, strategic outreach, and data-driven tools, you’ll maximize your chances of finding valuable deals at any conference.

What’s the best way to follow up with contacts after a conference to find deal opportunities?

Following up after a conference isn’t just a polite gesture - it’s a crucial step in turning those new connections into real opportunities. The key is to act quickly. Reach out within a few days while the conversation is still fresh in everyone’s mind. A personalized message goes a long way - mention something specific from your chat or highlight a shared interest to make it more genuine.

Staying organized can be a game-changer here. Tools like CRM systems help you keep track of interactions and ensure no connection falls through the cracks. Before diving into follow-ups, set clear goals. Are you aiming to schedule a call, share useful insights, or arrange a meeting? Knowing what you want to achieve keeps your efforts focused.

Over time, consistent and thoughtful communication can work wonders. Share valuable resources or insights that align with their interests. This not only keeps the relationship warm but also increases your chances of turning those connections into quality opportunities.

Related Blog Posts

• How to Streamline Deal Sourcing: A Step-by-Step Guide
• 8 Common Deal Sourcing Challenges and Solutions
• 10 Best Deal Sourcing Tools including withkumo.com
• SMB Listed Deal Soucring Techniques tips and tricks to stand out to brokers as a buyer