Successful Acquisitions

BE THEIR GUEST

Who should attend this first meeting with a prospect? I generally recommend a combination of the Acquisition Coordinator, perhaps one other member of the A-Team, and your third-party adviser. Bringing the third-party adviser along is beneficial for a couple of reasons. First, the adviser was often the initial point of contact with the prospect, so there is already some history established. Second, the adviser has attended dozens, even hundreds, of these types of meetings, so she knows how to keep the conversation focused.

Once the date and time of the visit is set, contact the owner of the target company and request recommendations on where to stay. Also ask for suggestions of a place to meet for dinner the night before the meeting. ...