Selling lead gen to PE firms

Hello everyone,

I run a lead gen agency and I'd like to help PE firms source deals on a pay-per-lead model.

I've been cold emailing PE firms and getting positive responses, but no one has scheduled a meeting yet.

My questions are:

1. What challenges do private equity firms face when sourcing off-market deals?

2. What should a lead gen agency offer to interest a private equity firm in its services?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

2 Comments
 
Most Helpful

I honestly don't think PE is a great fit for this type of business, especially with a pay-per-lead model... if even 10% of those leads are actionable (due to investing guidelines, getting things past IC, availability and pricing of assets, etc) that is a waste of money compared to other opportunities for them to source. Maybe this will be super successful and I'm proven wrong, but I don't see it as compelling right now

1) You're competing against bankers who do this for free (regularly keep in touch with these firms that might sell, pitch them to PE firms, and only collect a fee when a deal closes) 

2) Lots of PE firms who don't find deals through bankers have junior employees who do this - they already work for them and do modeling work if they source anything, so also "free"

3) Relationships are very important - excluding small rollup strategies like buying out every HVAC guy willing to sell, the senior guys are paid the big bucks for relationships built through decades in the industry. Deals of PE magnitude come from existing relationships, either with the seniors involved or at least the bankers

 

Et aliquid sit error inventore exercitationem animi quibusdam. Esse ut commodi dolor vel. Consequatur quas nihil in. Rerum quae dolorem atque. Ut sapiente impedit voluptatem et beatae sed asperiores. Vel numquam maiores ipsam optio eligendi facilis.

"If you don't have any enemies in life you have never stood up for anything" - Winston Churchill | "It's a testament to the sheer belligerence of the profession that people would rather argue about the 'risk-adjusted returns' of using inferior tooth cleaning methods." - kellycriterion

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Private Equity

  • The Riverside Company 99.6%
  • Blackstone Group 99.3%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 98.9%
  • Warburg Pincus 98.5%
  • Bain Capital 98.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Private Equity

  • Blackstone Group 99.6%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 99.3%
  • The Riverside Company 98.9%
  • Ardian 98.5%
  • Starwood Capital Group 98.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Private Equity

  • Bain Capital 99.6%
  • The Riverside Company 99.3%
  • Blackstone Group 98.9%
  • Starwood Capital Group 98.5%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 98.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Private Equity

  • Principal (9) $653
  • Director/MD (24) $547
  • Vice President (98) $365
  • 3rd+ Year Associate (104) $281
  • 2nd Year Associate (235) $272
  • 1st Year Associate (411) $229
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (33) $157
  • 2nd Year Analyst (97) $134
  • 1st Year Analyst (272) $124
  • Intern/Summer Associate (38) $81
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (355) $62
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
9
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
10
Linda Abraham's picture
Linda Abraham
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”