Business Buyer Profile Template: What Brokers Want to See
A business buyer profile template with examples: acquisition criteria, background, financial capacity, and deal preferences, plus a free downloadable template.
A buyer profile is the one-page summary a broker uses to decide whether you are a fit for a listing, and whether to call you when the next one comes in. It overlaps with a buyer resume, but the emphasis is different. A buyer resume tells your story: experience, skills, why you are buying. A buyer profile is a structured snapshot: what you want, what you can afford, and how you plan to pay for it.
Many brokers send buyers a questionnaire that covers the same ground. Having a profile ready means you can answer it in minutes and give consistent information to every broker you work with.
The sections brokers look for
| Section | What it answers | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer and entity | Who is buying? | Individual buyer, purchasing through a new LLC |
| Acquisition criteria | What fits? | Home services, $250,000 to $600,000 SDE, Phoenix metro |
| Price and earnings range | What size deal? | $750,000 to $2,000,000 purchase price |
| Financial capacity | Can you close? | $250,000 liquid; verification available on request |
| Financing plan | How will you pay? | SBA 7(a); open to a standby seller note |
| Background | Can you operate it? | 12 years in operations management; led a 40-person team |
| Timeline and involvement | When and how? | Ready to close within 6 months; owner-operator |
| Deal-breakers | What does not fit? | No franchise resales, no heavy customer concentration |
Example buyer profile
Business buyer profile
Jordan Lee, Buyer Profile
Buyer: Jordan Lee, purchasing through Lee Holdings LLC (to be formed)
Target industries: commercial services (cleaning, landscaping, facility maintenance), light distribution
Size: SDE of $250,000 to $600,000; purchase price up to $2,000,000
Location: Phoenix metro, within 45 minutes of Scottsdale
Capital: approximately $250,000 in liquid funds available for equity and closing costs; proof of funds available on request
Financing: SBA 7(a) loan; prequalified conversations with two lenders; open to a seller note on standby
Background: 12 years in operations at a regional logistics company; most recently director of operations with P&L responsibility for a $14 million division
Role after closing: full-time owner-operator
Timeline: actively searching; ready to submit an LOI on the right business
Not a fit: restaurants, franchise resales, businesses with one customer over 30% of revenue
Writing each section well
Acquisition criteria
Be specific enough to be useful and broad enough to see deal flow. State earnings in the metric brokers use for that size of business. Below roughly $1 million of earnings, brokers usually speak in SDE; above that, EBITDA is more common. Our SDE vs. EBITDA guide explains the difference.
Financial capacity
State a range or threshold, not exact balances. Say what evidence you can provide, such as a bank letter or third-party verification. Avoid attaching statements to a profile. See proof of funds without oversharing.
Financing plan
If you plan to use an SBA loan, mention it and make sure your price range is consistent with your capital. A buyer showing $100,000 of liquidity and targeting $3,000,000 businesses with SBA financing will raise questions, because the minimum injection alone would exceed that. Our SBA down payment guide shows how to estimate it.
Background
Focus on what makes you credible to run this kind of business: leadership, operations, sales, finance, or industry knowledge. Two or three concrete accomplishments beat a list of job titles.
Common profile mistakes
- Criteria so broad they say nothing ("any profitable business").
- A price range inconsistent with available capital.
- Exact account balances or attached statements.
- Different numbers on the profile, the NDA, and the LOI.
- No mention of financing, leaving the broker to guess.
- Overlong narrative that buries the criteria.
Build your profile on BuyerPass
A BuyerPass profile covers these sections in a structured format: acquisition criteria, background, and financing approach, with a BuyerPass Strength score that shows how complete it is. Brokers on BuyerPass can see your criteria and, when they request it for a specific opportunity, a proof of funds verification result that confirms whether you meet the requirement without exposing your balances.
- Create a free BuyerPass buyer resume to present your background.
- Create your free buyer profile to set acquisition criteria and start receiving opportunities.
- Read what a verified business buyer is to see how brokers use this information.
Before and after: tightening weak profile language
Most profiles are not wrong, just vague. The rewrites below show the kind of specificity brokers respond to. The details are hypothetical.
| Section | Weak version | Stronger version |
|---|---|---|
| Criteria | Profitable business, any industry | B2B services or light manufacturing, $250,000 to $700,000 of SDE, within 90 miles of Columbus, Ohio |
| Capital | Well capitalized | Liquid capital above $200,000; planning SBA 7(a) financing with openness to a seller note |
| Background | Experienced business leader | Twelve years in operations at a regional logistics company; managed 45 people and a $9 million budget |
| Timeline | Ready to move quickly | Lender relationship in place; able to submit an LOI within two weeks of reviewing financials |
| Role after closing | Hands-on owner | Full-time owner-operator; plans to keep the existing team and the current customer service lead |
Writing criteria that are specific but not narrow
A profile that is too broad looks unfocused, but one that is too narrow screens out good deals. Most buyers are well served by three or four criteria with ranges rather than exact numbers.
- Industry: name two or three categories and the reasons you fit them, rather than a single niche.
- Size: give an SDE or EBITDA range, not just a price range. Earnings drive what you can finance. See SDE vs. EBITDA for which metric to use.
- Geography: give a radius or region and say whether you would relocate or consider remote-capable businesses.
- Deal features: note whether you are open to seller financing, real estate, or a transition period with the owner.
A complete buyer profile at a glance
Who you are
- Name and location
- Short professional background
- Role you plan to take after closing
What you want
- Two or three target industries
- Earnings range
- Region or radius
How you will pay
- Liquid capital range
- Financing approach
- Openness to seller financing
Why you are credible
- Evidence of funds available on request
- Lender relationship
- References or prior deals, if any
Using the profile in outreach
Short introduction to a broker
I saw your listing for the commercial landscaping company in the northern suburbs and would like to learn more.
I am acquiring a B2B service business with $300,000 to $600,000 of SDE in the region. I spent eleven years running field operations for a regional facilities company, and I plan to operate the business full time.
I am planning SBA financing with liquid capital that covers the expected injection, and I can verify funds once we have an NDA in place. My buyer profile is linked below.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a buyer profile be?
One page, or the equivalent on a profile page. Supporting detail belongs in a resume or in conversation.
Is a buyer profile the same as a buyer resume?
They overlap. A profile summarizes what you are looking for and how you will pay; a resume explains why you can run the business. Many buyers use both. See how to write a business buyer resume.
Should I list an exact net worth?
No. A range for liquid capital is enough at the profile stage. Specific amounts can be confirmed with deal-specific verification when a broker asks. See how to show proof of funds privately.
Sources and references
Confirm transaction-specific requirements with your broker, lender, and advisors.
- BuyerPass: Buyer verification and privacy FAQs (opens in a new tab)BuyerPass profile sections, Strength, and verification behavior.
- IBBA: Business brokerage glossary (opens in a new tab)Business brokerage terminology.
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The BuyerPass Editorial team writes practical guidance for business buyers, brokers, and sellers. Articles are educational and are not legal, tax, lending, or investment advice.