Business Acquisition · Template #9 of 10

Business Listing Description Generator

A business listing that reads like a legal document gets ignored. Buyers scroll past vague revenue numbers and generic "turnkey operation" claims. This template and the section-by-section guidance help you write a listing that earns a buyer's attention, protects confidentiality appropriately, and leads with the metrics serious buyers actually care about.

TEASER LISTING (200–400 words — public, pre-NDA)

HEADLINE: [COMPELLING, SPECIFIC, NO BUSINESS NAME — e.g., "Profitable B2B Cleaning Services Company — $2.4M Revenue, 30%+ Margins, Mostly Recurring Contracts"]

FINANCIAL SNAPSHOT:
- Annual Revenue: $[AMOUNT] (trailing 12 months) | [TREND: growing / stable / down X%]
- SDE / EBITDA: $[AMOUNT]
- Asking Price: $[AMOUNT] ([X.X]x SDE)
- Year Established: [YEAR]
- Employees: [NUMBER] full-time, [NUMBER] part-time

BUSINESS OVERVIEW: [3–4 sentences. Describe the business without naming it. Include: what the business does, who it serves, geographic market, and business model. Example: "Established commercial landscaping company serving 75+ recurring contract clients in the [REGION] metro area. Services include maintenance contracts, seasonal cleanup, and snow removal. Revenue is 80% recurring under annual contracts, with average client retention of 6+ years."]

WHY THIS BUSINESS STANDS OUT: [3–5 bullet points. Lead with the most compelling attributes:]
• [e.g., "80% recurring contract revenue — predictable cash flow from day one"]
• [e.g., "Owner works [X] hours/week — strong management team in place"]
• [e.g., "Lease runs through [YEAR] at below-market rates — long-term cost advantage"]
• [e.g., "Multiple untapped growth channels identified — ready for a growth-oriented owner"]
• [e.g., "Clean financials — 3 years of tax returns match P&L statements"]

GROWTH OPPORTUNITY: [2–3 sentences on the single biggest growth lever. Be specific. Example: "Current owner has turned down [X] enterprise client inquiries in the past 12 months due to capacity constraints. A buyer who adds one crew could capture $[AMOUNT] in additional annual revenue without any additional marketing spend."]

REASON FOR SALE: [Be honest and specific. "Owner retiring after [X] years." "Owner relocating." "Owner pursuing other business interests." Vague reasons raise flags.]

IDEAL Buyer: [2 sentences. Example: "This business is ideal for an owner-operator looking to replace a $[SALARY RANGE] income with a proven, established business, or a strategic buyer in the [INDUSTRY] sector looking to add [GEOGRAPHY] coverage."]

[FOR MORE INFORMATION — QUALIFIED BUYERS ONLY]: Contact [BROKER NAME / SELLER CONTACT] to receive our Non-Disclosure Agreement and Confidential Information Memorandum. Proof of financial qualification required.

CIM Section 1: Executive Summary (Post-NDA)

[This section is the first page of the full Confidential Information Memorandum — provided to qualified buyers after NDA]

BUSINESS NAME: [FULL NAME]
LOCATION: [FULL ADDRESS]
WEBSITE: [URL]
ASKING PRICE: $[AMOUNT]
FINANCING: [Seller financing available up to $[AMOUNT] at [X]% over [Y] years for qualified buyers / SBA eligible / All cash required]

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION: [3–5 paragraphs. Cover:
1. What the business does, how it operates, how it serves customers
2. History: when founded, key milestones, how the business has evolved
3. Market position: competitive advantages, reputation, differentiation
4. Operations: team structure, owner's role, day-to-day operations
5. Physical location and assets overview]

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS:
| Year | Gross Revenue | SDE / EBITDA | YoY Change |
|------|--------------|-------------|-----------|
| [YEAR-2] | $[X] | $[X] | — |
| [YEAR-1] | $[X] | $[X] | [+/-X%] |
| TTM | $[X] | $[X] | [+/-X%] |

ADD-BACK SCHEDULE:
| Item | Annual Amount | Notes |
|------|--------------|-------|
| Owner salary | $[X] | Replaced by SDE calculation |
| Owner health insurance | $[X] | Non-recurring personal benefit |
| Owner auto expense | $[X] | Personal use portion |
| [Other add-backs] | $[X] | [Explain each] |
| Total Add-Backs | $[X] | |
| Adjusted SDE | $[X] | Net income + add-backs |

CIM Section 2: Products, Services & Market

REVENUE BREAKDOWN BY SERVICE/PRODUCT:
| Product/Service | Annual Revenue | % of Total | Margin | Growth Trend |
|----------------|--------------|-----------|--------|-------------|
| [ITEM 1] | $[X] | [X]% | [X]% | Growing/Stable/Declining |
| [ITEM 2] | $[X] | [X]% | [X]% | — |
[Continue...]

CUSTOMER PROFILE:
- Total active customers: [NUMBER]
- Average customer tenure: [X] years
- Largest single customer: [X]% of revenue (anonymized)
- Top 5 customers combined: [X]% of revenue
- Customer acquisition: [DESCRIBE HOW — referrals, digital, direct sales, etc.]
- Customer contracts: [X]% on contract, [X]% month-to-month

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE:
[Name 3–5 competitors. For each: name (if willing to disclose), size, market share estimate, and how your business differentiates from them]

MARKET OPPORTUNITY:
[2–3 paragraphs on the market. Is it growing? What are the tailwinds? What opportunities exist that the current owner has not pursued?]

CIM Section 3: Operations & Team

STAFFING:
[Describe team structure without naming individuals until serious buyer stage]
- [NUMBER] full-time employees: [describe roles generally — e.g., "2 field technicians, 1 office manager"]
- [NUMBER] part-time / seasonal employees
- Owner's role: [DESCRIBE hours per week, specific tasks, what is owner-dependent]
- Key employee strengths: [DESCRIBE without naming]
- Any retention risks: [DISCLOSE honestly — buyer will find out in due diligence]

OPERATIONS OVERVIEW:
[Walk through a typical week/month. Cover: how work comes in, how it's scheduled/dispatched, how it's delivered, how invoices go out, how collections work]

TECHNOLOGY & SYSTEMS:
- Accounting: [QuickBooks / Xero / other]
- CRM: [NAME]
- Scheduling / dispatch: [NAME]
- Point of sale: [NAME]
- Other critical platforms: [LIST]

FACILITIES:
- [DESCRIBE: size, lease terms, condition, equipment overview]
- Lease: [TERM, MONTHLY COST, RENEWAL OPTIONS]

GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES: [Top 3–5 specific, actionable growth levers a new owner could pursue:]
1. [SPECIFIC OPPORTUNITY — with estimated revenue impact]
2. [SPECIFIC OPPORTUNITY]
3. [SPECIFIC OPPORTUNITY]

Frequently Asked Questions