Not all buyers are created equal — and knowing who’s across the table matters as much as the price they’re offering.
Here are the big categories:
- Strategic Buyers – another agency, platform, or marketing services firm. They want synergies: your niche, your clients, your geography.
- Private Equity Buyers – financial investors who back roll-ups or platforms. They care about returns, but also about building value over a 3–7 year period.
- Individual Buyers / Search Funds – entrepreneurs looking to buy themselves a business instead of starting one.
Each has different goals:
- A strategic buyer might want to integrate your team and brand.
- A PE buyer may want you to stay on and help grow a platform.
- An individual might want you to stick around short-term to show them the ropes.
The same agency could get very different offers depending on the buyer type. Which means you need to think beyond “the multiple” and ask: What do I want my agency’s future to look like after the sale?
Contact us if you’re and agency owner and have considered selling or joining something bigger.