Leads are not searching for professionals who do things that they cannot explain themselves, and business owners are not willing to spend thousands of dollars on services they do not understand. Acquisitions entrepreneurs must have a clear and concise manner of conveying who they are, what they offer, and why they are trustworthy.

There are three steps to this process:

Identify yourself

Attract like-minded people

Build your reputation

Positioning yourself starts with your introduction. Create an elevator pitch that is appropriate, clear and consistent. This can be as simple as giving yourself a well-thought-out title.

For example, Say Yes! Enterprises (SYE) founder Christopher Wick calls himself a business investor and mentor. This concise statement answers all of the key questions, and it leaves no room for confusion.

Notice that he calls himself a business investor. People unfamiliar with the world of acquisitions understand that an investor may buy an asset outright, but an investor can also buy partial ownership of an asset, offer capital in return for royalties, and invest money in a variety of other creative scenarios. Most acquisitions entrepreneurs do far more than buy or acquire businesses. If the terms buy or acquire do not describe your offerings in totality, do not use those terms.

Leads are not always expected. Sometimes, it will be an impromptu introduction in a social setting. Have a clear and memorable way of describing what you do, so that you can position yourself and your business well in these unexpected situations.

After an introduction comes conversation. Every acquisitions entrepreneur does not work with every business. As a rule, Say Yes! Enterprises does not work with startups or businesses that have less than $500,000 in annual revenue. Those are the standards at Say Yes! Enterprises. Every entrepreneur needs standards and boundaries.

Attract like-minded businesses by making the standards clear at the beginning of a relationship. When you are most authentic from the beginning everybody wins. Ask questions to help both parties understand whether working together would be a good fit. Avoid the pitfall of wasting time on businesses that you are not prepared to serve. Doing so is a disservice to both yourself and the business owner.

The founder of Say Yes! Enterprises was recently approached with a serious inquiry from a business owner in a social setting. The business owner was already aware of what Say Yes! Enterprises offered. Before getting deep into the conversation, Wick asked a few questions about the business and realized that it did not meet Say Yes! Enterprises standards.

“I want to tell you upfront that I do not work with startups, but I’d be glad to talk and offer you some advice,” Wick diplomatically replied. Wick made his boundary clear, and he also built rapport with the business owner. That startup will not always be a startup, and Wick left the door open.

Next, build credibility through a good reputation. New acquisitions entrepreneurs often believe they have little to offer due to a lack of experience, yet, everyone has some experience.

As Wick explains, “You learn through experience, not through wisdom.” The experiences you have had in your career to date qualify you to be an acquisitions entrepreneur. No matter how long you’ve worked or what titles you’ve held, you have experience with business. Those experiences, no matter how unique, are valuable.

Build a reputation by conveying the value of your experience in both conversation and your online presence.