Artificial intelligence (AI) has quickly evolved from a buzzword to a transformative force that’s reshaping nearly every industry. Business brokerage is no exception. In just a few short years, AI-powered tools like ChatGPT have gone from novel innovations to essential business resources. With over 800 million active weekly users worldwide, AI has become a trusted partner for entrepreneurs, marketers, and professionals seeking speed, precision, and insight.
For business brokers, the message is clear: those who learn to embrace AI today will gain a lasting competitive edge tomorrow.
Every broker knows the struggle: “I just need more listings.” It’s one of the most common frustrations in the industry. Yet despite hundreds of thousands of businesses changing hands each year, many brokers still face a shortage of quality listings.
Why? The answer often lies in time and efficiency. Brokers spend countless hours juggling administrative work, marketing tasks, and client communication leaving little time for prospecting and lead generation. That’s where AI comes in.
When properly leveraged, AI can handle much of the repetitive or manual work involved in generating leads. From finding business owners and writing outreach messages to running ad campaigns and nurturing contacts, AI can help you stay top of mind with potential sellers while you focus on closing deals.
In this article, we’ll explore how business brokers can use AI to consistently attract motivated sellers, fill their pipeline with quality listings, and scale their brokerage with ease.
The foundation of every listing starts with prospecting and connecting with business owners who may be considering an exit. Traditionally, this has meant cold calling, networking, and hours of manual LinkedIn searches. But AI tools can now handle most of this work automatically.
Platforms like Dripify, Meet Alfred, and Expandi use AI to automate personalized LinkedIn outreach. You can define your target audience — for example, business owners in specific industries, locations, or company sizes — and these systems will send tailored connection requests and follow-up messages on your behalf.
You can even use ChatGPT to help you write these outreach messages. Simply prompt it with something like:
“Write a short, professional LinkedIn message to a small business owner offering a free valuation or exit readiness checklist.”
AI-generated copy tends to sound natural and conversational, and when paired with automation tools, it allows you to reach hundreds of potential sellers each week without sounding robotic or spammy. Once owners reply with interest, you or your assistant can step in to start the conversation.
The result: your outreach continues running in the background while you focus on appointments and closing deals.
Meta (Facebook and Instagram) uses advanced AI algorithms to automatically identify and target business owners who are most likely to engage with your offer. You don’t need to be a marketing expert to take advantage of it — you just need to craft the right message.
Start with a simple offer, like:
“Curious what your business is worth? Get a free, confidential business valuation.”
Then, use tools like AdCreative.ai, Predis.ai, or Canva’s Magic Write to instantly generate multiple versions of ad copy, headlines, and images.
These platforms analyze what typically performs best in your niche and create ready-to-run ads that grab attention.
You can then let Meta’s AI handle the optimization. Over time, it learns who’s most likely to click, fill out your form, or book a call to automatically improve your cost per lead and keep your pipeline full.
Once your ads start running, you need a place to send the traffic to and AI can build that too.
Platforms like Durable.co, Mixo.io, and Framer AI allow you to instantly create sleek, high-converting landing pages without any design or coding experience. You simply describe your offer (“Free Business Valuation for Restaurant Owners in Texas”), and the AI generates an entire page complete with compelling text, headlines, forms, and images.
You can even integrate AI-powered chatbots like ManyChat or Intercom GPT Assistants to engage visitors in real time. The chatbot can qualify leads by asking questions like:
These micro-interactions turn casual visitors into leads, all while you’re working on deals. It’s like having a virtual assistant working 24/7.
Business owners thinking about selling often start by doing research online. They search questions like “How much is my business worth?” or “What’s the best time to sell?” Brokers who consistently show up with valuable answers become trusted advisors and those are the brokers who get the listing.
AI makes creating that kind of content simple.
Tools like ChatGPT, Writesonic, and SurferSEO can help you generate optimized blog posts, LinkedIn articles, and email newsletters that speak directly to potential sellers. For example:
By publishing these regularly, you build online authority and attract inbound leads from search engines and social media — all while positioning yourself as the go-to expert in your market.
You can even repurpose that same AI-generated content into short LinkedIn posts, Facebook ads, or video scripts, ensuring your brand stays visible across every channel.
Think of AI not as a replacement, but as your full-time marketing assistant. One that never sleeps, never forgets a task, and works across every platform simultaneously.
It can:
By combining these tools into a single system, brokers can create an always-on marketing engine that continuously attracts and nurtures seller leads without constant manual input.
AI is no longer optional! It’s the most powerful lead-generation advantage a broker can have.
It helps you reach more business owners, stay in front of them longer, and convert interest into appointments faster than ever before. Whether you start with simple tools like ChatGPT and LinkedIn automation, or build out full AI-driven ad campaigns, the impact will be the same: more conversations, more listings, and more closed deals.
The brokers who embrace AI today won’t just grow faster, they’ll dominate their markets tomorrow.
August Milazzo
[email protected]
IBBA Magazine
IN THIS ISSUE: “A Thankful Reflection on an Extraordinary Year” Letter from the 2025 IBBA Chair. Plus, Insights on AI use in Business Brokerage, Trends in Search Funds as Buyers, A Tribute to Steve Mariani, and more!
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