When a potential client reaches out to me, my goal is to keep the phone call brief and try and set up an appointment to meet in person to answer all their questions.  Often when I meet with business owners, they are curious about the process of selling their business and my opinion on what their business is worth.  The sales cycle from my first contact with a client until they decide to list their business with me can take a year and sometimes several years.  If I can schedule a face-to-face meeting after they make that first phone call, I can start to build a relationship with them.  I am a people person so talking to people and finding commonalities is just part of who I am.  The client now has a name with a face so when the time is right for them to sell their business, I am the business broker they know.  This can be time-consuming for those who are looking to quickly gain a client, but it's a long-term game plan for me.