Lessons from the field
Time Killers Are Career Killers: Procrastination, Tire Kickers and How to Qualify Buyers
Successful business brokers find deals in many different ways. Unsuccessful brokers tend to fail in the same few ways: procrastination, no schedule and too much time spent on buyers and listings that will never close. Three experienced voices on the time killers that end careers, how to spot a tire kicker, and how to protect your most valuable asset.
Quick answer
A tire kicker is a prospective buyer who shows interest in a business for sale but has no real intention or ability to buy. Tire kickers, along with procrastination and working without a schedule, are the biggest time killers for business brokers. Successful brokers block time for prospecting, hold themselves accountable for activity such as calls, visits and meetings, qualify buyers early with an NDA, proof of funds and clear criteria, and trust their instincts when a buyer or listing is wasting their time. A CRM helps by capturing buyer qualification details, showing which buyers are actually engaged, moving low-priority leads to automated follow-up and reporting on each broker's activity. A free, printable guide to spotting tire kickers and qualifying buyers is available to download from this article.
Successful business brokers find deals in all kinds of ways. Some go door to door. Some run mail campaigns, work the room at conferences, show up at community events or tap the contacts from a previous career. There's no single path to success.
Failure is more predictable. If you want to know the pitfalls of the business, ask the brokers who didn't make it. You'll hear the same stories again and again, and most of them come down to one thing: time, wasted.
Time killer #1: procrastination
Larry J. Kennedy leads a team of business brokers, and he has seen procrastination up close.
“We had a guy on my team that just could not turn off the TV.”
The TV was always on in the background, even on calls. Larry remembers having to ask, “Mike, can you please mute yourself? I hear Fox News in the background.” And it wasn't harmless background noise. “Not like he watched Game of Thrones last night. It was like he was watching Jerry Springer or MSNBC Morning Joe.” The bottom line: “Instead of working, he was fixated on TV.”
Working from home makes it worse. A home office is full of temptations to do anything but work, and nobody is watching. Larry credits his military background and his workout routine with keeping him on track. In his experience, the brokers who fail are often the ones who procrastinate because they don't have a schedule.
Accountability: show me the activity
Larry's answer to procrastination is accountability.
“I have quarterly sales meetings for my larger team and gatherings for smaller groups throughout the week and month.”
What he wants from those meetings isn't conversation. It's proof of work. “I want to see my people up-and-at-'em, showing me they've been calling and visiting and meeting.” And he's specific about it: “Show me how you're going to get three listings this week.”
Everything else can wait. As Larry puts it, “We can talk politics when I take you out for a steak dinner after a closing.”
That kind of accountability is far easier when activity is recorded as it happens. When every call, visit and meeting is logged in the CRM, a manager can see who's been prospecting without asking, and a broker can see their own week at a glance. Activity reports and pipeline tools turn “How's it going?” into a real conversation about numbers. (More on building that habit: involve your team and keep them on their toes.)
The most common time killers for business brokers
Procrastination is the most obvious time killer, but it isn't the only one. These are the habits that quietly eat a broker's week:
- Background distractions. The TV, social media and news alerts that turn an hour of work into twenty minutes.
- No schedule. Days that fill up with whatever comes along, so prospecting never happens.
- Tire kickers. Buyers who ask endless questions but never intend to buy.
- The wrong listings. Sellers with unrealistic prices, poor records or no real motivation to sell.
- Chasing people who don't respond. Calling the same unresponsive lead again and again, by hand.
- Doing admin by hand. Registering buyers, sending NDAs and filing documents manually. (15 automations that save brokers time.)
- Meetings without a purpose. Talking about everything except calls, visits and listings.
- No follow-up system. Losing good leads because nobody reminded you to call back. (Follow-ups lead to fortunes.)
A schedule that protects your time
The cure for “no schedule” is a schedule. Many successful brokers use time blocking: setting fixed blocks for each kind of work and protecting them like client meetings. A simple version:
| Time | Block | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00 | Plan the day | Review today's tasks, new inquiries and which buyers were active overnight |
| 8:30 | Prospecting | Seller calls, visits and referral partners, with no email and no TV |
| 10:30 | Buyer calls | Qualified buyers first; everyone else goes to an automated drip campaign |
| 1:00 | Listings and deals | Valuations, CIMs, offers and due diligence |
| 3:30 | Follow-up | Return every call and inquiry the same day |
| 4:30 | Admin and wrap-up | Update the CRM and set tomorrow's tasks |
If you work from home, a few habits help: a dedicated workspace, set start and stop times, the TV off during work hours and a routine that gets you up and ready as if you were going to an office. Larry's military discipline and morning workouts are one version. Find yours.
What is a tire kicker?
A tire kicker is a prospective buyer who shows interest in a business for sale, asks questions and requests information, but has no real intention, or no real ability, to buy. Tire kickers aren't always dishonest. Some are curious, some are dreaming, and some simply can't afford the business. Either way, they consume a broker's time without leading to a closing.
The term comes from the used-car lot, where some shoppers would walk around a car and kick its tires without any plan to buy. Word historians have traced the figurative use of “kicking the tires” and the car-showroom “tire-kicker” to the early 1960s. (The origin of “kick the tyres.”) In business brokerage, it describes the buyer who wants every detail about every listing but never makes an offer.
| Tire kicker | Serious buyer | |
|---|---|---|
| NDA and registration | Avoids signing, or signs and never engages | Signs promptly and reads what you send |
| Financing | No proof of funds, or vague answers | Shows proof of funds or a lender pre-qualification |
| Criteria | “Any good business,” anywhere | A specific industry, location, size and price range |
| Timeline | Always “sometime next year” | A clear timeline and a reason for it |
| Questions | Endless, or already answered in the materials | Focused on the business and the deal |
| Offers | None, or lowball offers on everything | Offers in a reasonable range of the asking price |
| Decision-makers | Partners or spouses you never meet | Everyone involved is identified and available |
Time killer #2: tire kickers
I hear about this from clients all over the world. As bad as procrastination might be, I think it's just as important to avoid tire kickers: buyers who have no real intention of buying.
“You chase some couple who says they want to buy every laundromat in a five-town region.”
It sounds great, but you figure out pretty quickly they're wasting your time. It's hard to do, but you have to walk away.
Fifty calls in fourteen months
Ben Maxwell has been a business broker for 11 years: six full-time, and the last five part-time while holding a full-time job. He learned about tire kickers the hard way, from a buyer who showed proof of funds of more than $800,000.
“I must have spoken to this guy at least 50 times in 14 months.”
Every time a business came along that fit, Ben thought this would be the one. “I kept thinking, ‘This warehouse! This is the one he wants! It fits his specs perfectly!’ But he would always back away at the last second.” Eventually, it clicked. “I realized he had all that money because he never spent it!”
Letting go wasn't easy. “It's hard. I like to think that I'm a polite guy. But sometimes, you have to pull off the Band-Aid and go on to the person who will actually close a deal with you.”
10 signs you're dealing with a tire kicker
No single sign proves a buyer isn't serious, and even good buyers can be cautious. But when three or four of these show up together, it's time to move on:
- They won't sign the NDA, but want details before committing to anything.
- They can't show proof of funds, or the funds never seem to be available.
- Their criteria are vague: “any good business,” in any industry, anywhere.
- They have no timeline, or it's always “sometime next year.”
- You never meet the decision-makers, such as a partner or spouse who has to approve.
- They ask endless questions but never make an offer.
- They back out at the last second, again and again, on businesses that fit.
- They haven't read what you sent, including the CIM and financials.
- They disappear and come back, restarting from scratch every time.
- They want everything for nothing, with lowball offers on every listing.
M&A advisors see the same patterns. In an Axial roundtable on buyers who waste sellers' time, advisors flagged buyers who make an offer without asking a single question about the business, buyers who ask questions already answered in the materials, and buyers who treat the broker as if the broker works for them.
How to qualify a business buyer before you invest your time
The best defense against tire kickers is qualifying buyers early. Before you spend hours with a buyer, find out:
- Have they signed the NDA and registration? A buyer who won't sign isn't ready. (Let's talk buyer registrations.)
- Can they show proof of funds, or a lender's pre-qualification for the deal size?
- What exactly are they looking for? Industry, location, size, price range and the role they want to play.
- What's their timeline, and what's driving it?
- Who else is involved in the decision? Partners, spouses, investors or advisors.
- Have they made offers before, and what happened?
- Do they have experience running a business like this one, or a plan to hire it?
Ben's buyer passed one test, proof of funds, and failed several others. Qualification works best when you look at the whole picture, not just one box.
Free download: How to Spot Tire Kickers and Qualify Buyers (printable guide)
Keep it by your phone. This free, two-page printable guide puts the 10 signs a buyer isn't serious, the 7 buyer qualification checks, the signs to walk away from a listing and 6 questions to ask on the first buyer call on page one, and the 8 time killers with their fixes, a time-blocked day planner and your weekly scorecard on page two. Download the free tire kicker and buyer qualification guide (PDF).
What counts as proof of funds to buy a business?
Proof of funds is the single best filter for tire kickers, but only if you know what to ask for. Common forms include:
- Recent bank or brokerage statements showing the cash available for the down payment and closing costs.
- A pre-qualification letter from a lender, ideally one experienced with business acquisitions or SBA loans.
- A commitment letter from investors or a fund, for buyers using outside capital.
- A personal financial statement, which many brokers request alongside the NDA.
Many buyers finance an acquisition with an SBA 7(a) loan, so it helps to know the basics. According to an April 2026 SBA 7(a) program overview, the maximum 7(a) loan is $5 million, and a complete change of ownership generally requires an equity injection of at least 10% of total project costs. Up to half of that injection may come from a seller note on full standby for the life of the loan. A buyer who can't show the cash for that injection probably isn't ready. (SBA rules change, so buyers should confirm current requirements with their lender.)
When to ask for proof of funds
Every brokerage has its own methodology. A common approach is to release information in stages: a blind teaser to anyone, the business name and CIM after the NDA is signed, and detailed financials only after the buyer provides proof of funds. In Vertica CRM, approval rules can follow whatever sequence your firm uses, so buyers only see what they've qualified to see. (Buyer approval and data rooms.)
How to deal with tire kickers, politely
Walking away doesn't have to burn a bridge. Today's tire kicker can become next year's serious buyer, or a referral. These short scripts help you protect your time without being rude:
Asking for commitment: “Thanks for your interest in this business. Before I can share the name and financials, I'll need a signed NDA and a recent bank statement or lender pre-qualification letter. Once I have those, I'll send the full package the same day.”
Narrowing vague criteria: “To make sure I send you businesses that really fit, can you tell me the industry, location, price range and timeline you have in mind? I'll make sure you hear about new listings that match.”
Moving them to the back burner: “It sounds like the timing isn't right yet. I'll add you to our new-listings updates, so you'll hear about businesses that match your criteria. When you're ready to move forward, just reply and we'll pick up from there.”
The last script is where a CRM earns its keep: the buyer goes into an automated drip campaign instead of your call list, and if they get serious, they'll raise their hand. (Email marketing for business brokers.)
The best listing may be the one you walk away from
Tire kickers aren't only buyers. From my experience, sometimes the best listing you can take is one you walk away from. With experience, you get a feeling that “this is just going to be a waste of time.” Trust yourself. You're probably right, and you're going to save yourself valuable time.
Warning signs of a listing that will eat your time include:
- A price far above what the business can support, with a seller who won't discuss it.
- Poor or missing financial records that buyers and lenders won't accept.
- A seller who isn't really ready, and is “just testing the market.”
- A seller who won't sign an engagement agreement or keeps changing the terms.
- A business that's declining because the owner has already checked out. (See never neglect your business, no matter the size.)
Walking away from a listing or a buyer is never easy. But every hour spent on a deal that won't close is an hour taken from one that will. (On the harder version of this decision, see when should a business broker tell a client to walk away?)
When you're part-time, every minute counts
Ben's experience as a part-time broker holds a lesson for everyone. With a full-time job, he had to budget every minute: he returned calls during his lunch break and on his commute. And when he sensed a buyer wasn't serious, he stopped calling back.
Full-time brokers have more hours, but not unlimited ones. Treat your time as if you were part-time, and you'll spend it where it counts.
How a CRM protects your time
Good habits are the foundation. The right tools make them easier to keep:
- Qualification on record. Buyer registration captures the signed NDA, criteria and proof of funds up front, so you know who's serious before you invest your time.
- See who's actually engaged. Vertica CRM can alert you when a registered buyer logs in and records which documents each buyer received, so you can focus on buyers who are reading, not just asking. (How Business Brokers CRM thinks out of the box.)
- Automated follow-up for everyone else. Buyers who aren't ready yet go into email drip campaigns instead of your call list. If they get serious, they'll raise their hand.
- Tasks and reminders, so follow-up happens without relying on memory. (Workflows and automation.)
- Activity reporting that gives managers like Larry the proof of work they're looking for.
What's changed since 2019
Brokers still face the same time killers. The tools for beating them have improved:
- AI saves hours on documents. The AI CIM generator drafts a CIM from the data already in the CRM. In our experience, a CIM that normally takes 10 hours or more can be drafted in minutes. (More in our guide to AI for business brokers.)
- AI research on buyers is coming. AI Contact Research will profile a buyer in seconds, including their background and past acquisitions, which helps separate serious buyers from tire kickers before the first call.
- AI helps manage the calendar. The Vertica Sites hub adds an AI task manager, AI pre-meeting briefs, AI follow-up email drafts and appointment scheduling with automatic reminders.
- Help with the busywork. Vertica People provides administrative staff, lead generation and sales development reps who work inside your CRM, so brokers spend their time on brokering.
Take back your time
See how Vertica CRM helps brokers qualify buyers, automate follow-up and focus on deals that close. Contact us for a short demonstration.
Schedule a Demo Questions? Call +1 212 381 4994 (USA) or +61 3 8518 4759 (Australia).Frequently asked questions
What does tire kicker mean?
A tire kicker is someone who shows interest in buying something but has no real intention or ability to buy. The term comes from car shoppers who kicked a car's tires without planning to purchase it, and it dates to at least the early 1960s. In business brokerage, it refers to buyers who request information on businesses for sale but never make a serious offer.
What is a tire kicker in business brokerage?
A tire kicker is a prospective buyer who shows interest, asks questions and requests information but has no real intention of buying. Common signs include refusing to sign an NDA, no proof of funds, vague criteria, no timeline and repeatedly backing out of deals that fit.
How do you qualify a business buyer?
Confirm the buyer has signed the NDA and registration, ask for proof of funds or lender pre-qualification, clarify their criteria and timeline, identify everyone involved in the decision, and ask about their past offers and experience. Look at the whole picture rather than a single factor.
What are the biggest time wasters for business brokers?
Common time killers include procrastination and background distractions, working without a schedule, spending time on tire kickers and unrealistic listings, chasing unresponsive leads by hand, doing administrative tasks manually, unfocused meetings and having no follow-up system.
How should business brokers manage their time?
Many successful brokers use time blocking: fixed daily blocks for prospecting, buyer calls, listings and deals, follow-up and admin, with prospecting time protected like a client meeting. Logging activity in a CRM and reviewing it regularly adds accountability.
When should a broker turn down a listing?
Consider walking away when the price is far above what the business can support and the seller won't discuss it, financial records are poor, the seller isn't really ready to sell, the seller won't sign an engagement agreement or the business is declining because the owner has checked out.
Is there a printable checklist for spotting tire kickers?
Yes. Vertica CRM offers a free two-page printable guide to spotting tire kickers and qualifying buyers (PDF) with 10 signs a buyer isn't serious, 7 buyer qualification checks, signs to walk away from a listing, 6 questions to ask on the first buyer call, 8 time killers and their fixes, a time-blocked day planner and a weekly scorecard.
How do you politely deal with a tire kicker?
Ask for commitment before sharing more information, such as a signed NDA and proof of funds, ask them to narrow vague criteria, and if they still aren't ready, move them to an automated new-listings update rather than personal calls. This protects your time without burning the relationship.
What counts as proof of funds to buy a business?
Common forms of proof of funds include recent bank or brokerage statements showing cash for the down payment, a pre-qualification letter from a lender experienced with business acquisitions or SBA loans, an investor commitment letter and a personal financial statement.
How much cash do you need to buy a business with an SBA loan?
For a complete change of ownership, an SBA 7(a) loan generally requires an equity injection of at least 10% of total project costs, and up to half of that may come from a seller note on full standby for the life of the loan, according to an April 2026 SBA 7(a) program overview. The maximum 7(a) loan is $5 million. Rules change, so confirm current requirements with a lender.
When should a broker ask for proof of funds?
Practices vary, but a common approach is staged release: a blind teaser to anyone, the business name and CIM after a signed NDA, and detailed financials after the buyer provides proof of funds. Vertica CRM's approval rules can follow whatever sequence a firm uses.
How can business brokers stay productive working from home?
Use a dedicated workspace, set start and stop times, keep the TV and other distractions off during work hours, follow a daily routine and time-block your day. Logging calls, visits and meetings in a CRM helps you and your manager see your activity.