The Marketing Playbook For Private Equity in 2025 with Joanne Verkuilen
Is your Private Equity firm invisible? You might be missing 80% of the deals you should see. Today, discover why traditional PE outreach isn't enough and how strategic marketing is now essential for competitive deal flow as Joanne Verkuilen, Founder and Managing Partner at MiddleM Creative, reveals the playbook.
Private equity faces intense competition, making deal flow the top challenge. Yet many firms still think marketing is just having a decent website or occasional email blast. This outdated view means missed opportunities and wasted BD effort. You might be completely invisible to intermediaries and founders holding deals perfectly suited for your strategy.
But the landscape has shifted dramatically. Relying solely on old relationship models or basic websites isn't sustainable when capital deployment pressure is high. Firms that don't adapt risk falling behind, struggling to find the right deals, and failing to convince founders they're the best partner. Strategic, multi-channel marketing is no longer optional; it’s the answer to being seen, building trust, and winning in today's market.
🎯 KEY EPISODE TAKEAWAYS:
📉 DEAL FLOW DANGER ZONE [5:30]:
"Something between like 80% and 82% of the time firms will not see deals in their wheelhouse... For me that is like such a red flag."
Stop missing out. Learn why unclear messaging means you're likely invisible for the vast majority of relevant deals and how fixing this is critical.
🤝 WINNING FOUNDER TRUST [27:01]:
"If you can really convince and get excited with your prospect that you really know their industry and you can really add value and help them grow their business, that is like probably number one usually that we hear from as in terms of criteria... And that's what a founder cares about."
Win more deals by connecting deeply. Discover why showcasing sector expertise and genuine partnership matters more than ever to founders.
📢 EXPAND YOUR TOUCHPOINTS [36:19]:
"Your marketing shouldn't be just email... Luckily we have LinkedIn... that's a place too that we try to leverage with our storylines and with the messaging and just staying in touch and using broader communication elements."
Expand your reach beyond the inbox. See how consistent presence on platforms like LinkedIn and strategic PR keeps you top-of-mind between meetings.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Building a Private Equity Brand with the Three Cs
01:08 - Why Marketing is Key to Improving Deal Flow
03:27 - Aligning Marketing Strategy with BD for Competitive Edge
04:56 - The 80% Deal Miss Rate and How to Fix It
07:13 - Full Service Marketing Tools That PE Firms Actually Use
08:55 - How PE Marketing Has Evolved in the Last Decade
12:30 - Marketing as the Awareness Engine for BD Success
14:54 - PR and Thought Leadership as Deal Sourcing Levers
17:53 - Why PE Firms with BD Teams See Higher AUM Growth
24:57 - What Founders Really Want from a PE Partner
34:59 - Cutting Through the Noise with Clear, Confident Messaging
39:24 - The Highest ROI Channels
43:07 - Using Video to Humanize the PE Brand
46:35 - Should PE Firms Develop a Public Brand Personality?
48:53 - Humanizing Private Equity Through Values-Based Storytelling
49:27 - Structuring Your PE Marketing and BD Team from Day One
🔗 CONNECT WITH JOANNE VERKUILEN:
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanneverkuilen/
• MiddleM: https://www.middlemcreative.com/
