How to Prepare for DealMAX: A Timeline From November to May
How to prepare for DealMAX 2027: when to register, how to use ACG Access, who to book, a day plan for the ARIA Lounges, and a meeting request template.
By Brett Kaufman. 8 years using relationships to build sales pipelines, from political fundraising to a 7 figure business to running matchmaking for two communities. Over 1,000 introductions facilitated.
How to prepare for DealMAX: register when ACG opens registration in November, build a list of about 30 people tied to deals you want this year, request meetings in ACG Access early, and leave open time in the Lounges. Write one line on why each person matters, so your follow up is ready before you land.
It is April. Your ACG Access calendar has 22 meetings on it, most of them inbound requests you accepted because saying no felt rude. You have not looked up half of them. The banker you actually wanted to see never answered, and you never sent a second request.
I run matchmaking for two communities, so I think a lot about who should be in the same room and why. Here is how I would prepare for this one.
What do you need to know about DealMAX 2027?
DealMAX is ACG’s national middle market conference, and it runs on scheduled 1:1 meetings. The official site lists DealMAX 2027 for May 3 to 5, 2027 at ARIA Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, with registration opening in November and ACG members able to save up to $800 on registration. ACG’s about page describes 3,500+ attendees: private equity, investment bankers, accounting and advisory firms, law firms, lenders and consultants.
Meetings are booked in ACG Access, which, per the experience page, lets you “browse the full attendee list, book 1:1 meetings, and manage your calendar.” They happen in the DealMAX Lounges, which ACG calls the central hubs, plus a new Third Floor Lounge.
This page is the prep. For what to do after Vegas, see DealMAX follow up.
How to prepare for DealMAX: how far ahead should you start?
Start in November and do most of the work in the six weeks before the event. Here is the timeline I would run.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| November | Register when it opens. Check ACG membership pricing first. |
| January to February | Write down the deals you want to source, sell or finance in the next 12 months. |
| Late February | List about 30 people who can move those deals, by name and firm. |
| When ACG Access opens to you | Log in, check the attendee list against your 30, and send requests the same week. |
| Four weeks out | Second request to anyone who has not answered. Accept or decline inbound requests within two days. |
| One week out | One line of research on every confirmed meeting. Block open Lounge time. |
| Sunday, May 2 | Pick up your badge. First timers: the reception runs 5:00 to 6:00 PM. |
The official site does not publish the date ACG Access opens, so watch for it once you register.
Who should you book at DealMAX?
Book from your deals, not from the attendee list. Most people scroll ACG Access and request anyone with a good title. You end up with a full calendar and no next steps.
Instead, for each deal you want in the next year, name the seat that moves it:
- Selling a business or running a process: the PE firms and strategics whose platforms fit, and the bankers who cover the sector.
- Buying: the bankers with mandates coming in your space, and the lenders you want in the stack before a term sheet exists.
- Raising for an independent sponsor deal: private equity and other equity partners with a stated check size.
- Reconnects: people you already know and have not seen in a year. These are the cheapest meetings at DealMAX.
The general research method is in how to prepare for an M&A conference. The DealMAX twist is scale. With 3,500 people, the list has to be short or it is useless.
What should a DealMAX meeting request say?
One specific reason, one deal or buy box, and a time. Here is a template, under 40 words:
[Name], we are buying [sector] businesses, $3M to $10M EBITDA. Saw you sold [company] last year. Worth 20 minutes in the Lounge Tuesday morning? Happy to work around your calendar.
ACG’s first time attendee page says to “send targeted meeting requests, respond promptly to inbound requests and build a schedule that supports your goals.” Respond to inbound requests fast, even with a no. For more on request wording across events, see how to schedule meetings at a conference.
How should you plan your days at ARIA?
Fill the Lounge hours with must haves and leave real gaps. The same ACG page says experienced attendees recommend leaving space in your calendar, because many connections come from hallway run ins and quick introductions.
Per the 2027 schedule:
| Day | Lounge and networking | How I would use it |
|---|---|---|
| Sun, May 2 | Registration 2:00 to 6:30 PM, First Time Attendee Reception 5:00 to 6:00 PM | Badge, walk the Lounges, confirm Monday |
| Mon, May 3 | Lounge 7:45 AM to 5:00 PM, Opening Party 5:00 to 7:00 PM | Heaviest meeting day, two open blocks |
| Tue, May 4 | Lounge 7:45 AM to 5:00 PM, Lounge Happy Hour 3:30 to 5:00 PM | Second meetings, intros you promised Monday |
| Wed, May 5 | Lounge 7:45 to 11:00 AM | Reconnects and anyone you missed |
What should you prepare for capture before you go?
Decide now how you will capture each meeting in 10 seconds, because back to back tables erase each other. One sentence per person: who, what they need, what you promised. Badge photo. Tag it DealMAX. The method is in the conference follow up system, which covers before, during and the 48 hours after.
Your prep checklist for the week before:
- 30 names, each with a one line reason tied to a deal
- Confirmed meetings with one researched fact each
- Two open blocks per full Lounge day
- A capture method you will actually use standing up
- A list of intros you plan to offer, so you can make them on the spot
The system that does this for you
I built FRONT OF MIND because I watched people meet the right person, have a real conversation, then disappear for months. Before Vegas, ask Liala “who do I know that is a lender for industrial services” and get the right people with why. At the event, say a name and a sentence out loud, snap the badge, or take a selfie together, and it is filed under DealMAX.
The morning after, it opens on your 10 minutes for today, with each person’s reason and a drafted text of 40 words or less. Nothing sends without your tap. It runs in your phone browser and saves to your home screen. Your contacts are encrypted. No one on our team looks at them, and you can export or delete anytime.
Start free with your first 25 contacts and see who comes up first before you book a single meeting.