--- title: How to use the LOI builder description: A step-by-step guide to drafting a letter of intent (LOI) with our free builder --- [Skip to content](https://help.acquire.com/how-to-use-the-loi-builder#main-content) English Show submenu for translations ![acquire.blog.png\]](https://help.acquire.com/hs-fs/hubfs/acquire.blog.png?height=40&name=acquire.blog.png) Open main navigation Close main navigation - English Show submenu for translations - acquire.com acquire.com How can we help? - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [Buying](https://help.acquire.com/buying?hsLang=en) 2. [Making an offer](https://help.acquire.com/buying?hsLang=en#making-an-offer) # How to use the LOI builder ## A step-by-step guide to drafting a letter of intent (LOI) with our free builder **Last updated: November 22nd, 2023** Found a startup you like? Draft, sign, and send your letter of intent (LOI) in minutes with our LOI builder.  No need to mess around with legal templates and email attachments. Make your initial acquisition offer and get one step closer to a life-changing acquisition. Watch the video below to see Nathan from our product team build a sample LOI.  ### How to use our LOI builder 1\. Go to **My Deals** and select the startup you want to acquire.  ![make offer 1.1](https://help.acquire.com/hs-fs/hubfs/make%20offer%201.1.png?width=688&height=390&name=make%20offer%201.1.png) 2\. Click **Make offer**. ![make offer 1.0](https://help.acquire.com/hs-fs/hubfs/make%20offer%201.0.png?width=688&height=389&name=make%20offer%201.0.png) 3\. Click **Build an LOI**. ![build loi 1.0-1](https://help.acquire.com/hs-fs/hubfs/build%20loi%201.0-1.png?width=688&height=397&name=build%20loi%201.0-1.png) 4\. Enter your purchase price.  - Click **All cash, due at closing **if you're paying the full purchase price in cash, OR - Click **Additional** **payment terms post-closing** if you've agreed post-closing terms. ![build loi 1.1](https://help.acquire.com/hs-fs/hubfs/build%20loi%201.1.png?width=688&height=393&name=build%20loi%201.1.png) 5\. If you selected **Additional payment terms,** enter the closing payment amount (minimum 10 percent of the purchase price). ![build loi 1.3](https://help.acquire.com/hs-fs/hubfs/build%20loi%201.3.png?width=688&height=399&name=build%20loi%201.3.png) 6\. If you selected **Additional payment terms,** select your post-closing payment terms. Click **Seller financing** or **Conditional holdback** and fill in the prompts.  ![build loi 1.4](https://help.acquire.com/hs-fs/hubfs/build%20loi%201.4.png?width=688&height=396&name=build%20loi%201.4.png) 7\. For **Seller financing:** - Enter how much seller financing you need - How often you want to make payments - The number of total payments - The interest rate percentage  ![build loi 1.5](https://help.acquire.com/hs-fs/hubfs/build%20loi%201.5.png?width=688&height=397&name=build%20loi%201.5.png) 8. For **Conditional holdback**:  - Enter the amount you want to hold back - The length of the holdback period - The holdback conditions Don't add a holdback if you’re financing the acquisition with an SBA loan. ![build loi 1.6](https://help.acquire.com/hs-fs/hubfs/build%20loi%201.6.png?width=688&height=398&name=build%20loi%201.6.png) 9\. Select any closing conditions you want to add to your offer.  Consider including transition services, non-competition and non-solicitation agreements, or additional closing conditions.   ![build loi 1.7](https://help.acquire.com/hs-fs/hubfs/build%20loi%201.7.png?width=688&height=399&name=build%20loi%201.7.png) 10\. If you selected **post-closing transition services**, enter the names of the employees who will provide these services (including the founder or seller).  ![build loi 1.8](https://help.acquire.com/hs-fs/hubfs/build%20loi%201.8.png?width=688&height=397&name=build%20loi%201.8.png) 11\. If you selected **non-competition and non-solicitation agreements**, enter the names of the employees who will enter these agreements with you (including the founder or seller). Specify the duration of the agreements for each employee.  ![build loi 1.9](https://help.acquire.com/hs-fs/hubfs/build%20loi%201.9.png?width=688&height=398&name=build%20loi%201.9.png) 12\. If you selected **Additional closing conditions**, enter them in the boxes to the right.  ![build loi 2.0](https://help.acquire.com/hs-fs/hubfs/build%20loi%202.0.png?width=688&height=394&name=build%20loi%202.0.png) 13\. Enter the **governing law jurisdiction** in the box under **Additional terms**. ![build loi 2.1](https://help.acquire.com/hs-fs/hubfs/build%20loi%202.1.png?width=688&height=396&name=build%20loi%202.1.png) 14\. Review the LOI on the builder page or click **Download** to view the offer as a PDF.  ![build loi 2.2-1](https://help.acquire.com/hs-fs/hubfs/build%20loi%202.2-1.png?width=688&height=393&name=build%20loi%202.2-1.png) 15\. If you want to edit the LOI, select the down arrow next to each section, review the terms, and click **Edit**. ![build loi 2.3](https://help.acquire.com/hs-fs/hubfs/build%20loi%202.3.png?width=688&height=396&name=build%20loi%202.3.png) 16\. Type your signature in the box. If you're signing on your own behalf, click **As an individual** and type your first and last names into the boxes.  ![build loi 2.4](https://help.acquire.com/hs-fs/hubfs/build%20loi%202.4.png?width=688&height=398&name=build%20loi%202.4.png) 17\. If you're signing on behalf of a company, click **As a company **and enter the business entity name and your job title.  ![build loi 2.5](https://help.acquire.com/hs-fs/hubfs/build%20loi%202.5.png?width=688&height=402&name=build%20loi%202.5.png) 18\. Download a copy of the LOI for your records and type a message to the seller. Click **Send LOI**. Please never send an LOI without first speaking with the seller. It's not only bad form, but it suggests you have no interest in learning more about the founder or their business. Few sellers, if any, will respond to an unsolicited LOI.  ![build loi 2.6](https://help.acquire.com/hs-fs/hubfs/build%20loi%202.6.png?width=688&height=403&name=build%20loi%202.6.png) 19\. Sit back and wait for the seller to respond. They’ll either accept or reject your LOI.  ![loi 0-1](https://help.acquire.com/hs-fs/hubfs/loi%200-1.png?width=688&height=391&name=loi%200-1.png) If they reject it, you can revise and build a new offer. If they accept it, you’ll move on to final negotiations and then drafting the asset purchase agreement (APA).  ### Still need help? Please [search the help desk again](https://help.acquire.com/?hsLang=en) or contact support at support@acquire.com. - [Buying](https://help.acquire.com/buying?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Getting started](https://help.acquire.com/buying?hsLang=en#getting-started) - [Financing](https://help.acquire.com/buying?hsLang=en#financing) - [Finding a startup](https://help.acquire.com/buying?hsLang=en#finding-a-startup) - [Evaluating startups](https://help.acquire.com/buying?hsLang=en#evaluating-startups) - [Making an offer](https://help.acquire.com/buying?hsLang=en#making-an-offer) - [Due diligence](https://help.acquire.com/buying?hsLang=en#due-diligence) - [Escrow & closing](https://help.acquire.com/buying?hsLang=en#escrow-closing) - [After acquisition](https://help.acquire.com/buying?hsLang=en#after-acquisition) - [FAQs](https://help.acquire.com/buying?hsLang=en#faqs) - [Formalizing your offer](https://help.acquire.com/buying?hsLang=en#formalizing-your-offer) - [Selling](https://help.acquire.com/selling?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Getting started](https://help.acquire.com/selling?hsLang=en#getting-started) - [Listing](https://help.acquire.com/selling?hsLang=en#listing) - [Insights](https://help.acquire.com/selling?hsLang=en#insights) - [Evaluating buyers](https://help.acquire.com/selling?hsLang=en#evaluating-buyers) - [Fielding offers](https://help.acquire.com/selling?hsLang=en#fielding-offers) - [Due diligence](https://help.acquire.com/selling?hsLang=en#due-diligence) - [Escrow & closing](https://help.acquire.com/selling?hsLang=en#escrow-closing) - [After acquisition](https://help.acquire.com/selling?hsLang=en#after-acquisition) - [FAQs](https://help.acquire.com/selling?hsLang=en#faqs) - [Acquisition Tips](https://help.acquire.com/selling?hsLang=en#acquisition-tips) - [APA](https://help.acquire.com/selling?hsLang=en#apa) - [Account](https://help.acquire.com/account?hsLang=en) - [Resources](https://help.acquire.com/resources?hsLang=en) - [Mini Courses](https://help.acquire.com/mini-courses?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Negotiations](https://help.acquire.com/mini-courses?hsLang=en#negotiations) - [Preparation](https://help.acquire.com/mini-courses?hsLang=en#preparation) [![Chill listening crop-3](https://help.acquire.com/hs-fs/hubfs/acquire-logo-cobalt_3@3x.png?width=115&height=24&name=acquire-logo-cobalt_3@3x.png "Chill listening crop-3")](https://www.acquire.com) Copyright © 2026, Acquire.com ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "VideoObject", "contentUrl" : "https://19985776.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/19985776/LOI.mp4", "dateModified" : "2023-10-09T21:35:10.335Z", "duration" : "PT3M23S", "height" : 1440, "name" : "LOI", "thumbnailUrl" : "https://19985776.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/19985776/LOI.mp4/medium.jpg", "uploadDate" : "2023-10-09T21:34:59.630Z", "width" : 2506 } ```