Put this into practice with Resquared
Resquared is the AI sales platform built for selling to local businesses: the most complete local business database, verified contacts, and outreach written and followed up in your name.
- Verified emails and phone numbers, with owner and staff names on premium plans
- Filter by radius, category, business size, hours and recent reviews
- AI writes each email in your name from the business's own details
- Automated follow-ups that stop when someone replies; replies land in your inbox
Every digital footprint of every brick-and-mortar business, resolved into one record and checked source by source.
See how it worksSmall-space tenants are usually local operators rather than national chains. Resquared's database lists 1,346,687 retail shops in the US and Canada, and 75% of those listed shops are independent. Local-business data is therefore more useful than sources built around corporate profiles and large lease transactions.
Build a focused list for each vacancy. Search within a practical radius, often 10-15 miles, for categories that fit the space, build-out and restrictions. Prioritize independent businesses and regional operators with a few locations. Use recent reviews, business hours and current locations as signals that they are active, but do not over-filter before testing outreach.
Contact prospects through short email sequences, calls, manual social messages and visits. Keep the first email plain text, mention the area and type of space, and ask whether they plan to expand or relocate. Leave out the exact address, size and price until they reply, then call qualified respondents and ask about their broader space needs.
What to do
- Define the suitable uses, build-out advantages, exclusions and realistic trade area for the vacancy.
- Create separate prospect lists by tenant category and search within a practical local radius.
- Review obvious mismatches, then prioritize independents and regional operators whose current locations resemble the available space.
- Send a 3-email sequence spaced about three days apart, using a plain subject line and one easy question.
- Call positive replies promptly, then use manual social outreach and canvassing to reinforce the email campaign.
Related questions
Are map listings enough to build a tenant list?
They are useful for discovery, but they require manual work to classify businesses, find contact details and track outreach. A local-business platform combines those records with filters, contact data and campaign workflows.
Should I target national chains or independent businesses?
For most small spaces, prioritize independents and proven regional operators with a few locations. National chains can still fit, but their location decisions usually require a different outreach process.
What should the first tenant-prospecting email include?
Mention the area, the type of space and one relevant property or neighborhood benefit. Ask whether the business is considering expansion or relocation, without attaching a flyer or listing every deal term.