An entrepreneur or business owner may be an expert at running their business but often is not knowledgeable about the selling or purchasing process or what strategies may be adopted to maximize the value on a particular transaction.
As business consultants, we have numerous vendors with great businesses who come to us after failing to sell their businesses on their own after wasting much time, effort and money along the way. The flaw in their effort to sell usually comes down to the same five basic elements:
- no professional presentation of the business;
- poorly presented financial information;
- pricing the business wrong or at unrealistic values;
- not understanding how to find, target and work with prospective purchasers and get a deal to closing; and
- failing to have the blend of skills of an accountant, valuer, advertising executive, salesperson, networker, confidentiality agent, hardnosed negotiator, great closer, lawyer while still running their business.
A business broker can assist the vendor or purchaser in achieving their commercial objectives in a timely manner. Their role is critical to the sale or purchase process and often includes the following elements which are usually overlooked, or not done well, by a client trying to manage the process on their own.
Market Appraiser
Purchasers often expect to get a bargain if the sale is conducted privately rather than through a business broker so you may find that the price people are prepared to pay may be significantly lower than if you use a professional business broker to assist in the sale process.
Similarly, when using a business broker as a purchaser’s advocate, that is acting for a purchaser in sourcing a particular type of business for purchase, the purchaser often is able to negotiate better terms in respect of the purchase as a result of the professional advice and knowledge they receive from the business broker.
Confidentiality
A business owner may experience disastrous results if it is leaked that a business is for sale. Employees, customers, suppliers and competitors’ relationships may be damaged resulting in a negative impact on the business operations and/or potentially gravely affecting the sales process or sale price which may have otherwise been achieved. A business broker should preserve the confidentiality of the vendor during the process of marketing the business and only share information firstly, once a Confidentiality Deed has been signed and returned and secondly, on a strict need to know basis.
Marketer
Our proven process produces the best results, far more effectively than any vendor could manage on an individual basis. Our reach to potential purchasers is extensive – we have access to many sophisticated investors, high net worth individuals, private equity groups and other investors who are seriously searching and capable of purchasing the business.
Advisor
Obtaining the right advice can make a huge difference to your sale price. As an intermediary, a business broker will provide the business owner with strategic information regarding market timing, market conditions, market price, financing options, structuring the transaction and other information that is advantageous to the owner which they would otherwise not have access to.
Qualifier
A business broker will qualify prospective purchasers to save you time and provide you with a more relevant shortlist of interested parties which you are unlikely to have access to. We can help maintain confidentiality, identifying the business only to qualified prospective purchasers by screening prospects and phasing the release of information.
Facilitator
A business broker should continually facilitate and move the transaction forward with qualified parties, financing resources and ancillary associations to achieve our your objectives. Procrastination, delay, lack of knowledge and expertise may be critical factors which result in a transaction ‘falling over’.
By engaging a reputable business broker you can rest assured that our consultants are doing their very best to achieve the outcomes you seek whilst allowing you to focus on running your business or engaging in other interests. If you sell the business yourself the time required to effectively manage this process will force you to take your eye off the day-to-day operations and the drop-off in business could ultimately result in a significant decline in the value of your company. We work to secure the best deal, and reduce the time and effort you have to spend to do so allowing you to focus on running the business and reducing the risk of erosion during the sales process.
Negotiator
Selling or purchasing a business is often emotional and exhausting for the business owner. Negotiating the terms of a sale or purchase of business is complex and a mistake in this process may be extremely costly. We have the knowledge and experience in negotiating price, terms, and other key aspects of the sale. Our business consultants will act on behalf of the client and will establish a strong negotiating position without compromising the goodwill and relationships between the principal parties. An intermediary will increase the opportunity to obtain the best outcome in respect of well-defined objectives. We draw on our multi-disciplinary skills and experience to ensure you get the best outcome from your sale or purchase of business.
Closer
We will work with the vendor through all aspects of the search, offer, due diligence and closing of a transaction. Working with our business consultants provides significant advantage that can literally make the difference between a successful outcome and a failed deal!
Source of resources
A business broker is a skilled professional in mergers and acquisitions / divestments and has established relationships with many professional organisations which may assist in different aspects of the transaction. These relationships will prove to be extremely beneficial to the business owner and other clients as they add value and assist in providing a smooth outcome for the parties involved.
Our business is proudly connected with the following peak industry associations by way of individual memberships: