Business brokers are of great help when you are buying or selling a business. They serve as the middleman between you and the other parties involved. Their knowledge and expertise help facilitate successful transactions. What tasks might they take on?
Valuing Businesses For Sale
You should always meet with a business broker to have the organization valued. They appropriately apply accepted valuation methods like discounted cash flows, comparable transactions, and precedent transactions. Their expertise allows them to accurately assess the marketability and fair market value of a company.
They offset your natural bias and provide a neutral perspective on the company’s worth. This prevents overinflating or undervaluing, both detrimental if transacting. It lends credibility to potential buyers. Additionally, the broker manages the tactical work, including modeling financials, analyzing peers, meeting buyers, and negotiating offers.
Marketing the Business
Business brokers create marketing materials to promote the business. With the materials, buyers can get relevant information in one location to determine if they want to learn more. The broker lists the business on popular online marketplaces and taps into their network. Thanks to their experience and contacts, they know who may have an interest in acquiring the business. They pitch the listing directly to promising leads. Attending industry events and conferences allows brokers to further network face-to-face with potential buyers.
A broker will run targeted email campaigns that entice buyers by summarizing the key opportunities. By casting a wide net across multiple marketing channels, the most successful brokers can gain maximum visibility for a business listing and connect with those buyers who are best positioned to purchase it.
Using several concurrent promotional strategies allows brokers to widely disseminate listing information as well as directly engage the most likely buyer prospects.
Screening and Meeting Potential Buyers
When interest is expressed in a listed business, the broker screens buyer leads through initial calls and meetings. They ensure buyers have the financial capacity to fund the purchase and have any necessary industry experience or licenses to operate the business. Qualified, serious buyers are then provided confidential information after signing non-disclosure agreements permitting due diligence.
Facilitating Due Diligence
Sellers must share all financial and legal information with a potential buyer. The broker helps facilitate this process. They act as the middleman and ensure all documents are shared promptly.
Negotiations
Business brokers handle negotiations on behalf of clients. They relay offers and counteroffers, keep both sides informed on where the other stands, and help mediate any sticking points or disagreements. Their negotiating skills and insight into fair valuation help lead to mutually acceptable sale terms and conditions for a successful closing.
Coordinating Closing Details
As a transaction moves to close, business brokers oversee many key details. This includes coordinating lawyers to prepare sales agreements reflecting negotiated terms, helping arrange financing or seller carryback loans, allocating any transfer taxes, guiding any employee retention or transition plans, advising on communication plans to key stakeholders, and more. They keep the process moving smoothly.
Providing Closing Support
Business brokers provide guidance and support to buyers and sellers up to and after the closing date. They work closely with lawyers as contracts are signed and sale proceeds are exchanged. Post-closing, they help address any transition questions and issues, provide consulting on operating the business, and ensure both parties feel the process is complete. This level of support is valued.
Business brokers take on many tasks, and buyers and sellers find them to be of great help throughout this process. From locating potential deals through due diligence, negotiations, closing, and post-sale support, business brokers draw on their financial, legal, operational, and industry experience to facilitate smooth transfers of business ownership.
With demand strong for both purchasing and selling small to medium enterprises, professional business brokers are essential intermediaries helping owners sell their life’s work and new entrepreneurs pursue their dreams.
