Learn about 12 steps to selling your business:
Note: All your company information will be handled discreetly and responsibly and we are happy to sign a confidentiality agreement with you. Please inquire about this in your first communication with us.
Step 1: Please fill out the form on this page, call or send us an email.
We know that for some filling out the form or making the call is the toughest step if all. Making the decision to sell a business is not easy for some owners. As a business owner you are your business and letting go can sometimes be very difficult. Owners usually make the decision to sell their businesses for personal reasons, such as retirement, health problems, partner issues and family concerns. Whatever your personal reasons are, we respect how difficult it can be to take this very important step and we are ready to help you as best we can.
Step 2: After we have communicated, we will arrange a confidential meeting with you.
If you think that your company and our services may be a good match. We hold this meeting at either your business so you can show us around or we meet at our office in Sudbury. It can also start with a simple phone call and discussion. We’ll get to know each other better at this meeting. We understand that you need to feel comfortable with us. This will give you an opportunity to learn more about us and to discuss the business sales process. It is also a way for us to learn more about your business and you. Every business is different and no business is perfect. We’ll use this time to begin strategizing about what we need to do to maximize the sale value of your company.
Step 3: If we have already had a chance to preview your financials, we'll discuss a preliminary valuation range for your business.
We’d also like to get an idea of what you think your business is worth. We can give you some feedback about the current market for your business. Who are the buyers? What skills will they need? How will they pay for the business? What can you expect down the road? We’ll answer these questions and more!
Step 4: Feel free to ask us questions at this first meeting.
Nothing is off limits. There are no secrets. The more you know, the better we can work together. You should always feel that you can communicate with us about anything that is of concern to you.
Step 5: We'll construct a financial analysis of your business.
Keep in mind that your accountant prepares your tax returns with the goal of showing as little profit as possible in order to reduce your taxes. We do the exact opposite and reconstruct your tax return or profit and loss statement to show the TRUE earnings power of your business! If you don’t toot your own horn, no one will do it for you! Its up to us to find out what is great about your business and make sure that prospective buyers will learn about it.
Step 6: We'll create a solid marketing piece for your business.
This marketing piece (known as a CBR or CIM) takes a lot of time and effort to put together. It will describe how your business works and what is truly GREAT about it. By now we will have learned a lot about your business so we’ll be able to get started on this right away. The marketing piece that we design will really need to inspire buyers to want to take the next steps in pursuing the purchase of your business. Your business needs to stand out from the others that the buyer is considering. You will help us in this process by supplying valuable information about the various aspects of you business.
Step 7: We'll advertise your business in a VERY confidential manner.
This is what business brokers do – create a market for something that is completely confidential! All buyers will be required to sign our non-disclosure/confidentiality agreement. We will also qualify the buyers in order to get a feel for their financial ability to purchase your business. Only buyers that have agreed to keep things secret will learn from us that your business is for sale. We also will be careful about other confidential aspects of your business such as customer and supplier lists during the sale process. Maintaining the confidentiality of your business sale is our top priority.
Step 8: We'll market your business to our database of thousands of buyers in the Massachusetts area.
These are REAL buyers, most of whom, we have communicated with directly in the past. (They aren’t from a purchased list.) We know many of these buyers personally. The database includes buyers for every type and size of business. This is a great way to attract strong simultaneous interest in your business in order to promote competition.
Step 9: We'll arrange meetings with the BEST buyers.
As we begin working with the most suitable buyers for your business, we’ll most likely set up meetings so they can meet you and ask you questions about your business. These meetings are always discreetly planned so that your employees never find out you are selling your business. We frequently meet at our office or possibly after hours or off-site at your business if there isn’t a convenient way for us to talk during regular hours there. We are always present at these meetings because we want to make sure that things are run effectively and productively.
Step 10: The offers for your business will start coming in..
If we’ve done a good job of pricing, describing, and marketing your business, there will be interested buyers. We will provide advice and guidance to you on how to best respond to the offers based on the proposed price and structure.
Step 11: Assist you in your negotiations with your buyers.
We are your agent, and we work for you. Our job is to help you negotiate a deal that really works. Using an intermediary always helps negotiate a better sale of your business. We can discuss this directly with you.
Step 12: We'll work with the attorneys and accountants, put out the fires and do all we can to help make sure your deal closes.
Since we work on a success fee basis, you can be sure that we will be highly committed to a successful conclusion of your transaction.
