Confidentially Marketing Your Business for Sale
Selling your business is a major decision.
Your business will be marketed in complete confidentiality - Sunbelt's intermediaries understand the importance of maintaining the ongoing operation of the business. Utilizing the services of a Sunbelt intermediary will insure that your business is properly prepared, packaged and marketed to the largest number of prospective buyers. The Selling Process
- Prepare to sell: Once you have decided to sell, you need to begin getting ready to present your business to prospective buyers.
- Organize financial records: Three years tax returns and financial statements will be needed to demonstrate the financial history of the business.
- Clean up & repair equipment: The first impression is very important to a buyer. Your business should appear well organized and clean with all equipment in operating condition.
- Normalize inventory: Salable inventory will be included in the sale. Remove any stale or obsolete inventory.
- Evaluate you financial needs after the sale.
- Retain Sunbelt to market and sell your business:
- Schedule a meeting with a Sunbelt broker to discuss objectives.
- Discuss valuation, salability, marketing and buyer expectations.
- Execute Sunbelt representation agreement.
- Complete valuation:
- Understand valuation techniques: Your Sunbelt broker will provide an opinion of value with no cost or obligation to you.
- Engage third-party appraisal firm: A third-party independent appraisal is highly recommended but not required.
- Determine asking price
- Create business profile:
- Detailed historical performance: How did your business get from start-up to where it is today?
- Identify growth opportunities.
- Market the business:
- Develop a marketing strategy utilizing proven Sunbelt marketing techniques.
- Maintain confidentiality.
- Manage your business during the marketing period.
- Identify buyers:
- Pre-qualify prospective buyers. All buyer candidates screened to insure they have the financial capability and background needed to buy your business.
- Obtain confidentiality agreement from prospective buyer.
- Arrange on-site meeting with buyer at the sellers convenience in order to maintain confidentiality.
- Present offers:
- Obtain offers from prospective buyers.
- Evaluate offer to accept or counter-offer.
- Facilitate negotiations of terms & conditions of offer.
- Prepare for due diligence.
- Due diligence:
- Respond to request for information from buyer.
- Review offer with attorney and amend if necessary.
- Assist buyer with information needed for financing.
- Closing attorney/escrow:
- Prepare closing documents for review by both parties.
- Review completed closing documents.
- Resolve any remaining contingencies.
- Closing:
- Plan announcement to employees.
- Sign closing documents and transfer funds.
- Transition management to buyer.
Interested in learning more about selling your business? Call or contact us today!