04 Mar Around the Web: A Week in Summary
The following information has been sourced by Business Brokerage Press for the benefit of the business brokerage community. The views of these articles do not necessarily represent the views of Business Brokerage Press. We hope you find this information helpful.
A recent article from Inc. entitled “10 Keys to Selling Your Business for Profit and Satisfaction” offers tips for business owners considering an eventual sale. This monumental event has major ramifications for the seller, so taking the time to do it right is crucial.
When approaching the sale of your business, consider the following tips:
- Sell when you still have energy and passion, don’t wait until you are totally burnt out
- Limit who you tell about your intent to sell to just your business broker and serious buyers
- Enlist professional help
- Hire an experienced business broker to lead the process
- If your location is critical, secure a long-term lease
- Price the business based on a professional opinion, not just your opinion
- Require a signed NDA before releasing sensitive information
- Do your due diligence on the buyer
- Have a plan B such as multiple buyers or holding and growing
- Be careful if considering selling to an employee
Click here to read the full article.
A recent article from Viking Mergers & Acquisitions entitled “Why Confidentiality Counts When Selling Your Business” explains what a confidentiality agreement is and why it is so important for business owners seeking the sale of their business.
A confidentiality agreement, or non-disclosure agreement (NDA), protects the intellectual and property rights of a business that is for sale. Prospective buyers sign this agreement before getting deep into talks about the business.
Confidentiality agreements serve to:
- Secure sensitive information
- Ensure discretion during the sales process
- Protect details post-sale
Click here to read the full article.
A recent article from Divestopedia entitled “The Next Generation of Deal Making: M&A Technology in 2021” explores how artificial intelligence (AI) can be utilized by business owners relative to the sale of their business. While AI has begun to be deployed by some buyers, sellers for the most part have yet to jump in.
It’s not too late for sellers to get on board with AI. The use of AI by buyers so far is rather limited, so sellers aren’t too far in the hole yet. There are a couple of types of AI that sellers may consider.
Tactical AI can help sellers with proper timing. For example, there are tools that can help you figure out the sentiment of your customer base, of the investment community, and of the financial markets. Having a good understanding of these sentiments can help determine when it is the right time to sell and who a potential acquirer might be.
Strategic AI can help business owners make strategic decisions to foster a more successful sale down the road. Tools can help assess the long-term viability of a product or segment so that companies can make changes to strengthen the business and build more value. Taking it a step further, for owners who are looking at more distant sale might consider automation to increase operational efficiencies.
