Don't Put Your Hard Work At Risk

SELLING

Options
Sellers have the following 3 options when considering the potential sale of their company:

1. Sell by themselves, usually to a competitor
2. Sell with the assistance of their attorney, accountant, or other advisor
3. Sell by utilizing the services of a professional business broker or business intermediary

Each year, most businesses that are sold in the United States are sold via options 1 or 2 and the sale price is quite often significantly lower than the price that could be obtained by a professional intermediary under option 3. Two of the primary reasons for this are due to the fact that the Seller is simply not aware of option 3 or the Seller believes the fee or commission that will be charged by the professional intermediary is too high. The statistics tell the whole truth. Sellers who engage a professional intermediary generally walk away from the closing table with more money, even after the professional's fee or commission is paid at closing. In reality, the Seller is paying a steep commission by not selecting a professional intermediary to represent them in the marketplace.

Phases of Selling a Business
Selling a business is a lengthy process. The process is a full-time job that requires a professional intermediary to assist you in maximizing the sale price of your company. We categorize the process into 3 phases:

Preparation Phase	Marketing Phase	Closing Phase
(1 - 3 months)	(3 - 6 months)	(1 - 3 months)
• Define your objectives	• Local & national marketing	• Due diligence
• Recast financial statements	• Confidentiality agreements	• Financing obtained
• Forecast future financial scenarios	• Buyers qualified	• Manage process to closing
• Determine estimated fair value	• Consultations & buyer visits	• Final closing
• Prepare third party valuation	• Negotiate preliminary offers	• Post closing transition
• Prepare marketing package	• Obtain letters of intent

Conclusion
Just like a house, car, etc., a business will sell for a range of potential values. For example, a company may have a potential sale price of $3 to $5 million. You can choose to sell your business via option 1 or 2 above. This approach typically results in a sale price at the lower end of the range. By choosing Southern Business Advisors under option 3, our goal is to focus on the upper range and negotiate the highest possible price for your company. We work very hard to protect your business investment and pledge to maintain high ethical standards and open and honest communications in all of our business relationships. To learn how we can help you achieve your goals, please click on Contact Us and complete the information requested.

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