Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory

A Neumann & Associates, LLC

July 22, 2020

The Most Important Things to Know About Buyer Concerns When Selling Your Business

By Achim Neumann

When selling a business, the better your understanding of a buyers’ approach to the market, the better able you will be to maximize the ultimate sale price of your company when you decide to exit. This rule is especially true in the current economic climate.

Before buying a company during a period of economic uncertainty, there are a number of factors for deal makers to consider. The reality is that most business owners cannot negotiate from a position of strength unless they have a thorough understanding of the key issues impacting deals today from the perspective of the buyer.

To adequately address buyer concerns during the negotiation phase, the following three factors – among many factors – are important to consider at the moment.

Innovation

Always remember that buyers are interested in buying a company that will be successful in the future, not one that has simply been successful in the past. While this has always been true, it is especially pertinent when you are negotiating with buyers today. If you have innovated or come up with strategies that have helped you survive during challenging times in the past, you should use this to your advantage. If you have adapted to the new normal of the pandemic we are currently in and have thrived, you should not be shy in making buyers aware of what you have achieved and how it will set the company up for future uncertainties until things go back to normal, if and when they do.

Do not simply assume buyers will understand the work that you have provided merely by reading the marketing documentation you present. Show that you are proud of what you have done and how the changes you have made have created a business that is resilient

Disaster Planning and Business Continuity

If this pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that even the smallest business operations need to engage in disaster planning within its operations to ensure business continuity. The economic outlook for the near future is looking uncertain, and this pandemic certainly is not the last major disruption a business will face –the specter of climate change is set to increase the incidence of wildfires, floods, hurricanes, and dozens of other potential interruptions to business that will have to be navigated somehow.

This pandemic has brought into sharp relief the importance of having good back-up plans, remote work sites, and other documented ways of doing business when disaster strikes. Having worked your way through this one, make sure you document how you did it and how you intend to prepare for the next one.

Supply Chain Diversification

The third factor that you should be aware of is supply chain diversification. The importance of supply chain diversification cannot be overstated. As the Japanese Tsunami in March of 2011 and the trade wars over the past year have clearly demonstrated, having multiple supply chains in varied locations is a crucial component of a resilient business.

During the sale process, buyers will examine your business and assess the strength of your supply chain. If your business depends heavily on a small number of large suppliers, it is wise to consider diversifying your supply chain. A diverse supply chain will be attractive to buyers because it shows that a business is well-positioned to weather future disasters.

Buyers will always look for ways to reduce the risk of acquiring a business. They will turn over every stone to ensure that a new company has everything in place to allow it to flourish once they have taken control at boardroom level. This is when due diligence becomes paramount.

In times of economic uncertainty, the risks involved with business acquisition are significantly heightened. In the current climate, it is now more critical than ever to seek professional M&A advice long before you begin negotiating with buyers. We have yet to meet a business owner who was upset at creating an M&A strategy too soon.

If you are interested in obtaining the maximum value for your business at this challenging time, it is a wise choice to contact A. Neumann & Associates, LLC to arrange a meeting with an exit planning professional as soon as possible.

About A Neumann & Associates, LLC

A Neumann & Associates, LLC is a professional mergers & acquisitions and business brokerage firm having assisted business owners and buyers in the business valuation and business transfer process through its affiliations for the past 30 years. With an A+ Better Business Bureau rating, the company has senior trusted professionals with a deep knowledge based in multiple field offices along the East Coast and has performed hundreds of business valuations in its history. The firm’s competitive transaction fees are based on successfully completing transactions. For more information, please contact A Neumann & Associates at 732-872-6777 or info@neumannassociates.com

Comments are closed.

Any questions? Please contact us at 732-872-6777
Call Now

Client Testimonials

“ I appreciate your diligent approach to screening buyers and sellers as well as the high quality CIM that you produce.”

Andrey O, Investor

“Finally enjoying retirement after recently selling my business using the services of A Neumann & Associates. Joe Oddo provided the conduit to a successful transaction. Joe knew when to inject input and when to simply listen and allow the buyers to vent, step back and regroup. The outcome met our expectations and got us to the finish line, which included my staying with the company six months in order for the buyers to get their footing and keep our workforce in the loop. He helped at every step by providing his expert guidance & resources. Thank you!”

Emily Parker Myers, Co-Owner - Myers McRae

“I had been in touch with Karin and Gary from A Neumann & Associates regarding some opportunities and was looking forward to meeting with them. Hence, when they organized a seminar in Princeton, NJ, I was quick to sign up. The seminar was very informative as the team walked the attendees through various scenarios and referenced real life buying/selling situations they had been through. The sessions by Gary, Karin and Achim were crisp and focused and brought clarity to potential seller and buyers. I strongly recommend the team and look forward to continue working with them.”

Gaurav Tyagi

“Thank you for your Event on "How to value, Sell, and Buy A Business for Maximum Profit" and the insight into ANA’s approach on what is involved in the Business Exit for sellers. Garys Hervieiou's "Business Valuation", Achim's "Deal structure" presentation and Karin’s "Preparing the Package" are real street knowledge shared. They answered attendees questions which makes it more interesting for learning from others. Great for small businesses like us. The presentations were totally worth our time and travel for the event to Princeton, NJ from Rockville MD. Ravi Bhutani, President, CIPS”

Ravi Bhutani

“Gary, this is to thank you for an excellent job done in selling our business. We could never have done it without your professional expertise, dedication and time put in without reservation to make it happen. We will gladly and highly recommend you to anybody in our position.  It was a pleasure to work with you.”

Pat Iammatteo, Owner

“Your vetting is simply outstanding, among the best I've seen from a broker.”

Eric H., Investor

“I recently contacted A. Neumann and Associates about getting a valuation of my business done. I spoke with Marc, who explained the process in detail. After meeting with Marc in order to get a clear understanding of my business, and what I was hoping to accomplish. His patience in answering all my questions and his knowledge of the proper way to market my business gave me great confidence that this is the firm I will be using to sell my business for max value. Working with Marc at A Neumann & Associates was very easy and professional. I did not know all that was going to be involved in selling my business but they helped me through the process. What I thought was going to be a just another one of those pushy sales companies was just the opposite. Polite, knowledgeable, and a pleasure to talk to and deal with. I highly recommend this firm to anybody who wants to sell now or down the road. Marc not only knows his stuff, but actually is a real nice guy.”

Double Diamond

“Used A Neumann & Associates to sale my business. could not imagine having done it with out the patience and experience Gary provided. Thanks Gary,”

Dennis Frazier

“Working with Marc and his company was a pleasure. What I thought was going to be a just another one of those pushy sales companies was just the opposite. Polite, knowledgeable, and a pleasure to talk to and deal with. Marc handled most of the interaction and he has one of the greatest demeanors. Again, it was a pleasure working with him and his firm.”

Douglas DiCeglio

“I recently completed an acquisition using A Neumann & Associates. Tony Valentino was very helpful and accessible during the entire process. They do a thorough job vetting both parties and got us to the finish line.”

Srini Mudambi
view all testimonials

Contact A Neumann & Associates, LLC

If you are considering selling your business, please contact us to learn more about our comprehensive service spectrum. Our experienced professionals will answer all your questions about selling a privately held business in complete confidentiality. Please fill out our contact form, or call us at 732-872-6777. We will contact you directly and will never identify ourselves to your employees.

call us now
Contact Us for a Free, Confidential Consultation

Experienced M&A Advisors available

Full Name
Email Address
Phone Number
Message