Goodwill is a term that might cause a little confusion for some. But at its heart, it is a relatively straight-forward concept. Goodwill is generally viewed as a term that encapsulates everything from a business’s reputation to the goods, services and products it provides. The key idea is that there is goodwill if the business is viewed as a true and functioning business that has longevity in the marketplace. The Importance of Reputation It is important to point out that many of the aspects that go into defining goodwill are not easily noted on a balance sheet. One of those elements has already been mentioned in the form of reputation. A good reputation is an intangible asset that is hard to put an exact dollar amount on. Imagine that you had a choice between two businesses that were almost identical. However, one business enjoyed a strong reputation while the other had a reputation for poor customer service and goods and services. This decision would be an easy one for most … [Read more...]
What Makes a Deal Close?
For every reason that a pending sale of a business collapses, there is a positive reason why the sale closed successfully. What does it take for the sale of a business to close successfully? Certainly there are reasons that a sale might not close that are beyond anyone’s control. A fire, for example, the death of a principal, or a natural disaster such as a hurricane or tornado. There might be an environmental problem that the seller was unaware of when he or she decided to sell. Aside from these unplanned catastrophic events, deals abort because of the people involved. Here are a few examples of how a sale closes successfully. The Buyer and Seller Are in Agreement From the Beginning In too many cases, the buyer and seller really weren’t in agreement, or didn’t understand the terms of the sale. If an offer to purchase is too vague, or has too many loose ends, the sale can unravel somewhere along the line. However, if prior to the offer to purchase the loose ends are taken care … [Read more...]
Turn to the Professionals for Best Results
There is a direct relationship between the asking price and the amount of cash on the table at the time of the sale. Buyers and sellers alike should keep one fact in mind. Most businesses involve some level of seller financing. It is customary for both buyers and sellers to have concerns regarding this kind of financing; after all, sellers don’t want to take their businesses back from the buyer. Buyers want to generate enough money to help the business thrive and make a living. One proven way to ensure the successful sale of a business is to turn to the experts. Screen out Window Shoppers The simple and very established fact is that when you choose to work with the professionals, it can streamline the entire sales process. Business owners are typically very busy people. That means they don’t have time to waste with window shoppers. They also don’t want to divulge confidential information to parties that don’t … [Read more...]
Successfully Navigating Seller Financing
Only a small percentage of the population is able to go through life without using some form of financing at some point. Most people have little choice but to finance everything from their home and car purchases to their college education. Now, with that stated, most business owners would love to receive an all-cash offer for their business. But the reality of the situation is quite different. The facts are that owner financing is very common, and it is sometimes the only way to put a deal together. Sellers have to be ready and willing to entertain the idea that they may, ultimately, be called upon to handle some aspect of financing if they want to sell their business. It surprises many to learn that if a seller is not willing to finance the sale, then buyers begin to worry and may even see this as something of a “red flag.” The reason for this is that many buyers feel that if a business is a solid investment, then the business will be … [Read more...]
Four Common Seller Mistakes
Sellers are just like everyone else in that they can make mistakes. In this article, we’ll explore some of the most common mistakes that we see along with some of the repercussions. 1. Not Seeing the Buyer’s Point of View The first major mistake that sellers make is that they simply fail to look at the situation from the buyer’s perspective. One of the smartest moves any seller can make is to step back and ask themselves two key questions. “What information would I expect to see if I was thinking about buying this business? “Would I trust the information being presented to me if I was the buyer?” While there are many other questions sellers can ask to help reframe their thinking, these two simple questions can orient a seller’s thinking towards a buyer’s perspective. Additionally, investing the time to understand the buyer’s position can help avoid a range of problems and help smooth … [Read more...]
Unraveling the Seller’s Predicament
Selling a business isn’t always 100% about the price. It is not like selling a house where typically the most important factor is who places the highest offer. In the end, if the seller is to achieve the most optimal results, there are other variables that should be considered. The idea of selling to a competitor is one that seems attractive to many business owners. After all, a competitor has the built-in advantage of understanding the business and thus can theoretically understand the value of the business better than an outsider. But while this point is quite valid, selling to a competitor comes with its own problems. Selling means disclosing a great deal of confidential information, and that could prove to be very risky if the deal were to fall apart. A second avenue that sellers will often explore is selling to a financial buyer. A financial buyer is likely not to be a competitor. But on the downside, a financial buyer may be … [Read more...]
How Should Your Company Deal with an Orphaned Product?
Keeping a product or service around that isn’t pulling its weight might prove to not be a very good idea. You may have invested a good deal of time and resources into its development, but if that product or service is no longer contributing to your bottom line, it might be time to cut it loose. Even if your product is pulling its weight, but doesn’t fit into your overall core business, then you should still consider getting rid of this “orphaned product.” Let’s take a look at some of the reasons you might want to keep or remove, an orphan product from your company. There are four main reasons why a company might want to divest itself of a product line or service completely: An orphaned product line can be a distraction that takes away from core business operations. Funds allocated to an orphaned product could be used instead to build the core business or make improvements that are not in the current budget. Another good … [Read more...]
Price or Terms: The Structure of the Deal
An old saying in negotiating the sale of a business goes like this: The buyer says to the seller, “You name the price, and I get to name the terms.” Another saying used to explain the actual value of the term full price: “If we could find you a business that nets you $250,000 a year after debt service, and you could buy it for $100 down, would you really care what the full price was?” It seems that everyone is concerned only about full price. And yet, full price is just part of the equation. If a seller is willing to accept a relatively small down payment and carry the balance, a higher full price can be achieved. On the other hand, the more cash the seller wants up front, the lower the full price. If the seller demands all cash, barring some form of outside financing, full price lowers – and, in most cases, the chance of selling decreases as well. Even in cases where outside financing is used, such as through SBA, etc., the lender … [Read more...]
Considering Generational Strategies
When you are buying or selling a business, you might very well end up making a deal with someone from another generation. Therefore, it only makes sense to take the time to understand that individual’s background and how that might cause behavioral differences. It is important to understand and reflect upon where many of them are coming from and the collective experiences and trends that shaped their identities and perspectives. At the same time, you can identify your own biases, strengths and weaknesses that may be caused by your own upbringing. The strategies in this article originated from Chuck Underwood who is considered a leading expert in the diversity of communication styles between generations. He is the author of a major book on the subject as well as host of the long-running “America’s Generations with Chuck Underwood” on PBS. Generational Sensitivity Underwood’s perspective is that people of each generation … [Read more...]
Confidential Business Reviews Should Establish Trust
When you are selling a business, your business broker or M&A Advisor will likely create a Comprehensive Business Review, or CBR. This comprehensive document can then be presented to prospective buyers once they have signed all necessary confidentiality documentation. It is essential that this document builds trust between both parties, as this will go a long way towards achieving a successful deal. Be Honest The bottom line is that your CBR will be 95% positive. The majority of the document will be dedicated towards selling and promoting your business. Therefore, it only makes sense to disclose some potential problems. When handled correctly, the disclosure of problems can actually be a strong asset. For example, current weaknesses of your business could become strengths in the mind of the buyer. For example, a business with a very poor online presence represents a substantial opportunity for a buyer to improve marketing and … [Read more...]