The Sale Process

Selling a business can be emotional and time consuming, you have to get it right. Shown below are some of the key areas that will be involved if you are considering the sale of your business and the process involved. We will be able to help you consider all relevant matters connected with the sale, and talk to you from a practical point of view.

• Plan ahead – Think about a sale well in advance of you actually wanting to sell your business
• Consider the market – Picking the right time to sell your business can affect the value achieved
• Work with advisors – Ensure all angles are considered, business structure, tax planning, etc and that you have a business sale team in place
• Grooming the business – Showing the business in the best possible light is a crucial factor in obtaining the best price. Consider if you should market the business now or wait until certain objectives are achieved
• The Information Memorandum – This is the initial marketing document sent to interested parties, it will be written jointly by the management and advisors and can be time consuming in its preparation
• Marketing the business – This may stretch over a number of months and be time consuming, you may get many interested parties but many may not be serious.
• Considering the offers – If you are lucky enough to have a number of offers you will need to consider each on their merits, this process may involve financial and none financial considerations
• Completing the deal – This will involve the due diligence process and the Sale and Purchase Agreement. Even when the deal has been agreed in principle, this can involve many challenging moments as you get closer to completion.
  

We will manage the complete sale process from the initial instruction through to completion. In particular we will pro-actively manage all meetings, review documentation, and carry out negotiations to ensure the process moves forward as fast as possible.If any potential problems arise we would ensure these are dealt with as soon as possible to keep the process moving forwards. If negotiations become fraught, as they often do, we are able to negotiate on your behalf so as not to compromise any relationship you establish with the buyer thus easing the transition process post acquisition.

Confidentiality is of paramount importance throughout the sale process. All potential purchasers are very carefully screened in order to ensure that they are both qualified and serious prospects for your business. Undertakings of confidentiality will always be required from all interested parties prior to any detailed information being released. All commercially confidential information will not be released without your approval at every stage.