Step 1: Preparation - "Fit to Sell" and "Fit for the Future" Analysis
Analysis of your business to identify the value drivers to optimise the sale process and sale value. Our unique business health check also identifies any areas of the business which may discourage buyers and reduce the value of an offer. This includes issues from a legal standpoint, which is why our law firm 3Volution is involved right from the start. "Fit for the Future" analysis aims to highlight how your business success can be maintained. We look at it from a buyer's perspective, being more interested in the future than the past.
Step 2: Buyer identification
Our approach is not to blanket email generic prospects lists but rather work with you to identify complementary, competitor businesses, private equity and investors as potential buyers. This includes both UK-based and, where appropriate, international buyers. This is supported by our buyer identification data analytics software to provide a refined list of potential buyers within an agreed criteria and helps identify potential buyers who might otherwise be missed by more traditional methods. This all enables us to generate a refined and focused list of credible potential acquirers based on an agreed set of criteria. This ensures not only relevance but also supports confidentiality throughout the process.
Step 3: Marketing
Once we’ve identified the right potential buyers, we tailor a highly targeted and discreet marketing campaign to approach them. This is underpinned by our "Fit to Sell" pre-marketing analysis, which ensures your business is presented in its best light. We focus on demonstrating why your business is a strong strategic fit for the buyer, clearly articulating future growth opportunities and synergies. This thoughtful and professional positioning increases buyer engagement and helps to build trust from the outset.
Step 4: Negotiation
This stage is often overlooked by business sales agents in the rush to get an offer. We qualify the bidder to establish their capacity to fund and complete any transaction. We ensure detailed Heads of Terms are agreed and signed before accepting any offering and progressing any further. This is designed to identify any specific areas of potential misunderstanding or deal-breakers. By considering this early we reduce the possibility of any unnecessary costs, last-minute price negotiation or unexpected conditions.
Step 5: Due Diligence Management
This is a critical stage in the sales process and which highlights to owners there is much more to a successful sale than the initial headline price. This is where the buyer starts to do its own detailed assessment of the business. We have our own in-house qualified accountants and solicitors who are experienced in due diligence issues. If this is not managed carefully it can result in the buyer making a revised lower offer. This is where our “Fit to Sell” and “Fit for the Future” analysis from the beginning of the process shines, with us having already identified and resolved any issues that may have been identified in due diligence. This results in a smoother, easier process and greatly helps to reduce the probability of price chips and even potential deal killers occurring.
Step 6: Legal completion
The legal completion via a sale and purchase agreement is often the most stressful period of the process. It is when lack of care and diligence in preparing to sell and bid qualification results in disagreement. Our process ensures the key issues are agreed early in the process, in the Heads of Terms. By identifying the issues at the bid qualification stage we ensure last minute surprises can be avoided. From the commencement of the assignment we involve our law firm 3Volution to identify issues early on to smooth the legal completion process.
