MARKETING YOUR BUSINESS

1.  Develop a BUSINESS PROFILE:

• subsequent to a listing agreement, your agent will gather important information that would help a prospective buyer understand your business
• through informal interviews the seller will be asked for the following information:

1. history
2. hours of operations
3. employee information
4. detailed description of the business’ products and/or services
5. several years of financial statements and corporate tax returns
6. asset lists
7. premise leases
8. marketing materials utilized by company
9. customer information
10. owner involvement in business
11. competition
12. technology and research
13. strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats
14. environmental issues
15. photos of your business may be taken

• all this information is then compiled, along with a written summary of your business and financial analysis, in a BUSINESS PROFILE document
• depending on the confidentiality parameters agreed upon, this document, in many cases, will usually provide a buyer sufficient information to make an offer

2  .Define the likely buyer:

• in some cases, the buyer for your business has already been identified. It could include:

1. previous interested parties
2. customers, suppliers or competitors
3. leads from industry journals and associations
4. public companies that have an acquisition strategy
5. financial (investment) buyers
6. management and/or employees
7. small corporations or individuals

• the approach to selling a business to specific buyers such as the above must consider a strategy that will maximize the return to the seller. Contracting a professional agent to accomplish this goal is as important as in the situation where a potential buyer is not identified.

3.  Seek out the buyer

• a marketing strategy is proposed by ACE BUSINESS VENTURES INC. and approved by the seller
• the following initiatives may be considered by the agent:

1. review list of qualified prospects and discreetly phone/contact the agent’s network of professionals including accountants, lawyers, financial advisors, business consultants, appraisers and valuators, tax advisors, investors, financial planners, commercial realtors and other business brokers
2. target likely candidates and companies with a phone call and send either general or confidential information based on the agent’s professional judgment
3. investigate all business related web sites for potential buyers
4. depending on the confidentiality parameters established, register the business information on business related web sites including MLS (multiple listing service)
5. if agreed to by seller, utilize other mass media and telecommunication methods.
6. advertise in local, regional, national or international publications
7. work with other business brokers who may have potential acquisition candidates

4.  Generate offers

• one of the functions of an agent is to screen and qualify potential buyers and to apply the confidentiality parameters that have been agreed upon
• as the agent knows the sellers situation, he will work with the buyer to objectively structure an offer that meets the requirements of both parties
• the offers will be presented to the seller under the rules of DUAL AGENCY and if necessary, a counter-offer can be developed with the agent’s assistance
• once the letter of intent or the offer has been accepted, the job of ACE BUSINESS VENTURES INC. is not yet completed
• as deals can terminate at any stage of the negotiation, we will be closely involved until closing day to ensure that the transaction progresses to a final WIN-WIN outcome