1. Buyers will not pay more for potential.

If a business is simply a concept without a proven revenue stream, then there is not any value in the eyes of the potential buyers.

2. Buyers are interested in profits, not revenue.

The only number that matters is the profit a business generates.

• Business 1: £30,000 monthly revenue, £25,000 monthly expenses, £5,000 monthly profit, and £60,000 annual profit

• Business 2: £10,000 monthly revenue, £1,000 monthly expenses, £9,000 monthly profit, and £108,000 annual profit.

The monthly revenue for Business 1 is three times more than Business 2, but the actual profit is almost half. Acquirers want to see profit numbers, not revenue.

3. Buyers expect verifiable financial claims.

If you are going to claim revenue from a specific source, you need to have verifiable proof. For example, if you are selling advertising space directly, be prepared to show invoices as well as bank statements that show matching deposits.

4. Don't live in the past.

The previous success of a business is largely irrelevant at the time of sale. Buyers are interested in recent performance (usually the last 12-24 months) and future sustainability and viability.

Business owners are not interested in fixing and recovering your business, especially if you are expecting them to pay a premium. However, do not be afraid to show previous years if the business has been growing steadily.

Buyers love to see growing revenue and profit figures, especially if you have already made future plans for the business that seem realistic based on past performance.

5. Honesty is the best policy.

The truth is going to always surface, so be upfront about everything from the beginning. Buyers understand that every business is going to have positives and negatives. There is no such thing as a perfect business.

If you are honest and transparent from the start, there is less risk of a deal going sour because the buyer uncovered something during due diligence that was not accurate or an instance where the truth was stretched. Honesty is the best policy in all business transactions and selling any business is no different.

6. Expect to answer a lot of questions.

Never judge a buyer. You never know whom you are dealing with or the buying power they possess. Someone asking what appears to be a simple question could potentially be a buyer that is new to the specific industry and have deep pockets for investing. Experienced buyers will often hammer the seller with questions to turn up inconsistencies and red flags.

If you require a business valuation or more information about how we can assist you with a business sale our team at NOVUS Business Brokers will be more than happy to help!

Get in touch on 0203 883 1397 or drop us an email on info@novusbusinessbrokers.com

We look forward to hearing from you!