Listen To Our Most Recent Podcast Episodes As Soon As They're Live: Here!

Need an M&A Broker? How to Find a Good One

Posted by Matt Perkins in Articles
Share:

How to Find a Good M&A Broker

An online search for business brokers yields millions upon millions of results. How does someone weed through all of this, and feel confident in their ultimate choice? Of course, when something as important as buying and selling websites is being undertaken, proper research should be involved. After all, people research the best cars to buy, the best real estate locations, and even the best blenders! Put your time in to find the best business brokers so you’re sure to walk away with positive results.

Tips on How To Find a Good M&A Broker

Choosing an M&A Advisor is no easy feat especially if it is your first time buying or selling a business. There are so many things that need to be considered before you hand over the reins of the transaction to an advisory firm. 

A few things to remember to help you out:

Determine Exactly What You Need: Business Broker or M&A Broker?

There is a difference between these two. For starters, a business broker simply acts as a middleman to connect buyers and sellers and assists in the transactions involved until the deal is successfully closed. 

If we are talking about companies that are worth more than $5M, then you most definitely need an M&A Advisor. They not only help connect buyers and sellers, but they also have expert knowledge of the process and what the business transaction entails.

Choose Competent M&A Brokers

A successful transaction can only happen if you have an expert agent working with you in mergers and acquisitions. Competency comes in many forms but here it means being knowledgeable, possessing professional qualifications, having the right connections, and having a proven track record.

M&A Brokers Must Have Integrity

With the amount of confidential information that is shared, your M&A broker must be discreet and keep all sensitive information confidential, disclosing only to certain individuals on a need-to-know basis. As a business owner, this can mean protecting your trade secrets and relationships with your stakeholders.

What Do Business Brokers Have: The Qualities They Posses

Track record is important when it comes to finding M&A deal advisors but apart from that, there must also be certain qualities that they possess such as the following:

  • Commitment. The M&A process is a lengthy one and requires frequent back and forth between parties. You need someone who is fully committed to helping you see your end in mind through. 
  • Valuation Expertise. In choosing an M&A broker, go for an M&A advisory firm that has expertise in business valuation to ensure that you are selling your business at the right price, or you are buying at the right price. 
  • Negotiation Skills. Negotiation is not for the weak. You should be able to negotiate your terms well and if you are someone who is not comfortable doing this, then you need an expert on your side. 
  • Confidentiality. Find someone you can trust to be discreet enough to handle highly confidential proprietary information. Potential buyers will want to know as much as they can about the firm’s financial matters, and these brokers are tasked with providing only enough information as needed. 
  • Network of Connections. Connections are important in finding the right buyer or seller. The larger the network, the larger the pool of potential buyers. The right M&A with years of experience will possess this. 
  • Marketing Expertise. Part of M&A transactions in the buying and selling a business include marketing. With a qualified M&A broker, your business can be easily marketed and offered to a wide range of buyers.

How To Choose An M&A Advisor

When you know what to look for in an M&A advisor, it is essential that you carefully choose the right M&A advisor. Given the qualities above, it is time to take into consideration the following:

  • Choose someone who has a proven track record and expertise. 
  • Choose someone who possesses key networking skills. 
  • Choose someone who has end-to-end knowledge.

Find an M&A Advisor: What to Look For

Entrepreneurs who are ready to sell a business online may feel a little hesitant. After all, how do you know where to begin? It’s not like you can just plant a “for sale” sign in the front yard and walk away. This is why finding the best M&A broker to represent you and your business is crucial. So, what are the features you should consider before hiring one of the millions of available business brokers?

  • Longevity. People who are looking for long-term benefits tend to trust businesses that have been around for a long time. By nature, individuals (and companies as a whole) tend to shy away from other companies that are too new, because, after all, what have they proven in the industry? Experience counts for, perhaps, nearly everything when it comes to selling businesses online.
     
  • Tried and True Strategies. The business broker you should hire to sell your business online should have several tried and true strategies that they employ to achieve the best results. Commercial Real Estate Agents, Commercial Real Estate Brokers, and Investment Banks – all have tried and proven strategies to make their transactions work. Find out what those strategies are to ensure your success.
     
  • Client first, last, and always! Does the company always put its client first? Yes, of course, business brokers are in the industry to make money, but by putting their clients first, they are sending a message to their customers that they have the confidence necessary to ensure everyone’s success.

Benefits of Using an M&A Advisor: Conclusion

  • Access to expert knowledge. Let’s face it – as business owners focused on running the day-to-day operations of the business, knowing how to start selling your company or which buyers to trust can be daunting. Having an M&A advisor will allow you to have access to knowledge that you would not otherwise have on your own. Conducting due diligence by itself is already a huge task.
     
  • Wide reach to potential buyers or sellers. No matter how ready you are to buy or sell, if you do not know where to make your offer, it will be of no use. Brokers or advisors have built their network for years and when you hire them, you immediately get access to their network of connections.
     
  • Better informed decision. These advisors have spent years of experience negotiating and successfully closing deals. They know the process and will know what to look for which they can give you easily. Having this information at your fingertips can help you make a better-informed decision that will be beneficial to you and your company.

WebsiteClosers.com always puts its clients first. By offering a free website valuation and a free 24-hour consultation, they enable entrepreneurs to get a head start on the process of selling their business online. With over 20 years of experience in the field, they are also experienced M&A brokers with a long list of testimonials from clients who are more than thrilled with their results. If you are interested in talking to them about selling your online business or want to set up your free consultation, call them at 1-800-251-1559 today.

800-251-1559