According to the nation's largest business broker exchange, Business brokers network, approximately 70% of the buyers for small businesses are first-time buyers. The majority of these buyers are coming out of corporate America. This type of buyer generally needs some type of financing and will either be a victim of corporate downsizing or will have voluntarily opted out of the corporate rat race. Typically, they do not have a specific target industry they are searching for. Usually what determines the ultimate business he purchases will be determined by a combination of good cash flow, location and availability, not necessarily the type of business.

Geography is sometimes as important to the displaced executive as financing. He will typically own a home and be unwilling to relocate since the financial benefits of the deal are usually not large enough to allow for it, or substantiate relocation. He wants to replace his recently lost salary with a similar income from his new company. The executive buyer will usually have a quick time frame to pick the business of his choice since he will generally not have the financial ability for a down payment in addition to maintaining his living expenses over an extended period. The corporate executive is looking for a job to buy and a small business affords him that opportunity. This type buyer usually has a professional resume, college degree, and good credit, making him a candidate for SBA financing which will afford a seller the maximum amount of cash at closing.

A word of caution about buyers that are still employed in corporate America; they are rarely in a position to make a quick decision if any decision at all. Often the employed executive is waiting to uncover the business of his dreams and then decide if he is really going to give entrepreneurism a try. Be cautious with the buyer that is still in corporate America since he may very well be a dreamer rather than a doer.

Due to confidentiality, competitors/vendors should be approached with extreme caution. Even though either group may be the best buyer candidate, in many cases they should be the last prospects to approach. In all due respects to signed confidentiality agreements, by marketing your business you are still exposing yourself, and in this case to the people in the best position to harm you in the marketplace. You should make sure that the competitor/vendor is well aware of the exposure, and to keep a tight rein on company information. It is a good idea to proceed on a prospect-by-prospect basis when contacting competitors or vendors.

There are some advantages however in selling to either competitors or vendors. The decision process and due diligence period can be most efficient since the acquiring company knows the market and industry. These buyer types are often only interested in verifying basic company information and determining if there is a synergistic fit. In addition, financing difficulties are not as prevalent as with other types of buyers. The seller may not be required to offer any form of owner financing since the acquiring company may have the basis covered from the beginning.

Most often, we have found that business-to-business purchasers are not always the highest paying buyers because they are unwilling to pay the highest justifiable price for a business. Often these buyers would rather set up their own facility with in house assets before paying top price for an ongoing concern that includes substantial goodwill value. Many times owners have dollar signs in their eyes visualizing selling to a large company in their industry with deep pockets seeking to penetrate the sellers market. Although this situation has certainly occurred, especially during consolidation periods in an industry, it is not the norm.

Many business owners feel that the best prospect for their business will be within the employee ranks. This can be a viable, positive method of exiting while also rewarding loyal employees with ownership. Sellers may request to present their business to the key employees before taking it to the general market. It is normal to think that employees would be a natural choice, however is very important they understand the commitment they're about to make. For example, after an employee discovers the reality of the down payment, the monthly debt payments, and the overall responsibilities involved in ownership, the downward spiral can occur. Another challenge of selling to employees is the likelihood of being induced to provide some form of owner financing and working capital. Also, in the event the new employee-turned-owner runs into financial hardship, the seller may find himself in a tough situation.

Investment groups are always lurking in the shadows for good deals. This type of buyer is going to be interested in both a superior investment as well as a strong management infrastructure. In many instances, the investment group is only interested in the cash flow and has no interest in running the business themselves. In this situation the seller may be in a good position to stay on as a manager as well as receive an income stream from the sale. It is safe to say that if the business does not have management in place, the investment group will either not be interested or will drastically discount the deal.

Sometimes the best buyers or relatives. It should be noted that unless certain procedures are followed, multigenerational sales could be "sticky." It is advisable, for example, to hire a valuation company to set the sale price and an owner to family member transfer. If a valuation company as an unbiased third party establishes the price, chances are this will not be an issue either before or after the sale. The evaluation company selected should have a good reputation as a specialist in business valuation, and as such, will include documentation for the findings. After the price is established, the family member should be handled like any other prospect.

A frequent problem that occurs is that a family member can take extensive time to make up his mind about purchasing the business. A good way to handle this problem is to give the family member a first right of refusal for a defined period of time. If the family member exceeds this time period, he should be ready to compete with other buyers for the business. Also, the family member should use a different CPA and attorney than those used by the family in the business to handle his side of the transaction. If ground rules are established from the onset, there will be fewer problems and hard feelings between family members as the deal progresses.

Foreign and public companies are rare in the small business acquisition arena. A seller should have a solid support team before attempting negotiations with foreign or public companies. Much time can be wasted in understanding the buyers parameters and the exchange of information. Transactions of this type take significant time and often end in frustration