Should You Use a Broker to Sell Your Business? Pros & Cons

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(Newswire.net — December 14, 2021) — Selling a business is something that business owners do once in their lifetime. With that said, how can you ensure that the process goes smoothly? By hiring a business broker. Typically, business brokers are experts in selling a business, and they ensure that you get the best deal out of your sale. That makes brokers the best option if you are selling a business. But did you know that hiring a business broker has pros and cons? Please read on to find out more.

Pros of hiring a business broker

Professional presentation

Have you ever compared DIY and professionally made furniture? The difference is obvious. Regardless of how amazing the furniture looks, there will always be a difference. This also goes to the process of selling a business. 

Professional business brokers have the expertise and experience required to represent your business to professional buyers in the best possible way. Besides, they are experts in this industry, know the benefits and drawbacks of the game, and are well equipped to handle the situation. Even if a business broker is selling a highly profitable business, challenges can still crop up. So, let a business broker worry about this and present your business to prospective buyers professionally.

Professional negotiations

Even if you have super negotiation skills, you cannot match the skills of a professional business broker when it comes to selling businesses. Yes, you might need your skills to negotiate daily business deals. However, much more goes into selling a business other than knowing how to run your business. Now, this is where the services of a business broker come in.

Business brokers understand the ins and outs of selling a business and how to negotiate with buyers. Every conversation a broker has can turn into a potential sale because they know what they are doing. Besides, business brokers understand how far a buyer can go before closing the deal, leading to a higher sale price. 

If you’re considering selling your business, it is important to stay informed about recent corporate deals to understand the market dynamics and evaluate the pros and cons, and make an informed decision about selling your business with or without a broker.

Expert marketing

Reputable business brokers understand that good marketing is an integral part of selling a business. With that said, business brokers know how to get your business in front of prospective buyers—thanks to their sales and marketing skills. 

They can utilize different tools like print ads, internet ads, and direct mail API to help you find the right buyer for your business. Business brokers understand that exposure is essential, and they know how to make that happen. 

Buyer screening

When selling a business, there’s a chance that you will attract several potential buyers. With this in mind, it’s essential to only focus on serious buyers—who have the financial capability and skills to run your business. Dealing with different buyers with a budget that doesn’t meet your asking price can be overwhelming and a waste of your time. However, bringing a business broker on board can facilitate buyer screening to help in determining the right person to buy and run your business.

Reduced paperwork

The process of selling a business has lots of paperwork involved. From CIMs to NDAs and purchase agreements, you cannot handle such paperwork unless you’ve done it before. However, business brokers are experienced in drafting these essential documents and dealing with any challenges they come across while creating them. 

Thus, hiring a Business Broker, Orlando can save you the stress and time of creating these documents while giving you expert advice. While you are engaged in putting together the financial, legal, and taxation documents, your broker will handle all the agreements and contracts. Attempting to handle all the paperwork on your own can be time-consuming, and you can make costly mistakes

Cons of hiring a business broker

Even though hiring a business broker comes with tons of benefits, there are some drawbacks. Although most people ignore these drawbacks, they are worth considering before hiring a business broker.

It’s costly

When you hire a business broker, you will be required to pay them for their services. And, because a business broker plays an essential role in selling your business, you must be prepared to spend a fortune on their services. 

Typically, business brokers charge an average of 8% – 10% of the closing value. And, although you can sell your business on your own and save that money, the process can be taxing and lead to a bad deal. However, you should never make any upfront payments when hiring a business broker. Any broker who asks for such payments is most likely a scam. 

It can be a challenge to find a reputable broker

Just like any other professional out there, finding the right broker to sell your business can be hard. At times, you might spend weeks or months searching for the right broker, only to settle with the wrong one. This, in turn, can end up hurting your sale. 

Therefore, it’s important to ensure that the business broker you hire has your business’s best interests in mind, and they don’t want to make a quick sale. Please note that a fast process doesn’t mean the best sale. 

Conflict of interest

Business brokers don’t represent business sellers solely. They can also represent business buyers—and this is something you need to note before hiring a business broker. And, this happens without the business seller noticing it. Such business brokers might act like they are doing their job professionally. However, you might lose some competitive advantage in the negotiation stage.