First the dreaded statistic: 80% of all buyers looking to buy a small to mid-sized business never end up doing so! A shocking statistic to most buyers searching to buy a small business. Helpful hints and strategies below such as understanding how business brokers and agents actually operate, keeping tabs on all the new listings that come to market, making sure you sign up for FREE Email Instant Alerts of new/refreshed postings that match your search criteria, and submitting a Business Wanted To Buy Posting that is emailed to all brokers, agents, owners who have businesses for sale that match your criteria (your posting is also featured online in all relevant areas on BizBen as well).
Since I consult daily with many potential business buyers, I know what works and what tactics business buyers should avoid to not only waste time, but also to not lose any money on needless practices and resources.
WHAT MOST BUSINESS BUYERS DON'T KNOW - BUT SHOULD ABOUT THE BUYING PROCESS
1. Most buyers of small to mid-sized businesses don't realize that 70% or more of business brokers and agents don't cooperate on their (business for sale) listings - meaning they don't share their information with other brokers and agents either intentionally or unintentionally by not advertising or promoting their listing(s) to other business brokers, agents, and intermediaries.
2. Most buyers call only a few brokers or agents thinking/hoping the broker will "find" or "search" for them and find the ideal business to purchase. Most business brokers and agents are so busy trying to sell their own set of listings that they rarely have the spare time to do non-paid searches for a buyer who may not end up buying a business.
3. 60% of all small businesses for sale are not advertised or marketed - they are "pocket listings", "unadvertised listings" - these are listings that business brokers and agents don't have listed but know about because of their daily dealings with small business owners in California who want to sell but will not give a contract or written listing to a broker or an agent. They will sell if the broker or agent brings them a "serious buyer". What this means to you as a serious business buyer is that you have to get the word out to as many California business brokers and agents as possible to widen your "comprehensive search process".
4. In all business brokers directories only the main broker is listed - in most instances there are more (sometimes up to 5 to 25+ agents) that aren't listed but have great "pocket" or "unadvertised listings" that others in the office don't know about - you need to reach all these business brokers & agents directly because of #3 listed above.
STEPS ALL SERIOUS CALIFORNIA BUSINESS BUYERS SHOULD DO TO BE SUCCESSFUL:
1. If you know what types or locations of businesses you are searching for you need to post and keep posted at all times a Business Wanted To Buy Announcement Posting or utilizing the BizBen Business Buyer ProBuy Program and get the word out to as many California business brokers, agents, intermediaries, and owners as possible - you need to be highly visible - this step provides that!
2. You need to scan the new and refreshed business listings for sale (save all interesting listings to your BizBen My Admin section when you are logged into your FREE BizBen Account) posted everyday at BizBen. On average over 400 new and refreshed postings / listings are posted daily and in many instances offers and letters of intent come quick on the more popular new listings - don't miss out on these - check the new listings daily (register for Instant Email Alerts - customize these to types and areas of businesses wanted to buy) on BizBen (but don't forget to search on all older posted listings too and "Save" them to your BizBen MyAdmin section - after you login to BizBen).
3. Sign up for a FREE BizBen User Account to receive new listings/postings by Custom Instant Email Alerts and Daily Email Reports of all new and refreshed postings / listings posted that match your search and buying criteria. Make sure you put @bizben.com in your "Safe List" in your email program/software so these Email Alerts / Reports don't end up in your spam or junk folder - you do not want to miss out on any great new listings/postings posted and emailed to you.
4. Contact as many of the business brokers and agents listed in the Resource Directory on BizBen with your request (let these brokers and agents know you saw their info in BizBen) - what types, locations, prices, adjusted net income - what you want in your ideal business you are searching for. Make sure you get them a Business Buyer Profile / Personal Financial Statement and a Non-Disclosure on any of their listings they may be selling (email these back with their NDA/Confidentiality Agreements). Stay in touch will all of these business brokers and agents on a consistent basis - see step #1 above - post a Business Wanted Announcement - the buyers who are more active and visible tend to be the ones who get the better businesses being sold!
5. When contacting a seller/owner, broker, or agent about a business for sale on BizBen make sure you phone, email and text the contact about the listing - in other words do all three actions to show them you are serious about their business for sale - remember - phone, text, & email. Don't rely on email alone or just a phone call - to many emails these days end up in the junk folder for one reason or another - don't let this reason void your chances of not buying a business - remember to call and text as well (also please let the seller or broker/agent know you saw their listing on BizBen!). If a broker or owner doesn't return your call / email / text keep trying them daily until you get results!
6. Make back-up offers on all businesses for sale that you are highly interested in that may be in escrow or contract. Show the broker/agent or seller that you are interested and willing to move forward if the current buyer starts lagging or terminates their purchase agreement. 50% of all California deals fall out for one reason or another - I have seen many buyers with back-up offers ultimately be the "winning" buyer on a deal when using this strategy.
7. Make sure you have your "team" in place and ready to go - transactional attorney (review of purchase agreement contract or LOI, lease agreement, etc.) phase l and phase ll due diligence advisor, escrow/bulk sale service, business purchase financing advisor (get professionally pre-qualified before your search process begins), industry specific consultants, etc. If you aren't ready for a transaction should a business become available for sale you will probably be relegated to a back-up position - bottom-line be ready with your "team" of advisors.
8. If you really like a business being sold - make an offer - "pull the trigger" - too many potential business buyers are tentative or too analytical and wait too long to make an offer (they lose out on deals because they take too long to produce a purchase agreement or LOI). If you are interested in a business - particularly a business being sold that is high in demand by other buyers - put in a non-binding LOI (letter of intent) to "lock-out" other potential buyers until you can fully investigate the business and know if you want to fully commit with a detailed business purchase agreement.
If you follow the above steps - and I mean all of them you will be successful in buying the best California small to mid-sized business that match your personal needs and search criteria!
If you need assistance with any of these steps above or are interested in the BizBen ProBuy Program please phone us at 888-212-4747 (if you happen to get our voicemail - please leave a detailed message and we will phone you back promptly).
About the Author: Peter Siegel, MBA is the Founder & Lead Advisor at BizBen.com (established 1994 - 8,000+ small businesses for sale & wanted to buy postings - with 500 new & refreshed posts daily). BizBen.com offers business buyers, owner sellers, business brokers and advisors free access to online postings, articles, blog posts, discussions, podcast, resource and broker directories, etc. Peter heads up the BizBen.com ProBuy, ProSell, & ProIntermediary Programs. Peter Siegel, MBA can be reached direct at 925-785-3118 for advice, referrals, or questions.
Contributor:
For over 25 years Peter Siegel, MBA has been providing niche business purchase financial advisory and loan placement services with SBA Loans, Non SBA Financing, Retirement Plan Conversions, Note Restructures, etc. Call me regarding business purchase financing and to get pre-qualified: 925-785-3118.
ServingNationwide - All Areas
I am the Founder Of BizBen.com. I consult daily with intermediaries, business buyers, owner/sellers & advisors daily about buying and selling California small to mid-sized businesses. Contact me today about joining & utilizing BizBen, consultations, & advisory services.
ServingNationwide - All Areas
If your business involves alcoholic beverage sales, we can help. Obtaining a liquor license transfer or selling a business with a license in California does not have to be a frustrating and overwhelming process. We have procured thousands of licenses for our clients.
ServingAll Of California
I am an experienced entrepreneur, attorney, & business professor. I & my EvergreenGold® team offer business owners sound advice & expertise to build business value & achieve profitable sales. Call me today for a business evaluation & SWOT analysis for your business anywhere in the USA.
ServingNationwide
Cheryl's a restaurant business broker, over 25 years in the bar and restaurant industry coupled with a J.D. Cheryl works tirelessly to create successful strategies and effective negotiations for those who wish to purchase a new or sell an existing bar, restaurant, cafe, or night club. 415-309-2722
ServingCity Of San Francisco
McGovern Escrow Services, Inc., is a leading independent escrow company. We are a trusted partner with our clients, assisting them through the tangled bulk sale & liquor license transfer process. We provide attentive, quality & innovative customer service. Phone Elizabeth McGovern at 415-735-3645.
ServingSan Francisco Bay Area, North Bay, Central Valley
Laundry consulting, due diligence, buyer representation: We preview laundries for you and evaluate them. 28 years laundry industry experience: buying, selling, valuing, retooling, analyzing, consulting services for laundry buyers and entrepreneurs in California. Contact us today about our services.
ServingSouthern California
The Veld Group provides a refreshing approach to Business Brokerage, Mergers & Acquisitions and Business Consulting and Valuations. From Your Street to Wall Street, we cater to Main Street Businesses as well as more complex Strategic Firms and Start-Ups.
ServingSouthern California
Financing a business purchase, or getting cash for a down payment can take many forms. Hopefully the options listed below will give you some ideas where you can find the money to buy a California business!
A potential small business owner/seller asks the question: I have a preschool and am thinking about selling it but my lease is ending soon. What would be the best thing to do? Do I renew the contract or do I act the landlord to sign a contract to the new buyer? and is it a good time to sell?
The likelihood of selling a business is often determined by external factors in the marketplace. Here are eight influences on how easy, or difficult it might be when selling a small business. Peter Siegel discusses these factors in a BizBen.com article.
One of the strategies for selling your business to a very cautious buyer is to relate the price to performance of the company in the months after the buyer takes over. Peter Siegel with BizBen.com explains this strategy.
Don't buy a laundry business before reading these 5 tips to maximize your investment. You'll soon be able to buy a laundry with confidence! Peter Siegel, MBA with BizBen.com discusses this topic.
The three most widely used sources of funds for financing business purchase assets are buyer's cash, seller financing, and SBA bank loans. Peter Siegel, MBA with BizBen.com and an SBA loan consultant & placement specialist explains the differences between them.
Before you buy a dry cleaners small business, read these critical tips about this industry. Discover why a dry cleaner needs to be "green" to be profitable. Peter Siegel, MBA (BizBen ProBuy, ProSell Program Advisor) explores this topic and other helpful strategies on buying a dry cleaning store.
For Laundromat investors looking to enter the industry, these are challenging times. This significant industry that is surging due to "smarter" equipment, cleaner spaces, more staff, & the larger payback for offering a better customer experience. But, brokers & sellers have unrealistic valuations.
Chuck Post hosts these live FREE online webinars on Buying A Card or Coin Laundry. These webinars occur every Weds at Noon. Have your questions ready for an open and honest discussion about both the Pro & Cons of the Vended Laundry Business. RSVP or for more info phone Chuck at 619-227-5711 direct.
Chuck Post, a leading laundry expert with over 37 years of developing laundries, retooling, and rebranding hundreds of existing laundries, tells investors how to search, find, evaluate, and do good laundry due diligence laundries for acquisition. A must read for new investors & current operators.
Laundry buyers and investors should expect both challenging times and opportunities for success in 2022 and 2023. Chuck Post, Laundry Industry Advisor explores growth opportunities, equipment advances, industry challenges and trends all laundromat buyers and investors should know about.
The laundry business offers all of those rewards of business ownership, with much fewer headaches than with most other businesses. However buyer beware - Chuck Post, laundry broker and consultant covers several mistakes many first time laundry buyers commit when buying a California laundromat.
When investing in a laundry business, there are two methods. One is preferred, but the other is far more common. If you are considering entering into a new industry, like most now entering the laundry industry, you want to have a good understanding of both opportunities. Chuck Post explores both.
Utility rates are on the rise. I am getting calls from laundry owners complaining of the costs, asking for ideas. So what is the answer? What is the best approach in combating these costs? Chuck Post, laundry consultant discusses strategies for keeping coin laundry utility costs under control.
Coin operated laundry for sale (also referred to as a laundromat), which typically can yield a 20% to 30% profit (before taxes, interest, depreciation and amortization) on gross revenues to the owner. Peter Siegel, MBA with BizBen.com discusses this topic on buying small to mid-sized laundromats.
Many Californians want to buy a coin laundry because it's a business that doesn't require full time owner attention and because, as an all cash business, the owner is always paid before the service is provided. But there are a few misconceptions about the business and a buyer should have the facts.
Laundromats and coin operated Laundromats are popular choices among business buyers as they often can be successfully run as an absentee run business. You need to be strategic about when you sell your Laundromat so you don't get taken to the cleaners by a buyer and so that you maximize your profits.
Are you thinking of selling your California vending route? More business buyers than ever before are looking to buy such a business. Peter Siegel, MBA with BizBen.com discusses tips for selling your vending route.
Buying a professional service business, like a dental practice, is one of the most profitable ventures you can enter into if you are considering becoming a small business owner. In this blog, Peter Siegel, MBA discusses six things you need to know about buying a successful dental practice or office.
Entrepreneurs who think they want to buy a towing business need to have some idea of what to look for when examining businesses for sale in this industry. The assets, including tow trucks and perhaps the property where towed vehicles are stored, determine much of the value of this kind of company.
Buying a day care for sale is a dream for many people. Here, you'll learn how to successfully negotiate the purchase of a day care for sale to make that dream a reality. Peter Siegel with BizBen.com covers this topic.
There are several things to consider when placing a value on a preschool. Businesses that are regarded as leading preschools in their area can go for premium prices so know what you have so a potential buyer can't take advantage of your lack of knowledge. Peter Siegel with BizBen.com explains.
If you are open to exploring the franchise opportunities available the commercial cleaning industry is an area you should consider. Commercial cleaning franchises are quickly becoming a popular choice among business buyers and here are my 6 reasons why you should consider buying one.
Buyers interested in buying a janitorial cleaning business will find companies in this industry for sale that are quite profitable. Careful due diligence, including the six factors covered in this blog post, is advised before completing a deal. Peter Siegel, MBA with BizBen explores this industry.
One of the most important steps in buying a business is doing your due diligence. When buying a California winery, there are three major areas to focus your attention during this period of research. Learn about these three factors in this BizBen blog post on wine industry due diligence for buyers.
A business buyer in the BizBen ProBuy Program asks how to handle the inventory amount in the purchase price of a business. Other questions answered in this article: Do you add the inventory value to the business value? Should the owner be expected to take back a note for the value of the inventory?
Trying to pick the best convenient stores for sale? Learn how to find convenient stores for sale with high traffic, profitable locations to maximize your investment. Peter Siegel Director of the ProBuy & ProSell Programs and BizBen Founder explores this issue regarding buying convenence stores.
Unlike many small businesses, due to strict regulations there are many steps that you must take before you can consider buying a liquor store. Peter Siegel with BizBen discusses the seven steps will put you on the right track to buy a liquor store legally.
How does the laundromat business look as we enter this changing environment? Is it still as easy to operate a laundry and be profitable? Is it still the American Dream Business that it has been known to be? Yes, but… Chuck Post, Laundry Advisor & Consultant initiates this BizBen Discussion post.
We are finding that many laundry buyers and investors are not being given true light to selected elements of value or there are inconsistencies in the interpretation of these elements of value. This common error needs to be addressed. In this BizBen Discussion we address many of those factors.
Chuck Post a laundry consultant, specialty broker, buyer representative & due diligence advisor starts this discussion on why it's important to have an exit strategy in mind while buying a laundromat! He & others explain why this concept is so important for buyers especially in the laundry business.
However all the laundry listings are asking 4X to 5X multiple for an asking price! Is this reasonable, standard? We are are looking buy either a coin or a card laundry and want to pay a "fair" price. What factors go into valuing a laundry business these days? Multiple Advisors answer this question.
When buying an Elderly Care Home what should potential buyers always ask the broker or owner before proceeding? Find out in this Discussion on BizBen. Items buyers of elderly care homes will want to know more about why the seller is moving on, average length of stay, placement fees paid, etc.
A business buyer asks about the viability and purchase of a home health care service and about the future of this industry - Peter Siegel, MBA takes on this question with other ProIntermediaries & Advisors on BizBen regarding the home health care industry and it's future for potential buyers.
I would like to start this discussion and see what other BizBen Users feel about (and possible contribute to this list via a comment and replies below) what items/questions/information buyers should be thinking about during the due diligence and buying process of manufacturing related businesses.
Is a dog grooming business for you? Business broker Joe Ranieri ponders this question with BizBen viewers and answers this question along with other intermediaries and advisors. Some replies cover: brick and mortar vs. mobile, licenses & certifications, maintaining and growing a clientel, etc.
The only time to get an exact and accurate inventory count, and valuation, is at the time the business is being transferred. To do so beforehand, would mean that any merchandise sold after inventory is taken, but before close of escrow - Peter Siegel, MBA with BizBen & others discuss this topic.
Buying a liquor store can present some major challenges to business buyers - a recent client on the BizBen ProBuy Program relates to Peter Siegel, MBA what the major challenges may be when searching for and buying a Californa liquor store business. I welcome other Advisors to weigh in on this topic.
Buying a gas station can be a profitable business. From my experience, here are the pros & cons of buying a gas station that I share with BizBen ProBuy Buyers when they come to me to to get pre-qualified for financing to buy a gas station (with or without real estate). I discuss all these factors.
How much money should you expect to make when buying an automatic car wash? Peter Siegel, MBA (BizBen ProBuy Program Director and Business Purchase Financing Expert) explains with other brokers, intermediaries, and advisors info on this topic.
This is a hard question to answer specifically without any knowledge of the business. What kind of car wash it is (auto, self-serve, or full service)?, How many bays does the car wash have? Is there any other streams of revenue? We discuss this topic regarding car washes on this BizBen Discussion.
Before purchasing a car wash (quick serve or full serve) you must understand that the industry as a whole will provide you with plenty of competition. More importantly, depending on what your interests are, you will identify what type of car wash you want. We discuss this all in this Discussion.
Doing due diligence when buying any type of business is extremely important. Regardless of what type of business you are buying there are certain things you will always look at such as, financials, equipment, legal issues etc. We take a look at several angles for optimal gas station due diligence.
In this Discussion, we define financing options available to potential restaurant buyers when purchasing a small to mid-sized restaurant business (with or without real estate). When it comes to financing a restaurant purchase, potential restaurant buyers have several options to choose from.
Buying a small to mid-sized restaurant can have many pitfalls, and potential restaurant buyers should know how to avoid getting burned! Several restaurant advisors weigh in with (Peter Siegel, MBA at BizBen) and discuss tips for buying a restaurant in California.
Was chatting with a potential buyer of a restaurant in our BizBen ProBuy Program and he asked me what he should look for in due diligence when he finally did find a restaurant he was interested in. Peter Siegel, MBA with BizBen and others on BizBen explore this topic.
Ice cream shops are a favorite with buyers of small businesses, but many times don't know what to look for when seeking a purchase of a shop. Joe Ranieri and other intermediaries and advisors share their experience and expertise to potential ice cream shop owners. Explore these tips to learn more.
For those who don't know, a non-compete agreement is a contract between a buyer and seller of a business, which after the sale, prohibits the seller from engaging in direct competition with the business they previously sold. Joe Ranieri (Business Broker) adds this topic to a BizBen Discussion Post.
In our BizBen.com June 2021 Monthly Report the top ProIntermediaries and ProAdvisors on BizBen offer their thoughts about the current status of the business for sale marketplace with trends and predictions for Business Buyers, Owner/Sellers, Business Brokers, Agents, Advisors in the near future.
Sometimes business brokers just can't win with their clients, because if an offer comes in too fast & too early then they must have lowballed the price & the seller is suspicious, and if not enough offers come in after putting the business on the market - they may look unproductive to their clients.
As the year winds down, it's tempting for business brokers to go through their old files and throw them out to make room for new client's folders, but that would be foolish. Joe Ranieri (Orange County Business broker) discusses strategies for saving files - a key annual strategy for brokers/agents.
