If you’ve ever sold a home, you know the golden rule: more buyers equal better offers. The same principle applies to selling your business, but with one key difference—confidentiality is critical. Unlike a house, you can’t just stick a “For Sale” sign in the front yard and wait for offers to roll in.
That’s where a seasoned business broker gives you a distinctive advantage.
The Problem: One Buyer is No Buyer
Many business owners make the mistake of talking to just one potential buyer, often a competitor, key employee, or private equity firm. While these conversations may feel promising, they come with risks:
No competition = lower offers. Buyers have no urgency to put their best number forward.
Confidentiality concerns. If word leaks out, employees, customers, and suppliers may start jumping ship.
Wasted time. If that one buyer backs out, you’re left starting over—often with diminished leverage.
The Solution: Confidentially Creating Competition
A professional business broker doesn’t just find you a buyer. They find you multiple buyers. And they do it while keeping your business sale under wraps.
Here’s how:
Strategic Marketing: Brokers know how to position your business to attract qualified buyers without publicly disclosing sensitive details.
Buyer Vetting: Not all buyers are serious or financially capable. A broker filters out the tire-kickers.
Bidding Pressure: When buyers know there’s competition, they make stronger offers—often improving terms beyond just price.
Real Results: The Power of a Broker-Led Sale
I recently worked with a business owner who had a very profitable business and was looking to maximize his exit price. We confidentially marketed the business to a large pool of qualified buyers, then narrowed that group of buyers further using a structured sales process.
Within weeks, we had multiple parties at the table, each motivated to win the deal. The result? A sale price that came in 18% above our target—all because buyers knew they had competition. That extra premium wasn’t just luck; it was the direct result of a structured, competitive process.
A well-run sale process can increase the final purchase price compared to a one-on-one negotiation. That’s not just a theory—it’s the hungry dog principle, backed by years selling a variety of well-run profitable businesses.
The Bottom Line
Selling your business is likely the biggest financial transaction of your life. Why leave money on the table by settling for one buyer? A business broker ensures that you have options, confidentiality, and leverage—all critical to maximizing your exit.
If you’re considering selling, don’t go it alone. Let’s talk about how a broker-led process can get you the best deal possible. Click Here to schedule an introductory call with me or feel free to call/text, 479-263-7330. All information is managed in the strictest of confidentiality.
