Top 3 Negotiating Tips for Businesses

Negotiating is the only way to ensure you are left feeling satisfied after a business purchase or sale.

So, here are our top tips when it comes to negotiating, for all business owners or potential buyers…

1. Determine the Details

Knowing the ins and outs of a business deal is key, you should know exactly what you’re entering into, or exiting out of. Without knowing the details, you could easily be blind-sighted or make mistakes that could’ve been easily avoided before.

If you’re buying a business, make sure to ask all of the questions that you want answering and more. Knowing why the current owner wants to exit, the financial situation of the business and the target audience will give you a better understanding of the business and if you truly want to buy it.

If you’re selling a business, ensuring that your potential new buyer is reliable and has the correct funding and ambition is crucial, so don’t be shy to ask personal questions and understating the details of the sale.

2. Compromise

Knowing when to compromise is a vital part of the negotiation, not only when it comes to business sales, but also in everyday life. That’s not to say that you should be walking away without a deal that you’re happy with, but compromising on the details could make or break your sale.

Taking into account the price of the business, assets, turnover, a transition period for the new purchaser to settle and sharing target audience knowledge are all common topics for negotiation, which will accommodate both the buyer of the business and the seller.

The point of compromise is not to lose out, but to make the deal a win-win situation for all parties involved.

3.  Finish the Deal

After you have researched, compromised and everything in between, it is finally time for you to secure a deal and agree on it. This may seem like the easiest ‘yes or no’ part, however, it can be difficult to please both parties and it’s important you walk away feeling satisfied.

Ensure that you have checked-over details, involved the correct legal parties such as solicitors or financial advisors, have negotiated a great deal and are ready to close it.

This is also a great time to ask for any transitional period from the current business owner and offer extra advice if you are the seller, to ensure all business is guaranteed to run smoothly.