When a potential business investor looks at what he’s buying, he wants to know exactly how the business derives its income.
What do you do?
Businesses receive money in exchange for one of two things; the sale of goods or the delivery of a service. Perhaps there is a combination of the two. Sellers are often complacent in describing the activity or product. It is easy for this to happen because they are au fait with what they do. Their conversations run away with details of plans and opportunities.
Slow it down a bit. Describe from first principles the background need for your product or service. Where does your business fit into the supply chain of an end product? Where does the final product benefit the end consumer?
It is important to give your prospect a bit of a background to the products or services. If you place the story in context he will find his bearings sooner. He is less likely to shift his interest to an easier to understand business.
Pressure in the minority
You will do well to remember that yours is not the only business on the market. So make it as easy as possible for the buyer to understand things. You want lots of interest. The negotiating power of the seller goes up with the number of interested buyers.
Vaguelly specific
Do not create problems for yourself in the supply chain, or in the market. Avoid using brand names unless you have sole or proprietary rights to a product. If you have a clear competitive edge in a very full market, then the exposure may help the sale. But be careful about letting suppliers know that you ever intend to sell. Suppliers pulling back credit limits can damage your sale prospects.
Non-disclosure agreements are a good start, but they are not foolproof. A drunken braai saturated yob, who looks like the kingpin Monday to Friday, can do you a lot of unintended damage on a Saturday afternoon with his like-minded friends.