There has never been a better time to sell your business. Find out why.
100% confidential, proven processes, 25+ years experience
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How to get the best possible price
When it comes to selling your business, you want to ensure you get the best possible price. There are alot of changes you make to your business that can dramatically impact on your sale price, so to help, we have introduced a half day seminar where we share our tips and insights
This half day seminar is packed with practical content ensuring you leave with great actionable information to implement into your business, and to give you the knowledge, the tools and the confidence that you need to ensure you maximise your business's value.
Selling Your Business
Start Here to Maximise the Sales Value of Your Business
When you own a business, you owe it to yourself to make sure you maximise its value, for yourself, your partners and your heirs. LINK has been selling businesses since 1996 and our network includes experts in selling specific industries, small businesses to large corporates.
When you approach LINK to sell your business, here’s what you get:
- Free, and completely confidential discussions and market value appraisal
- Access to a marketing network and tools, unmatched in the world
- Experienced Brokers with integrity who are motivated, committed and creative
Our databases contain more than 250,000 potential buyers. We invest in local SEM so buyers in your region can quickly find your business via our powerful search engine.
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Via ONE.LINK, our business broker teams can seamlessly coordinate each sales process, analyse the trends influencing business and conduct detailed research to determine buyer motivations.
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Our business brokers can bring their knowledge, experience and connections to particular sectors. They understand the challenges of your industry and successfully match buyers with sellers.
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Our marketing tools and research have been fine-tuned through decades of effectively marketing businesses for sale: via targeted emails, networking, social media, web and advertising.
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Our proven approach to successfully selling any business is based on experience and skilled negotiation. We also measure and inform you of all activity throughout the sales process.
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All LINK business brokers receive rigorous, industry-leading training. So you get sound, smart advice, supported by real-world experience and the highest professional standards.
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We're uncompromising in protecting your confidential information and highly skilled at providing the facts that a buyer needs, without disclosing identifying details or alerting competitors.
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Interested in selling a business? We want to speak to you
If you are interested in selling your business, complete the form below and one of our Business Brokers will contact you.
Questions about Selling a Business
How does the negotiation process work?
When a buyer indicates they want to make an offer, this needs to be in writing and in the correct format. Any verbal offers can become complicated, as they do not detail the terms and conditions of the offer. As part of our service we prepare a Sale and Purchase Agreement using the Auckland District Law Society's Agreement (or equivalent territorial document), which details the offer being made, and the terms and conditions. We will liaise between both parties in the process of negotiation to facilitate agreement between both parties. In many situations we can recommend solutions to issues that may be of concern to either party. As a business owner you need to ensure you are protected by having the right clauses in the agreement and it is advisable to seek professional advice.
How long is the business marketed for sale?
Most business owners want the sale of their business handled confidentially. For commercial reasons they don't want their competitors and suppliers to know they are selling. Once again this is the advantage of using a specialist business broker. We work with potential buyers through the various stages and you only meet with them at the final stages of the process. This leaves you to get on with business and keeps buyers away from calling or visiting you at work.
We will prepare a comprehensive marketing plan for your business incorporating notes on how to present the business, a detailed Information Memorandum prepared by us, advertising schedule and website and database marketing. In many cases we find buyers from our database of qualified buyers. If confidentiality is required, any advertising is of a generic nature and never identifies the particular business.
How long will it take to sell my business?
This will vary depending on the complexity of the business and the industry. Normally, if all the information is available and the business is priced relative to the market for that type of business a sale should be concluded within 12 weeks.
What can I do to help sell my business?
Have all the information required ready and current. Buyers want to know what is happening in the business currently along with any existing or future trends. Have your accountant prepare up to date financial information.
What does an Information Memorandum include?
We prepare a comprehensive Information Memorandum on your business. This will typically include:
- Background of the business, highlighting opportunities for a buyer and the reasons for the sale.
- The sale process and description of assets etc.
- The historical financials, trading to date and comment.
- The business valuation appraisal.
- Operational matters.
- Information on premises, including details of lease.
- Appendices including marketing material, plant and equipment schedule, etc.
This is prepared in draft format first for approval by the vendor.
What information do I need to prepare my business for sale?
It is important that you have all the right information and details available before you start to market the business. A business well prepared for sale will sell more quickly.
As part of our service we will assist you in the preparation of this information and once again it needs to be presented in the right way with the right information. This information is also required to establish the selling price for the business and certain calculations need to be made to work out the true net profit of the business. Items you should have available are:
- Profit and Loss accounts from the previous 2 to 4 years.
- Identify and quantify abnormal and/or non-recurring costs in accounts.
- Identify all items of personal and drawings nature.
- Copies of internal accounting reports for year to date and/or GST returns if available.
- Copy of the Lease.
- Brochures or information on your product or service.
- Background on the business.
- Staff details.
- List of plant and equipment and any equipment leases.
- Copy of franchise agreement if a franchise business.
Like many small business owners you will probably have to search out these items and some may need to be updated. Make sure the financial information is current and accurate. If you're selling half way through the year you could get your accountant to prepare half-year accounts for the purpose of selling.
What is my business worth?
This is a very important aspect of selling your business and probably the most contentious. There will be many views on what constitutes value. Sellers will have one view, buyers another, accountants another, etc. There are multitudes of formulations, all of which produce different figures depending on who you're talking to.
It is important to recognize the price range your business is likely to sell in. If you're unrealistic it won't sell and you and likely buyers will become very frustrated. You could also be harming the prospects of a sale sometime in the future. If you're too low, then obviously you miss out or create suspicion.
Businesses sell in an open market that is with a willing buyer and a willing seller. The market determines the price – the true value.
When we meet with you we will gather detailed information on your business and then present you with a Market Appraisal. This gives you the price range we expect your business to sell for on the open market. This is not a valuation and cannot be used for that purpose.
For a formal valuation appraisal and opinion, many business owners use LINK to have a written opinion prepared on their business and establish the price range. This is useful in the case of one partner wanting to buy out the other partners, a management buyout or valuation for family estate planning.
When is the best time to sell my business?
We will schedule a meeting to discuss the specifics of your business and your personal plans for exiting from it. With our experience in business sales we can prepare an exit strategy for you, taking into account factors that will be instrumental in finding the right buyer at the right price for your business.
After we have an understanding of your business we will make suggestions on strategies that may be of benefit to you in the preparation of your business for sale. Buyers will be looking for certain things when considering your business and our recommendations can make the difference in effecting a quicker sale at a better price.
Recommended Reading for Sellers
Exit planning plays a big part in maximising your business value at the time of sale. There are many things that you can take control of to ensure you achieve that “top dollar price” at the time of sale, including maximising profitability, committing to a strong marketing campaign, minim...
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It is easy to speculate that as a result of the far reaching and in many cases devastating effects of Covid-19 around the world, that any Kiwi business owner would be short-changing themselves by selling a business now. In fact, many business owners in New Zealand that we have spoken to are concerne...
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Statistics show that the accommodation industry is making twice as much money as it was 20 years ago. If you are planning on selling your accommodation business, take the time to prepare for the sale so you may leverage sector success and maximise the value of your property.
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Preparation is the key to executing a successful sale. The more groundwork you put in before you present your business to the market, the more professional you’ll appear and the more credibility your company will gain.
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As with most things in life, the best way to approach the sale of your business is to follow a few simple steps. Finding a buyer and settling on a deal may seem simple enough, but there is a myriad of legal and financial steps you must take to ensure that you are protected; not to mention set up to ...
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LINK enjoyed another fantastic night at the 2019 REINZ Awards and are thrilled to announce that they were awarded Large Business Broking Office of the Year, for the 4th year running! Recognition of another spectacular year for LINK.
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LINK enjoyed a phenomenal night at the 2019 REINZ Awards. Not only did they walk away with Large Business Broking Office of the Year, for the 4th year running! But Katherine Shepherd, from LINK Christchurch, won Manager of the Year – across the real estate industry. The Manager of the Year awa...
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After you've made the decision to sell your business, you may feel lost about the next step. Although finding a buyer and signing on the dotted line may seem simple, there's a myriad of legal and financial steps to ensure you're protected. Following the right steps to sell your business ...
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Selling your business isn't something that can be done on a whim. You need to understand your competitive position in the marketplace, plan ahead and take steps to command the asking price you want and make sure you're dealing with an appropriate, qualified buyer to weather the journey of se...
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There are many factors that can impact the sale of your business. Some are under your control, such as maximising profits and ensuring the business can run without you. Other factors are outside of your control, such as technological innovations and the economy. If you’re planning to sell, it&...
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One of the biggest mistakes business owners can make when selling their business is trying to do it on their own. Many entrepreneurs have built their business from the ground up through their own hard work, and they think they can sell it with the same mix of determination and smarts.
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The mistakes people make when selling their business tend to be errors of preparation, such as not normalising their accounts or not maintaining confidentiality during the process. However, one of the biggest mistakes you can make has nothing to do with preparation and everything to do with mindset:...
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When you're selling your business, timing can be a difficult thing to get right. It's important to remember that there's no perfect time to sell. Many owners make the mistake of waiting too long to sell, either because they're waiting for ideal market conditions or wanting to earn ju...
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Are you considering a change of scenery that includes the freedom of your own business and the low-stress lifestyle of living away from the city?
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It’s impossible to put a figure on the cost of selling a business. The amount will depend on the type and size of your business, the experts you enlist to help and a wide range of other factors. Although the figures differ with each business, knowing where the fees come from can help you plan ...
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There are many fees associated with selling your business, with money going to lawyers, accountants and bankers; however, the greatest value should be placed on marketing your business properly.
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Many reasons exist for why you should try to make yourself redundant in your own business. Being essential in its day-to-day running means you can never take a holiday or get sick. It adds stress, as you need to be a part of every decision. You’re always working in your business, not on it, le...
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Spending resources, time and money on a marketing campaign is critical for a successful sale of your business. Marketing lets you get the word out that your business is for sale and when a campaign is carefully crafted, with a little bit of help from experts, it can end up being wildly successful; r...
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An asset rich company is one with valuable tangible assets, such as property, equipment, vehicles and inventory. Some businesses tend towards being rich in assets. Retail stores that have cash tied up in inventory to sell are examples of asset-rich businesses, as are agricultural companies that migh...
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Looking to sell? Here are the most avoidable mistakes selling businesses!
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Read more articles on selling in our Knowledge Centre.
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