Our 6 Step Process of Selling a Business

Interested in learning more about our process of selling a business?

We at American Business Acquisitions pride ourselves at being the Quality Service provider in the Chicago Business Brokerage industry.  We emphasize our Confidential and meticulous approach to finding qualified buyers and our detailed and carefully prepared business profiles.  

We bring the Mergers & Aquisitions and  Investment Banker approach to the main street and small business owner and we facilitate the transfer of businesses without disrupting operations.

All to often, when I talk to a business owner ready to retire or burnt-out or any other pressing reason for selling their company they are turned off by the fact that the notion that their business won't sell in a couple of months.

I want to be frank with you, most business take an average of 6 - 12 months to sell.  So if you're ready to sell it's important to get started now.

This doesn't mean that it will be impossible to sell your business quickly, we have had businesses under contract in less than a month, but we cannot make that kind of guarantee.

I will outline our 6 step process of selling a small or mid-size company here so you have a solid understanding of what we do.  Click on the Links to get an in-depth explanation of each step.

Step One - The Inital Meeting

The initial meeting is when we sit down, usually at your place of business, and get to know each other a little better.  I want to learn about your unique business and discuss your goals.  

Step Two - The Listing Agreement

We will most likely have a couple of follow-up meetings that will lead up to the Listing Agreement. The Listing Agreement will spell out the terms of our business relationship.

Step Three - The Confidential Business Profile

We collect and analyze important information for your business. We then use this information to create our Confidential Business Profile.  The Confidential Business Profile is our main tool for presenting your business to Qualified Buyers that we will be screening.  

Step Four - Marketing Your Business

Now that we have your Confidential Business Profile Completed we will begin the marketing campaign that we will custom tailor to your business.  

Step Five - Screening and Qualifying Buyers

One of the aspects that makes the Business Brokerage unique to others is that most businesses need to be marketed discreetly and for good reason.  Putting a "for sale" sign out front will most likely only have a Negative Impact on your business.  Our goal is to sell your business without the general public ever knowing that it changed hands.

Step Six - Closing the Sale

Now that we have screened many potential buyers and narrowed it down to the select few who are serious and financially qualified we will work with them to prepare offers and negotiate the terms of the sale.  We will assist in due diligence if need-be, make sure the attorneys are doing their part and see the deal through to the closing.