Selling Your Business in the Mid-Market

Johnsons Corporate specialises in selling mid-sized, private businesses to strategic acquirers – that is to other businesses and not to individuals – which ensures that our clients get the best possible outcome in a divestment process. If your Business has a value of between $3 Million to $50 Million and you’re thinking of selling, we can help.

The key challenge to selling your medium-sized business will be identifying & reaching the unique pool of potential acquirers – whether in Australia or abroad – that are a strategic match for your company. That won’t be individuals, but rather trade & financial buyers who can see real commercial value in making an acquisition, while having the motivation, scale and capital to complete the deal.

The Keys to Unlocking Sale Value

Because you’re in the mid-market finding you the right buyer and negotiating the kind of deal that meets your objectives will demand unique capabilities and a personalised hands-on approach – the very methodologies that we’ve been refining for over 50 years.

The Johnsons approach to business sales is founded on four principles that are fundamental to successfully divesting a mid-sized business. They ensure you receive end-to-end transaction management and the peace of mind that you’ve obtained the best possible result for you and your Business.

Proactive Director-Led Sales Campaigns

Businesses don’t sell themselves. And we don’t wait for the phone to ring. We know being proactive is the key to getting you the best possible result. That’s why every deal is led by one of our directors and supported by a team of senior associates. Offering end-to-end transaction management to a only few clients at any one time ensures your deal always gets the attention it needs.

Strategic Trade and Financial Buyers

Related trade and specialised financial buyers offer the best value to mid-sized businesses. Because these types of acquirers have a greater understanding of your Business and see its strategic value as an acquisition, they will typically move faster and pay a premium. The trick then is to identify and reach multiple synergistic buyers, with the appetite & ability to acquire your Business.

Reaching Global Markets

International buyers usually have a higher perception of value than local acquirers. Having said that, completing cross border deals, goes beyond simply identifying overseas targets. Johnsons Corporate has a long history of facilitating international transactions – both sellside and buyside. We have the track record, resources, and expertise to coordinate the complex processes and multiple stakeholders involved in these deals.

Maintaining Competitive Tension

Working with a single buyer almost never pays off. By concurrently marketing to a broad number of prospective buyers, we’ll help you quickly discover the real market value of your Business. Then by keeping multiple interested parties at the table, Johnsons will increase your negotiating leverage, giving you better control over price, timing & key terms.

The Johnsons Business Sales Process

We offer a structured and disciplined business sales process, which has been purpose-designed for mid-sized private businesses. Each campaign is tailored to suit our clients’ needs and consists of 8 carefully managed steps. Everyone of them is fundamental and reinforces the former in order to generate more value for you.

1. UPFRONT VALUE APPRAISAL

All qualifying businesses receive a complimentary business appraisal, so that you can gauge whether your pricing expectations are aligned with our assessment of current market conditions.

2. FULL BUSINESS ASSESSMENT

From the start, our directors invest the time to fully understand your Business. Their analysis forms the basis of your campaign and is used to tailor the deal strategy, marketing materials, and more.

3. CUSTOM RESEARCH

Custom research casts the net over a broad range of prospective trade & financial buyers from across multiple synergistic sectors and may include international markets in addition to domestic ones.

4. DIRECT MARKETING
CAMPAIGN

We don’t wait for the phone to ring. We proactively reach out to potential buyers that most brokers & corporate advisors would not even contemplate, with targeted marketing campaigns and C-level discussions that leverage both traditional & digital channels.

5. BUYER QUALIFICATION

By carefully screening interested parties, we uncover vital intelligence about their businesses and underlying reasons for making an acquisition. We can then negotiate on your behalf from a position of strength.

6. NEGOTIATIONS & OFFERS

Pricing, structure & terms are always negotiated upfront. When we secure Indicative Offers for your Business, we do so on the basis that due diligence is utilised as a confirmation process only.

7. DUE DILIGENCE

You’ll only complete due diligence with one suitor, while Johnsons continues discussions with other parties to ensure there are backup buyers at the table should your preferred acquirer be unable to complete the deal.

8. LEGALS & SETTLEMENT

Execution of the Sale Agreement and Settlement involves numerous stakeholders. Johnsons has well-established techniques for handling the key issues and often conflicting agendas between parties.

Your Confidentiality is Important to Us

Our sales process is designed around the carefully managed release of information. In all of the initial marketing materials your Business remains anonymous. We later qualify all interested parties at director level to confirm their commercial “fit” before seeking confidentiality agreements and releasing further information. Throughout your sales campaign, you stay in control of who we talk to and what information they receive. Read more about the key deliverables you’ll receive as a Johnsons client.

TIPS & CHECKLISTS FOR HOW TO SELL YOUR BUSINESS

Our eBooks offer helpful information specially formulated for business owners in the mid-size private sector.

Download an Ebook Now

SPEAK CONFIDENTIALLY WITH A DIRECTOR ABOUT SELLING YOUR BUSINESS

Whether you’re ready to sell your business now or you’ve just started considering your exit options, our directors are more than happy to speak with you and help point you in the right direction for your situation.