A survey of Business Brokers and M&A intermediaries was run to determine what the buyers are looking for as they look for a business for sale.  The survey was conducted by BusinessesforSale.com.  The top four responses were as follows:

• They want to move into a different field of work

• They want to relocate

• They are looking to expand a current business

• They want to be their own boss

If you want to have a successful business sale, you need to look at these to determine how you can best market your business.  If you look at any one of these, the "feature" a prospective business buyer is seeking in order to make his decision is simplicity.

Many of the buyers we work with here in Connectictut, or the New York area, are scared away from a prospective business due to the complexity involved.  With complexity, comes increased risk, and fear, and then it is almost impossible to have a buyer make a commitment.

It does not matter if the prospective buyer has experience in the industry or not.  In almost every case, each business is unique, and has a unique business model.  The prospective owner does not want to spend years coming up to speed on that model, or learn how that business makes money.

As a business owner, you need to work with a business broker, M&A intermediary, or Investment banker to outline the business business model, and make the business as simple as possible.  The buyer will want to know that they can step in tomorrow and begin making money, like clockwork.  You must draw that map, and show them the way.