Why use a Professional Broker?

Why use a surgeon? He knows how to operate, and you would really like to survive the operation!

Why use a certified mechanic? He knows how to fix your car so that you won't have more problems after it is in the shop than you did when you took it in!

Why use a business broker? You do not work daily on business transfers, and you would like to keep it that way. You simply want a professional to handle all of the complications for you!

If you have considered selling your business or developing an exit strategy, you need and should have professional help in making your decision!

We have the talent and resources to educate and assist you in determining:
      *If selling is right for you
      *The best time to sell
      *The right price & terms
      *The most effective marketing strategy

If selling is right for you we:
      Work with you in establishing the best price for your business.
      Work with you to determine the right time to sell.
      Prepare a marketing strategy to maximize the value of your business.
      Professionally market your business.
      Interview, screen and pre qualify prospective buyers.
      Negotiate with candidates for you.
      Provide you with the "best buyer, price and terms".
      Work with your legal and financial advisors on your behalf.

The potential sale and all communication will be kept strictly confidential!
There are no up front fees, costs or obligation, we are paid when a sale is made.

We specialize in the profitable, confidential transfer of private, closely held businesses with sales from $1,000,000 to $50,000,000.

Ask yourself:

• How do you reach QUALIFIED BUYERS, possibly even competitors, without disclosing your intention to sell?

• How do you evaluate your business OBJECTIVELY to ensure that you receive top dollar on your investment and avoid costly negotiating tactics?.

• How do you PREPARE & PROVIDE the information a prospective buyer will require to interest him in pursuing your business in favor of others?

• How do you MAXIMIZE your favorable exposure to potential offers while minimizing your potentially damaging public exposure to customers, competitors, employees and suppliers?

• How do you MARKET your business in all of the appropriate databases and media efficiently, effectively, and confidentially?

• How do you screen and pre-QUALIFY BUYERS, determine their motivations, managerial capabilities, and financial strength?

• How do you SUCCESSFULLY SELL your business, diverting significant time, effort and resources to that process, while continuing to manage your ongoing business productively?

Why use Business Planning Advisors / Business-USA?

Do You Want to List Your Business, OR Do You Want to Sell Your Business?

Common Sense will tell you that it is far more productive, efficient and just plain smart to have the potential of at least 250 brokers seeking the right buyer for your business-- rather than just one isolated broker using outdated, costly and inefficient techniques.

Competition is healthy in Business Sales!

Chances are, we will have plenty of competition between buyers for a profitable business like yours.

That type of competition increases the likelihood of a deal at the price and terms being asked.

When Business Planning Advisors / Business-USA agrees to market your business for sale or partnership investment, we immediately:

• Let "everyone" know that a new opportunity to buy a terrific business is now available!

• Notify every other Affiliated Broker quickly, increasing your visibility to Brokers with Buyers.

• Search our database for potential buyers who are already registered.

• Contact those Affiliates with initial information.

• Set to work investigating the possibilities for a good match between buyer & seller.

• Our central office notifies EVERY Buyer who has requested notice when this type of business comes on the market.

We leverage all available technologies to maximize the chances of a SALE, quickly and profitably!

CONFIDENTIALITY is extremely vital to our work and to our Seller's peace of mind, so the EVERYONE we let know includes ALL of the right people and NONE of the wrong people.

• No clients

• No suppliers

• No employees

• No competitors (unless a strategy is planned to approach them)

• No unqualified prospective Buyers should know of your intentions

We exercise TOTAL DISCRETION with a multi-level disclosure system to protect.

Your privacy - Your livelihood - Your investment

What we do for you?

Confidentiality is usually the first thing that comes to a sellers mind. Having employees, customers, competitors or suppliers find out you are trying or even considering selling can have disastrous consequences. Our marketing program does not disclose your identity. By handling the initial inquiry, obtaining confidentiality agreements, and qualifying buyers we limit the number of people that know you are for sale and these people are bound to keep the information confidential.

The Right Price depends on the true value. To determine this your financial statements are "Recast". Adjustments are made to depreciation, interest, amortization, owners' salary, discretionary items, and other such items. This gives the buyer a true picture of what they will have to work with when they take over. Historical growth, industry trends, demographics and where the business is going are also factored in along with prior sales and comparisons of similar businesses.

Maximum Exposure also contributes to "The Right Price". Your company will be marketed on many strategic web sites and business multiple listing services. In addition adds are placed in trade publications, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The International Herald Tribune, etc. when warranted and appropriate. Since many people buy something other than what they call in on any buyer calling in on the many companies we have available for sale could be the right buyer for your company. In some cases the many buyers create competition for your business, resulting in a higher price and better terms.

The Right Amount Of Cash At Closing by working with qualified buyers and assisting in the financing process we enable you to get the right amount of cash at closing. The buyer is qualified to make sure they have the financial capacity to make the purchase. By working with many lenders we know in many cases which lenders are best for a particular buyer/seller combination and can direct a buyer to the right lender.

Allow You To Devote Your Time To Running The Business. Once you decide to sell you need to devote your full time to running the business using your expertise to make it run as efficiently and as profitably as possible. Buyers and Lenders look closely at what is happening now and what the trend is now. It takes a lot of time to eliminate the tire kickers, work with qualified buyers, get a good offer and make the deal happen. By you spending your time running the business we can get you that right price and make the sale happen.

Negotiations: Conflicts, emotions and bad feelings can develop when a buyer and seller are negotiating directly. By handling negotiations we insulate you from any negativity. This leaves the buyer and seller with a good relationship which becomes important when you are assisting them in the transfer of the business and especially if you are partially financing the sale.

Follow Ups: When a seller calls a buyer or vice versa to see if a decision has been reached the person being contacted begins to think the other party is anxious or desperate which weakens their bargaining position. This could result in the " wrong price ". When we do the many follow ups that are usually necessary to make a sale take place we are just doing our job and no one appears anxious or desperate resulting in "The Right Price, being paid for your business.

"The buyer seldom buys what the seller is selling." -Peter Drucker

What do buyers look for?

The Seller is looking for:

Top price for the business. The most cash at closing. To have the company & its employees prosper.

The Buyer is looking for value:

To earn a living. To retire the debt. To earn a return on the cash investment. To grow the company without additional debt. To provide for retirement when the time comes.

What A Buyer Looks At to determine value:

Historical Earnings Terms of the Sale Depth of Management Employee Stability Diversification Competition Business Type Location & Facilities Growth Prospects for the Business & Industry

The value of a business to a buyer depends on the needs and perspective of the buyer. This will be different for every buyer. Finding The Right Buyer for Your Business is more than finding someone with the money that likes your business. We interview many buyers, sometimes fifty or more before we bring you a qualified person to talk to.

Buyers will expect a business to have sufficient cash flow to:

Pay Debt Service Pay the Owner/Manager a Salary Yield a Return Income on their Down Payment Leave a Safety Cushion for Contingencies

Buyers will expect a business to have:

Up-to-date Financials, Inventory and Tax Records A Presentable Work Place Reliable Personnel

If your business can meet these criteria, most buyers will consider it a viable business opportunity.

Facts about business sales

Where Do Buyers Come From?

First-Time Buyers - From Corporate America 70% Professional Buyers 2% Investment Groups & Corporate Acquirers 28%

There are hundreds of buyers with hundreds of millions of dollars in downpayments looking to buy a business like yours, ready to act for the right opportunity. We may already have the right buyer for your business.

How Much Money Do Buyer's Have?

Mergers & Acquistions which represent companies with sales of five to fifty million dollars: We work with individual investors, institutional investors, capital companies, holding companies, venture capital groups and corporations looking for acquisitions with up to one hundred million dollars in funds to invest.

For Business Brokerage Accounts which represent companies with sales of less than five million dollars:

Percent of buyers who have $1,000,000 or more 10% Percent of buyers who have $500,000 15% Percent of buyers who have $300,000 30% Percent of buyers who have $200,000 60% Percent of buyers who have $100,000 80% Percent of buyers who have $50,000 100%

How long to sell a business?

At the right price & terms - with a motivated seller - with aggressive marketing, not just listing the average is 6- 9 months.

At the wrong price, with the wrong terms - with a seller who is not motivated to sell - listed with just any broker - most often (75%), it will not sell at all.

If you want results - you need to be committed to the process - we have a proven effective system that works. Your business will sell faster. You will get a higher price $$. You will not lose sleep, confidentiality, business or employees in the process.

What does seller financing do for you?

We list and sell many profitable businesses for All Cash at closing. This is usually the case for larger businesses, such as the ones in the Merger and Acquisition category, those in a desirable niche market, those that qualify for favorable financing and those sold to a Strategic Buyer.

There are two types of buyers. Financial Buyers are your typical buyers buying a business based on the income it will generate for them. They look at the numbers. Strategic Buyers may already be in the same business looking to expand or may want to be in the business you are in for a variety of reasons. They will generally pay more and usually pay without seller financing. We have a program for identifying and bringing to the table Strategic Buyers.

The program that will be best for you will depend on your priorities, the size, type and profitability of your business.

Samples of Cash Flow benefits to you from Seller Financing (assuming you finance at 10% for 10 years):

Amount Financed Monthly Income Annual Income Cumulative Income $100,000 $1,322 $15,864 $158,640 $200,000 $2,643 $31,716 $317,160 $300,000 $3,965 $47,580 $475,800 $400,000 $5,286 $63,432 $634,320 $500,000 $6,608 $79,296 $792,960 $600,000 $7,930 $95,160 $951,600 $700,000 $9,252 $111,024 $1,110,240 $800,000 $10,572 $126,864 $1,268,640 $900,000 $11,896 $142,752 $1,427,520 $1,000,000 $13,216 $158,592 $1,585,920