Shaping the Best Research Outcomes: Your Contribution is Vital

At Benchmark International, your deal team will explore various avenues when sourcing a buyer for your company, from undertaking their own desktop research through to utilising a variety of M&A subscription platforms and connections your deal team has accumulated over the years.

Our process ensures a targeted approach to the market, so we are more likely to generate interest from high-quality buyers and confidentiality is maintained – we don’t just put your company in the ‘shop window’.

We will do the legwork behind this process, but here are some valuable tips for ensuring the best outcomes.

Be Clear on your Objectives

We understand that not all clients are focused on one type of buyer, and that many are seeking an array of options, but the more focus we can apply to the research, the better the outcomes are likely to be.

Are you looking to retire or move on to different business interests post-sale, or do you want to remain with the company to help drive its growth?

This is one of the first questions we ask every client so we can understand what they’re wanting to achieve. For many clients, a specific outcome, such as a trade sale to an industry player or a private equity deal to accelerate growth, will be clear. For others, this stage of the process will be more about your deal team investigating and presenting various options, that will allow you to consider the most appropriate course for you.

Your deal team will talk you through the various options available, before agreeing the scope of the initial research and outreach activities.

Engage with the Research Brief

Your deal team will often collaborate with you to craft a Research Brief, before commencing the hard work of compiling the first draft Buyers List, a list of companies that will be contacted in our telemarketing campaign.

The Research Brief will set the parameters for the initial buyer search based on sector (similar, vertical synergies, horizontal synergies, etc.) and location (regional, national, or international).

Let us know if there are any specific avenues in terms of sector or location you would like to explore and if we have missed anything pertinent off the Research Brief.

Collaborate Fully with Us

While our team have extensive experience and tools, we acknowledge that you possess invaluable insights into the sectors in which you operate.

Your expertise plays a pivotal role in our shared objective: securing the best price and deal with the right buyer.

If you have had prior approaches or receive any, tell us; if you have industry publications with in-depth sector analysis, show us; and if something comes to mind, a look-a-like buyer perhaps, share it with us. Your collaboration is instrumental.

Have an Open Mind Regarding Potential Buyers

In the dynamic world of M&A, surprises are the norm. It's a journey marked by twists and turns, and along the way, your vision of the perfect deal and ideal buyer may evolve more times than expected.

It's essential not to box yourself in too tightly by presenting a long list of companies you'd rather avoid.

Our role is to present you with a diverse range of potential buyers. By staying open-minded and allowing for unexpected opportunities, you can better position yourself to select the perfect buyer when the time is right.

Be Patient

The more time you have for the company sale, the better. That’s not to say we will draw out the process unnecessarily and we will endeavour to sell your company in a timely manner.

Finding your ideal buyer, or multiple competing buyers, can sometimes require several iterations of the research process.

This could be because your own or your company’s circumstances change, it could be that success in one specific area highlights the need for more research in that one avenue, or it could simply be that a fresh approach to buyers at a different juncture may yield a totally different response.

Effective collaboration between adviser and client is essential throughout, and nowhere more so than with the research process. Your active participation is vital. Clear objectives, an open mind, and patience are key.

 Author
Joseph Foley
Senior Associate
Benchmark International
T: +44 (0) 161 359 4400
E: foley@benchmarkintl.com