Every company and business owner is unique, and we believe the sales process should be tailored to every aspect that makes it unique. Our proprietary Fingerprint Process is specifically designed to ensure the most thorough and beneficial journey through every step of a deal. It’s a highly individualised experience that enables us to craft a solution that is right for you.
We use strict criteria when assessing a client’s salability to ensure that all objectives are aligned regarding your aspirations, our unique process, and view of the markets before proceeding with deal making.
Through Benchmark Square 1, we will conduct market analysis, company analysis, and valuation analysis, as well as important discussions regarding deal structure and terms, M&A markets, and seller motivation.
Taking any business to market requires a highly tailored process, which is why we customise a marketing strategy to each client, and then create materials to attract a large number of the most suitable and strongest acquirers. This will develop the competitive tension that will assist in achieving the optimal outcome from the overall sale process.
During Benchmark 360, we will conduct discovery, do research, craft strategy, and create a prospect portfolio. This stage also includes the development of materials such as a Confidential Information Memorandum and sales teaser.
This stage is when we have the first opportunity to demonstrate successful results, which relies on our access to data and the skill of the specialists on each Deal Team. It is made possible by our global database and research tools. Our proprietary processes augment, access, match, and filter hundreds of thousands of potential acquirers for a business.
Through Benchmark Navigate, we will generate interest, execute NDAs and prospect profiles, distribute Confidential Information Memorandums, and schedule calls and meetings with approved prospects.
Prospects often move to the Benchmark Ascend stage with different potential acquirers at different times. As a result, sellers may work on both stages 3 and 4 simultaneously for some time. Our Benchmark Deal Team takes advantage of every moment to identify and draw in more prospects leading up to the securing of a Letter of Intent (LOI).
The focus of Benchmark Ascend is to drive interest and increase value, and get the terms of an offer in writing. We will push to enhance those terms as much as possible before sharing them with you.
Benchmark Destiny is designed to capture as much value as possible while shifting as much risk as possible onto the acquirer. Nobody wants to lose a deal in the final stages, which can happen when sellers are not properly guided through the process.
During this stage we manage due diligence, conduct project management and pre-closing tasks, coordinate meetings, facilitate agreements, keep the deal on track, and – hopefully – celebrate.
The process of selling a business is gruelling, so we place a great deal of value on commitment to the process. When we talk about motivation, we mean it on two sides: your side as a motivated seller, and our side as a motivated advocate to get you maximum value and a deal that fulfills your expectations. While some of the dialogue in Stage 1 of our Fingerprint Process may seem unorthodox, rest assured that it is aimed at measuring whether engaging in the process is a worthwhile endeavor for both you and us.
We believe that the goals, values, and cultures of all parties involved in any deal should always be aligned. When everybody is on the same page, it greatly increases the chances of attaining the most successful outcomes of a deal. Each stage of our Fingerprint Process is tailored to ensure resolute alignment between our clients’ interests and our own, and that your Benchmark Deal Team’s time is spent where it best benefits your sale process. The importance of this element is so woven into our DNA that even the structure and compensation of our Deal Teams were created with alignment in mind.
We understand that deciding to sell your business is one of the most difficult decisions you will ever have to make. That is why we have created a process that is designed to insulate you from any rushed decisions. The Fingerprint Process arms you with the utmost amount of data possible so you can make the right choices. You can trust us to refer you to other licensed professionals when needed, and to manage eager acquirers when you need more time. This is your decision, and we know that it is an emotional one. We are your partners in making sure that you only agree to a deal that you are completely comfortable with.
One thing that every single business has in common is that it is a provider for many people, from the owners and their families to the employees. The decision to sell can be very personal, as it affects many people, which is why we understand that an array of personal and family-related issues can be present throughout the process and help acquirers to understand this as well. We will ensure that these issues do not interfere with a positive outcome and will work with you to make the process a success on all fronts.
An ever-increasing number of businesses receive unsolicited approaches from buyers yearly, yet a significant difference exists between being accidentally bought and purposefully sold.
Your deal team will discuss and present your company’s earnings to potential buyers, beginning with the Confidential Information Memorandum (CIM), and subsequently in a more detailed analysis as the process progresses.
For buyers, the financial due diligence (FDD) exercise is a major fact-finding exercise that will, hopefully, reinforce the assumptions that have underpinned their offer. For sellers it’s an opportunity to showcase the business and to reinforce the opportunity to the buyer. For both, it’s a pivotal exercise for informed decision-making, providing protection from unexpected risks and uncertainties. Essentially, FDD allows both parties to complete a transaction with their eyes open.
Getting ready to meet potential buyers can be a daunting task. The purpose is for you and the buyer to understand each other's businesses and explore potential fits, and it’s normally better that valuation discussions are held separately.
Now that you’ve signed the term sheet - Heads of Terms (Heads), or Letter of Intent (LOI) – you’re likely wondering – what’s next?
The M&A process is complex, it usually has huge implications for a seller and his or her company and family, and most sellers will only experience it once in a lifetime. Preparing in advance, building and leveraging the expertise of a dream team, and acting with a sense of urgency throughout the process will minimise risk, maximise the probability of a successful M&A transaction, and contribute to the seller’s success and satisfaction long after the deal closes.
