At Advent Business Sales we understand that selling your business can sometimes be a stressful process, that's why we have a dedicated team of experienced sales negotiators to guide you through the whole process as smoothly as possible...With Advent you are in the right hands.

Thinking of selling click here for a CONFIDENTIAL MARKET APPRAISAL.

Selling overview 

Whatever the motive, all business owners will sooner or later decide to sell one of their most valuable assets – their business.

Selling your business is not like selling your home. Many more factors have to be accounted for.

It’s vital to obtain professional advice in order to achieve a swift, smooth, and hassle free transaction without affecting the goodwill of the business, whilst at the same time maximizing the selling price and arriving at completion within an acceptable time frame.

There are many hurdles to overcome in the sales process. We are here to help with your best interests at heart and we understand your individual needs.

We are a market leader providing a specialist service – we sell businesses!

Our knowledge and expertise enables us to sell businesses effectively.

Our comprehensive regional, national and international marketing strategies ensure maximum exposure to a targeted buyer audience whilst maintaining the utmost discretion

We are the professional, proactive agents that you can trust who are bringing buyers and sellers closer together that ever before.

Our dedicated service will keep you informed throughout the entire process together with monthly reports in writing.

Our hand picked staff take great pride in each and every business placed with us. They are rewarded handsomely upon each successful completion.

Invaluable links have been forged with solicitors, accountants, banks, independent financial advisors and stock takers to ensure you receive the best possible advice as well as facilitating the sales process.

As all successful companies we listen to our client’s comments and continuously strive to improve our services and to sell ever more businesses in a discreet fashion.

If you are thinking of selling your business and would like to know how much it is worth, please click here for a CONFIDENTIAL MARKET APPRAISAL.

The Process Prior To Selling 

Step 1: An appointment is made for one of our friendly experienced consultants to come and see you at your business and give you a free no obligation discreet business appraisal and walk you through Advents marketing strategies.

Step 2: Once you have decided that you wish to go ahead, our consultant will come back out to you and conduct a detailed report of your business, which will contain sufficient information for a buyer without revealing you business name or location. Photographs will also be taken where relevant.

Step 3: Within two weeks you will receive your Vendor Pack which will contain your own colour brochure, the advertised wording and details of the marketing.

Whilst you are on the market with us, we believe that you should know exactly how the sale is going, that's why we are the only agent to send out detailed monthly reports, so you are no longer left 'in the dark'.

When our consultant comes out to see you he will be able to show you in detail everything that we do to ensure that your business is sold quickly and confidentially.

How we market your business and some of our services 

Throughout the process we try to maintain client confidentiality and total discretion at all times with the aim of maximizing your selling value within a reasonable time frame

We adopt certain practices to avoid time wasters.

Whilst marketing your business we provide the following services:

  1. Free, no obligation appraisal of your business

    Specialist consultants with many years of experience will meet with you at your business premises at a time convenient to you in order to evaluate a fair asking price. This is of course is without obligation or cost to you. Our marketing strategy specific to your business will be explained to you as will our fees and terms and conditions. There is no pressure on you to make a decision.

  2. Detailed sales particulars

    The sales particulars are prepared in great detail without revealing the name or location of the business. Our sales particulars are some of the best in the industry and consist of many different packages tailor made to your specific business. Many of the questions asked by potential purchasers are answered without revealing your business identity within the particulars as to avoid wasting time and expense.

  3. Several packages of detailed sales particulars

    We have many different packages. Experience has shown us that particular types of businesses need a certain type of package in order to maximize the asking price.

  4. Monthly business listings brochure

    Your business details together with a photograph are listed in our monthly magazine which is sent to over 10,000 people per month who are currently looking for businesses within your sector.

  5. Advert wording

    Prepared to a high standard reflecting your businesses main characteristics and the sort of attributes that potential vendors would notice.

  6. Database

    In conjunction with our partner websites we have access to nearly 200,000 registered buyers both nationally and internationally.

  7. Database management

    Our in house database management system enables us to react immediately to any responses of information regarding your business and requests for detail sheets.

  8. E shots

    Emails of your business details are regularly sent out to our live database always maintaining discretion. We have invested heavily into fully automating this process. Every buyer enquiry is entered into our database. We keep in touch with all buyers by sending them a newsletter containing recent developments and all new instructions. We have found by keeping in constant contact more businesses are sold.

  9. Web marketing

    The Internet has revolutionized the way businesses are sold. Over 23,000 potential buyers visit our website as well as our partners’ sites on a daily basis. We have links to over 40 high profile sites and we are continuously investing into Internet technology. Our web presence has expanded into the International arena.

  10. Networking groups

    Regular meetings with accountancy practices, bank managers, and independent financial advisors who are actively seeking to help their respective clients purchase businesses. This is a superb avenue for generating serious buyers.

  11. Technology

    Utilising the latest telephony systems, we are able to handle large volumes of calls from prospective purchasers. Our computer systems are state of the art and enable us to communicate effectively with all concerned parties

  12. Dedicated sales negotiators

    You will have your own dedicated negotiator who will be aware of the finer details of your case. They have been trained to a high standard and will provide you with a first class service. Negotiators will aggressively but politely push the sale forward and communicate with you at each and every stage. They receive a percentage commission upon sale which invariably ensures that they will try to achieve the best price possible for you.

  13. Client confidentiality agreements

    For certain types of businesses prospective purchasers are asked to sign an undertaking.

  14. Purchaser vetting and funding

    We vet the potential purchasers prior to viewing and in certain cases we will require that a purchaser proves he has the funding in place before he receives any details.

  15. Feedback to all parties

    The sales negotiators will provide regular feedback to all parties concerned at each and every stage.

  16. Monthly progress reports

    Reports tracking the progress of the sale are sent out every month to every vendor.

  17. Arrange viewings

    All viewings will be arranged by your sales negotiator who will arrange them at a time convenient for you.

  18. Viewing feedback

    Within 24 to 48 hours of a viewing, the sales negotiator will have contacted the potential purchaser and reported directly to you the outcome of the viewing. If there are any issues the skilled negotiators will try and smooth over any problems.

  19. Financial information and leases

    Your negotiator will have copies of your financial information and a copy of your lease, (if applicable), ready to forward to the potential purchaser. They will then follow this up at regular intervals until a sale has been achieved.

  20. Memorandum of sales

    A professional memorandum is prepared and sent to all parties concerned as well as to the respective solicitors and landlords/landlords solicitors if applicable. The sales negotiator will chase the respective solicitors regularly and help to solve any issues that might occur. They will inform you and the purchaser of the exchange and completion dates.

  21. Daltons weekly

    This is the most well known publication advertising businesses for sale. We regularly advertise with a full page spread to ensure we access potential buyers who do not have online facilities.

  22. Daltons business magazine

    Regular full page insertions into this glossy magazine which has a circulation of 20,000 copies.

  23. For sale boards

    These can be used if required according to the vendor’s preferences.

  24. Accountancy services

    We have several professional independent accountancy firms on hand to provide you with any advise you may need..

  25. Legal services

    Business transactions can be very intricate. Therefore it is very important to work with commercial solicitors that have all the relevant experience. We work closely with several national solicitors who have the relevant commercial expertise. They will provide a good service with very reasonable charges.

  26. Stock taker services

    We work closely with an approved national association whose fees are very reasonable.
    27. Services upon request:

  27. Bespoke Marketing Campaigns –upon request

    These are tailor made packages to suit specific industries and sectors where an exceptional marketing package is required. Non traditional methods are employed in order to maximize the consideration value.

  28. Proof of funding

    Prior to details being sent, the potential purchaser will have to prove that he has the necessary funding in place. A copy of this proof is sent to you prior to information being sent out.

  29. Refer to vendor

    Each time there is an enquiry for your business, the name and address of the potential purchaser is forwarded to you the vendor before any details are released.

  30. Desk research & targeted mailings

    This involves the identification of complimentary businesses that would probably be interested in purchasing your business such as suppliers, competitors and even customers. To avoid damaging your business a full list would be available to you from which you can select the companies to whom you wish your details to be sent to.

  31. Public relations

    We have links with PR companies who are able to control the knowledge of a sale, either to promote it or limit it and to ensure that the correct message is provided to the media.

  32. Leaseback –subject to status and contract.

    This is a service whereby you the business owner may wish to only sell the freehold to raise capital and rent back the premises. You may wish to sell the business at the same time or at a later date which enables us to sell the leasehold business to a person who had the funding to buy the leasehold only. This has the result of opening up the sale to more people.

Factors affecting the valuation 

When valuing a business a whole host of factors have to be taken into account.

This requires a highly skilled person with tremendous knowledge, skill and expertise to properly assess the true asking price in order to maximize your selling price.

Listed below are some of the factors that have to be accounted for within the valuation process:

  • Accounting/trading information.
  • Sales, gross and net profits/reconstituted net profits.
  • Drawings or Director’s remunerations/pension contributions, depreciation, loan repayments and interest payments.
  • Location and surrounding developments.
  • Local, Regional and National competition/monopolistic trading positions.
  • Demand for the type of business.
  • Freehold or Leasehold, and condition of the premises.
  • Fixtures and fittings, current capital expenditure and net asset values.
  • Extent of trading equipment and state of repair.
  • Appropriations: goodwill, fixtures and fittings, property and stock at cost values.
  • Freehold commercial property values within the area.
  • How long established and customer loyalty.
  • Applicable licenses, trading hours and planning permissions.
  • Lease lengths, renewable leases, rents, rent reviews and rates.
  • Staff wages, lengths of service, loyalty and key staff.
  • Owner or management run.
  • Scope, potential and improvements that a new enthusiastic owner may adopt.
  • Written and verbal agreements/contracts with both suppliers and customers.
  • Exclusivity agreements
  • Patents
  • Obstacles to entry
  • Debtors, creditors, bad debts factoring/invoice discounting charges.
  • VAT or revenue investigations or staff disputes.
  • Handover periods especially if the owner is the key man.
  • Finance availability and the cost of borrowing/interest rates.
  • Market expectations within the sector.
  • Valuation multiples within specific markets/knowledge of niche markets.
  • Current activity within the industry and the geographical locality.
  • Changes in market forces.
  • Rental incomes and yields.
  • Knowledge of planned vendor exit routes.
  • Rates of Return on capital employed.
  • Loan serviceability.
  • Buyer motives and asset/liabilities of a purchaser.
  • Special circumstances

What costs are involved in the selling process?

The fees involved in selling a business are listed below:

  • Legal/solicitor costs – these can vary tremendously. It’s very important to work with commercial solicitors that have all the relevant experience, as business transactions can sometimes be very intricate.

We work closely with several national solicitors who have the relevant commercial expertise. They will provide a good service with reasonable charges.

  • Taxation liabilities – dependant on your personal circumstances. Your accountant is in the best position to advise you on this matter. We can put you in contact with professional accountancy practices that provide specialist taxation services if need be.
  • Stock takers - the cost for this is normally shared between the vendor and the purchaser. Costs tend to be a small proportion of the transaction value.

We work closely with an approved national association whose fees are reasonable.

  • Landlord costs – these are normally paid by the ingoing tenant/purchaser in the case of leasehold businesses.
  • Agent’s commissions – our fees are dependant on how quickly we feel we can sell your business, and they are mainly results orientated.
  • Energy Performance Certificate – Almost all businesses will need an energy certificate. The certificate will have to be made available to any potential purchasers. We are able to recommend a professional National company that can take you through the appropriate procedure.

The fees also vary dependant on which particular package you require or whether you need a bespoke package.

Our fees are extremely competitive. We are neither the cheapest nor the dearest, but we provide an unrivalled service and marketing presence.

We will always confirm all our fees in writing prior to your instruction.

You will always know exactly where you stand and there will be no unpleasant surprises at a later stage,

You can rest assured that we are politely aggressive when it comes to selling your treasured possession. We will use our best endeavors to reach a satisfactory conclusion for you.

Thinking of selling click here for a CONFIDENTIAL MARKET APPRAISAL.

We Sell Businesses

Here are just some of the many websites that we advertise on;