For an owner of a privately-held company, the business is their baby and using hard-nosed tactics to negotiate for the lowest price is ill-advised. The human factor cannot be overlooked when pursuing M&A and establishing trust with an owner is critical.
Buying a privately-held business is not like buying a car where you can negotiate the lowest possible price and then drive away and never see the salesperson again. In this case you end up driving off the lot with the salesperson in the car. Often, in a privately-held acquisition, the owner stays on and continues to work in the business for a number of years. Focusing on cost-cutting and financial engineering is no way to establish a successful (and profitable) working relationship.
Here are three ways to remember the human factor when speaking with owners:
- Communicate strategic rationale – Most owners receive numerous offers for their business so it’s up to you to stand out from the pack. Clearly communicating the strategic rationale for an acquisition and prove that you’ve done your research to differentiate you from others.
- Buy often, sell once – There is an asymmetry with buyers and sellers. You can buy as many businesses as you want, but the owner can only sell their business one time. It’s important to establish trust so the owner feels comfortable giving their “baby” away.
- They are all for sale…for the right equation – Just because a company is “not-for-sale” doesn’t mean it’s not for a sale. It simply means the owner isn’t actively trying to sell the business. It’s up to you to find the right factors – financial and nonfinancial – that will change a “no” to a “yes.”
