As part of Jessica’s training I went through my folder of old articles and other industry materials. I came across something from a business broker and while it’s probably 20 years old it’s as viable, and valuable, as ever.
Here are five points with my insights on how they apply to all businesses, not just the buy-sell world.
Don’t make friends– It starts with the line, “People want to do business with people they like.” Customers who don’t trust a salesperson won’t buy from them. I’ve been saying for 20 years, “Nobody will buy from or sell to someone they don’t like.” Relationships are the most important factor.
Hide the flaws– Full disclosure, open Kimono, no secrets. It doesn’t matter what phrase you use, don’t hide things. In buy-sell deals the due diligence process is for confirmation not surprises. In everyday business it means being honest about what your product or service can do, what it can’t do, etc.
Don’t listen– In the class I teach at the Seattle SBA I say sales is asking questions and listening. It’s not smooth, persuasive talk. Your prospective and existing customers will tell you what they want and/or need. If all you’re thinking about is your next statement, you’ll miss important clues.
Ignore the marketplace– The buy-sell world has ranges of value/pricing. Almost no business is so special it defies those ranges (as super-motivated buyer is most likely the one factor causing a higher than normal price). It’s the same in most industries, unless you’ve carved out such a strong competitive advantage you stand out from any competition. It’s tough to do with widgets and much easier to do with software, which is why software has such high margins.
Statistics prove my point– The author used statistics to show sellers who priced their business well above the professional’s estimate of value sold for less (than the estimate) because the buyer picked apart everything, because the price made no sense. Use statistics whenever you can. For example, our process increases donations by 37% or our sales training shows a 24% increase in sales and 5% increase in gross margin. A tour company owner told me how the most successful guides (those who get the biggest tips) use statistics about the area because customer soak up that information like a dry sponge soaks up water.
There were some other good ones, including “Don’t put it in writing,” “Delay” (meaning you should show urgency), and “Take unreasonable positions.” My conclusion is, these things are universal and I’m sure you have industry rules that apply to most other industries. The key is to follow them.
