Mergers & Acquisitions For Dummies

Chapter 6

Finding and Contacting Buyers or Sellers

IN THIS CHAPTER

Creating Buyer and Seller lists

Navigating the phone labyrinths of large companies successfully

Dealing with people who can’t help you

Any acquisition or sales process depends on having an appropriate target list. Not having enough targets lowers the odds of a successful closing; having too many makes it an unwieldy process. Selling a company is probably the only time a sales call is easy; buying a company is a trickier affair. Business owners get tons of buy offers, so as a Buyer, standing out from the crowd can be difficult. Luckily, knowing whom to talk to, how to get to that person, and what to say when you do can make a world of difference.

In this chapter, I introduce you to the target list — specifically, how to create one and then use it to make contact with potential Buyers or Sellers. I also show you how to avoid wasting time on the phone with people who can’t help you.

Creating a Target List

Before you can have a conversation about selling your company or acquiring someone else’s company, you need to have someone to speak to! It’s one of those crazy things about mergers and acquisitions. If you want ...