We're often asked the best way to sell a business. There are two key components at play in the sale of a business: structuring the
transaction; and positioning the business to the market. Both elements are important and can significantly impact your result.
Structuring the transaction covers areas such as pricing the business, the terms and conditions attaching to the sale, key terms in the contract, and ensuring the transaction structure is as tax effective as possible. Much of the structuring is about ensuring the vendors secure the most efficient and effective outcome from the sale. It is about maximising the vendor’s position.
Positioning the business for sale is all about ensuring that you achieve a sale and maximise your price. It covers areas such as
ensuring there are no hurdles within the business that will limit its saleability, identifying the competitive position of the business
within its market segment, ensuring that operating performance is as good as it can be, and that the business benchmarks well in its
market.
Positioning also includes identifying the best time to take the business to the market, how to take it to the market, and who the most
likely buyers will be.
Positioning is about doing everything needed to maximise the probability of a sale occurring, whereas structuring is about getting the best
outcome from a transaction once it has occurred. A lot of people make the mistake of spending most of their energy on the structuring of the
transaction. It is important but only becomes important if the sale is achieved.
Structuring should be addressed first to help identify any key decisions that need to be made but put most of your effort into positioning the business for sale. To do this, you need an objective assessment of how the business compares in its market, its competitive position, and what if any impediments to sale exist – all the things a buyer will look at and look for when they assess your business.
Most buyers believe that we are currently in a buyer’s market and will try to drive down price expectations. Whether or not you
are in a buyer’s market depends on your industry segment but regardless of this, you are in a competitive market. Buyers may be
comparing your business to similar businesses but also opportunities in other industry segments.
Securing a sale at the best possible price is about having your business positioned for sale. Preparation time is needed to achieve this
well in advance of putting your business on the market.
Thinking of selling your business? Talk to us today about preparing your business for sale.
After overwhelming demand and sold-out sessions in Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Mornington in 2025, we’re inviting expressions of interest for 2026. If you missed out earlier or are ready to dive into hands-on automation training, we’re considering additional sessions in various locations across Australia in 2026.
LIVE 2-DAY COURSE - MELBOURNE CBD
15 & 16 December 2025
Join SkyBots’ 2-day Workshop with automation expert Daryl Aw to revolutionise your workflow using Power Automate, UiPath, VBA,
and cutting-edge AI tools like Copilot and ChatGPT. Tailored for accounting and finance
professionals, bookkeepers and small business owners, this hands-on training will teach you to automate repetitive tasks, generate and
optimise VBA scripts, and deploy robust automation solutions independently.
LIVE 2-DAY COURSE - SYDNEY
11 & 12 December 2025
Join SkyBots’ 2-day Workshop with automation expert Daryl Aw to revolutionise your workflow using Power Automate, UiPath, VBA,
and cutting-edge AI tools like Copilot and ChatGPT. Tailored for accounting and finance
professionals, bookkeepers and small business owners, this hands-on training will teach you to automate repetitive tasks, generate and
optimise VBA scripts, and deploy robust automation solutions independently.
What happens when a trusted employee of 15+ years claims they’re owed over $20K in backpay? For one small business owner, it meant stress, legal letters — and a powerful reminder of why investing in the right accounting and bookkeeping partner pays off.
Running a business is rewarding—but it also brings financial challenges. Whether you’re facing a shortage of cash during slower months or reveling in a boom and worried about the tax bill that follows, one thing remains constant: you need a clear plan.
