Simon Blake
Partner
Selling your business
We advise on selling around 24 business a year, typically worth £5m to £50m .
Supporting you through the sales process, and helping you achieve the best value
Beside you as you exit
When you’ve decided to sell your business, you’ll naturally want to see your staff and customers transition into good hands and get the best valuation and deal terms.
We can advise you on what’s likely to affect your sale price – and help you take steps to achieve the most favourable figure.
Most importantly, we do all we can to make selling your business as simple as possible, minimising the impact of the sale process on the business.
We make sure deals are aligned to
- What’s right for your family
- What’s right for you
- What’s right for the business
These are the real drivers of the deal structure and the price paid.
There always has to be enough left in the deal for the buyer to feel like they’ve bought at the right price, and through the right structure, but ultimately, the seller holds the ability to decide on the sale.
A proven process
We break the process down into stages, and work with you every step of the way:
Establishing an exit plan
Ideally, you’ll want to plan your exit from your business several years in advance. However, according to research we conducted survey over 400 business leaders, only 24% of UK business leaders have an exit strategy in place. This indicates a big opportunity for SMEs to improve their long-term planning. We can help ensure the decisions you make now will benefit you as you move towards exit.
We work with businesses who are both reacting to offers to sell and those who are planning to sell in a few years time.
Preparing for sale
To get your business ‘sale ready’, we can advise you on maximising its value and making it attractive to potential investors. We carry out an in-depth analysis of your current position, before putting a plan into action to optimise performance and ‘polish’ the business – locking in revenue and management, enhancing your financial reporting, commercial reporting, brand and managing the balance sheet. This delivers the best message to the market when you come to sell.
Fine-tuning your approach
Once we get to know your company, we pinpoint any problem areas and help you decide how best to approach potential buyers. We analyse how different buyer groups determine valuations paid and develop professional marketing collateral that presents your business in the best light.
Researching potential buyers
We research suitable buyers, using a variety of methods – including M&A transaction and corporate intelligence databases, web-based research, and our extensive national and international professional networks.
Marketing
Alerting potential buyers is obviously vital. We send out personalised teasers to specific targets to identify interest and take care of the necessary non-disclosure agreements.
Negotiating
We help you consider indicative offers, select preferred bidders, and meet with interested parties. We also help you negotiate heads of terms, and make sure potential buyers have adequate funding and the access they need to carry out due diligence.
This is where the breadth of our tax, accounting and corporate finance expertise interlink to maximise the best deal terms for you.
Handling due diligence, legal and completion
Once you’ve chosen a buyer, we support you as you finalise the deal, ensuring all paperwork, legal documents and tax forms are completed and submitted to the proper authorities.
As you can see, forward planning is the secret of success. To ensure the right outcome, we suggest you talk to our team at least two years before the sale.
Routes to exit
Trade sale
This is a ‘traditional’ sale to an external buyer. It can often achieve a higher valuation due to synergies but may involve a more detailed due diligence process and careful handling of key relationships. Price Bailey’s corporate finance team regularly advises on trade sales, including the successful exit of Savage Haulage, where both trade and private equity options were considered.
Private Equity (PE)
This is selling to or partnering with a private equity fund, especially in mid-market transactions. PE buyers may offer higher multiples and bring additional capital or support. Price Bailey regularly advises on such deals, leveraging its network connections of PE funds.
Employee Ownership Trust (EOT)
An increasingly popular exit route in the UK: ownership transfers to a trust for the benefit of all employees. This offers tax advantages, flexible transitions, and can be blended with MBOs. Our team has completed over 50 EOTs, highlighting their role in succession planning and long-term stability.
Joint venture
Partnering with another entity to share ownership, risk, and growth benefit. This can be a strategic alternative to outright exit. Price Bailey’s e‑book “Dating a Stranger: Expansion through Joint Venture” offers guidance on structuring and managing JV partnerships effectively.
Fees & engagement models
When you engage Price Bailey to guide your business sale, our transparent, hybrid fee structure ensures alignment and clarity from start to finish. Typically, we begin with a retainer or fixed‑fee – either upfront or tied to key milestones – which covers preparatory work, planning, valuation, and marketing. The success fee applies only when the sale completes, meaning our interests are firmly aligned with yours. This model avoids the pitfalls of purely success‑fee brokers and ensures you’re investing in genuine expertise throughout the process. Learn more about how we structure our fees and why this approach works in our detailed article: Fee arrangements when selling a business.
View out most recent deals here: Strategic Corporate Finance recent deals
Read some frequently asked questions our team are asked below:
How long does it take to sell a business?
There is no simple answer, and no two businesses will be the same. It depends on both the size of the company and the circumstances behind the sale. A relatively straightforward sale could happen in just a few months. Whereas sales that involve disputes between shareholders could take years. What’s important is that the sale is done properly.
We will spend the necessary time to consult with you, building a relationship that equips us with the knowledge required to deliver a successful outcome. Finding the right acquirer can take an extended period, but it is critical to find a buyer that fulfils all your objectives.
What information will you need?
Our team of experts can discuss all the relevant information we will need in order to best fulfil your businesses needs. Our level of involvement will differ between each sale however this can be discussed in the early stages.
How are your fees structured?
There are several costs to consider when selling your business. Speak to our team of experts to find out more…
Corporate finance services are provided by Price Bailey LLP. For details about our regulatory status, see www.pricebailey.co.uk/legal.
We can help
Contact us today to find out more about how we can help you
