State of the Industry: Global Consolidation in Packaging

Along with these basic guidelines, another of the most important strategies for consideration is the perception of your process. Keeping in mind that business "For Sale by Owner" are perceived as less sophisticated and less competitive, signaling "discount pricing" to the most capable market buyers that can make a dramatic difference in ultimate valuation. Sellers are in competition with many other potential transactions, so creating a quality work product describing the uniqueness of the business is imperative. Many private equity firms receive multiple "deal books" at any given time. Those that are well prepared and tell a great story are perceived as attractive businesses and are advanced to the top of the pile, while others may not be reviewed at all. For this reason it is important to involve a professional advisor early and share the ups and down of the business.