Must reading for business sellers, buyers, and the professionalswho serve them The secret of success in any business venture is in thedetails. In Buying and Selling Businesses, a remarkably successful businessconsultant supplies you with all the details you'll need to expandyour professional practice into this booming market. Bill Bumsteadcovers everything from business valuation to closing the deal andgives you lots of tips on marketing your services, dealing withbuyers and sellers, and avoiding the industry's many pitfalls. Thisindispensable guide:* Provides practical strategies for marketing intermediary servicesto buyers and sellers of businesses* Shows you how to combine the business of buying with the businessof selling* Supplies numerous sample checklists and forms* Helps you work effectively with buyers and sellers* Includes an extensive glossary and an industry resourcelist. M&A mania is back! U.S. business sales are booming onceagain--some say annual volume now exceeds $400 billion. With themajority of these sales involving businesses priced below $1million, opportunities abound for professionals who want to expandtheir practices to intermediary services for buyers and sellers ofbusinesses. But if you're going to enter this hyperactive market,you can't afford to learn by trial and error. You need reliable,up-to-date information on how to apply your skills to this highlyspecialized field. Buying and Selling Businesses takes the guesswork out of buying,selling, and valuing businesses. Drawing on highly developed skillsand decades of practical experience, author William W. Bumsteadexplains every detail of every stage in the process--from arrivingat an asking price to matching buyers to businesses, fromnegotiating a purchase agreement to closing the deal. He offerscountless tips on marketing intermediary services to businessbuyers and sellers; packaging businesses for the selling process;ethical, legal, and confidentiality issues; and the personal andprofessional traits that make for success in the field. He also provides:* A special section on business valuation by master valuer GeorgeD. Abraham* Numerous checklists, forms, form letters, and telephone scriptsfor marketing intermediary services* Invaluable tips on avoiding pitfalls in the industry* Information on potential certification and licensing ofintermediaries* An extensive professional glossary and industry resourcelist. For consultants, intermediaries, attorneys, CPAs, realtors, andother professionals, Buying and Selling Businesses is anindispensable guide and introduction to the industry. It willremain a helpful and much-thumbed reference for years to come. Itis also an important resource for anyone interested in buying orselling a business who needs to understand the kinds of servicesthat professionals can provide as well as the processes involved inthe sale or purchase of a business.