Acquiring a business is an ongoing strategic plan that can take many months (or even years) to complete. M&A is a vital component of growth for companies of all sizes. While every acquisition is bit different, there are standard steps that businesses should follow to ensure that the deal has a chance of success.
A solid M&A strategy will include a clear explanation of the goals you want to achieve, such as growth in revenue and client expansion as well as exposure to new types clients. Also, it includes a detailed financial analysis, which includes your current financial status and forecasts of the market.
Due diligence is an important step in M&A, and it includes checking financial documents twice and conducting search on the company’s records to discover tax liens, bankruptcy filings, litigation, fixture filings, and IP. It is an excellent idea to examine the social media presence of the company, review sites, and testimonials to gain an understanding of how it operates.
It’s tempting to look for deals that “rock the world” however, it’s crucial to be honest about your objectives and the way they align with your resources, and whether the culture of the target is compatible well with yours. Also, don’t be so eager to complete a deal that you ignore any red flags that may arise during due diligence, or during the process of integration or change management.