Selling with a broker
A good broker widens the pool of serious buyers and carries much of the negotiation workload. Here is what brokers do, what to prepare, and what to agree before you sign anything.
Touchbase guide · Updated 3 November 2026
What a broker actually does
A broker markets your business, screens enquiries so that casual browsers do not consume your time, coordinates viewings and information requests, and helps structure and negotiate the deal. Their experience with comparable sales helps set a realistic asking price — the single most common reason a business fails to sell is an unrealistic one.
Prepare before you list
Get your records in order: turnover and profit history, the lease and its remaining term, an asset and stock schedule, staff details, and the reasons you are selling. Tidy loose ends a buyer will find — expired permits, unresolved supplier disputes, undocumented side arrangements. A prepared seller moves through due diligence weeks faster.
What to agree with your broker
Discuss and agree in writing how the broker is remunerated — commissions and fee structures vary and are agreed directly between you and the broker — what marketing the fee covers, how buyer enquiries are handled, and how confidentiality is protected. Employees, customers and competitors should not learn of the sale before it is appropriate.
Through the sale
Respond to information requests quickly; slow responses lose buyers. Let the broker run interference on negotiations while you keep the business trading well — a dip in turnover during the sale process gives buyers leverage. When a buyer is found, verify proof of funds or financing before taking the business off the market, and agree a handover plan that protects staff and customers through the transition.
Brokers on Touchbase
The Touchbase broker directory lists brokers who advertise their services. Broker profiles are provided by the brokers themselves; interview more than one, ask for their process and recent experience in your industry, and choose on fit rather than promises.
Ready to take the next step?
Find a broker near youKeep reading: Business valuation basics · Buying a business checklist