Timothy Goddard (cont’d)
And to dig into this concept a little more, on to Steve Jones based in Salt Lake City. Steve?
Steve Jones
As mentioned throughout this discussion, your presentation in the launch meeting will be the first draft to what you present directly to a prospective buyer. So keep in mind what matters most to them. But buyers certainly want historical evidence of market adoption and customer traction, but they aren't buying your history. They're buying your future.
That means you can't spend time on a history lesson of where you're founding or how you got to this point. You only have a few minutes to get to the point and to tie the current success of your business to your vision of the future. More often than not, a company will share the three year plan, which is good. But you really need to think bigger.
This is the time to paint a picture of just how big and disruptive your solution can be in the hands of the right buyer. But it needs to be based on reality. Avoid using buzz words and hyperbole. But don't be shy in creating a sense of urgency. The message you're sending that if the buyer decides to pass, they aren't just missing out on potential growth from your company, but they run the risk of missing out on an entire market movement. Make it credible. Think big. Make the case that not only you can impact their growth plans, but the combination of your companies will change the trajectory of the entire marketplace.
Timothy Goddard
Good stuff. Thank you Steve.
This is a segment from Tech M&A Monthly: M&A Launch – 10 Tips to Ensure Success (May) webcast. For more information, please visit Corum Group's Software M&A Webcast Archive.