15/05/2025

How Buyers Evaluate Your Business (and How to Stand Out)

How Buyers Evaluate Your Business (and How to Stand Out)

You only get one chance to make a first impression—and when you're selling your business, that impression matters. Buyers today are savvy, data-driven, and comparing multiple opportunities at once.

So how can your business stand out?

At Sherpa, we help you present your business in the best possible light using clear financials, smart automation, and a structured process buyers trust. Here's what buyers are really looking for—and how to make sure your listing gets noticed.

🔍 1. Clear, Transparent Financials

The #1 thing buyers want is clarity.

They don’t want to dig through vague spreadsheets or guess what you’re really earning. That’s why Seller’s Discretionary Earnings (SDE) is key.

SDE = Net Profit + Owner Add-Backs (like salary, one-offs, depreciation)

Sherpa’s AI-powered valuation tool calculates your SDE automatically—giving buyers a reliable figure to compare across listings.

Pro tip: Businesses with a clear, verified SDE attract more offers and faster enquiries.

🧩 2. Low Owner Dependency

The more your business can run without you, the more attractive it is.

Buyers ask:

  • “Will I need to work 60 hours a week to keep this running?”

  • “What happens if the owner leaves?”

If your business relies heavily on you, document systems, delegate where you can, and highlight any team or automation already in place.

🔁 3. Recurring Revenue or Stable Clients

Buyers love predictability. If your income is lumpy or based on one-off projects, it’s seen as riskier.

But if you have:

  • Subscription models

  • Repeat clients

  • Contracts in place

... make sure to highlight them. Recurring revenue boosts your value and attracts more serious interest.

🌟 4. A Strong Online Presence

Buyers often "Google" your business before enquiring. If they see:

  • Good reviews

  • A clean, active website

  • A strong social media presence

... they’re more likely to take the next step. If your digital presence needs a quick refresh, now’s the time.

🧠 5. A Professionally Presented Listing

Would you respond to a blurry photo and a few vague sentences?

Probably not. And neither will buyers.

Sherpa helps you build a standout advert with:

  • AI-generated listing content

  • A clear SDE valuation

  • Clean financial summaries

  • Buyer-ready attachments (lease, P&L, staff list)

You don’t need to be a copywriter. Just answer a few questions—we do the rest.

Make Your Business Buyer-Ready with Sherpa

Sherpa is more than just a listing site. We give you everything you need to attract, engage, and convert serious buyers:

✔ AI-powered valuation tool
✔ Advert builder (no writing required)
✔ Automated buyer follow-ups
✔ Secure document sharing via NDA
✔ No broker commissions

Stand out. Sell smart. And move on to your next chapter—with Sherpa by your side.

Start your business's sales journey

See how your business ad could look in under 2 mins

Start your business's sales journey

See how your business ad could look in under 2 mins

Start your business's sales journey

See how your business ad could look in under 2 mins

Start your business's sales journey

See how your business ad could look in under 2 mins

Simplifying business sales with an easy-to-use, low fee platform

Simplifying business sales with an easy-to-use, low fee platform

Simplifying business sales with an easy-to-use, low fee platform

Simplifying business sales with an easy-to-use, low fee platform