Finding a broker is not hard; finding the right one is a week of deliberate work. The method below produces a shortlist from evidence rather than advertising, and ends with three written proposals you can actually compare.
Get quotes to sell my business
Day one to two: build the list from closed deals
Look at who has sold businesses like yours recently. Trade associations, industry contacts and the listing sites themselves show which firms carry your kind of business and how long their listings sit. A firm with ten listings in your trade and none sold is telling you something.
Day three to four: the same written questions
Send each firm the same five questions. How many businesses like mine have you closed in the last two years. Who will actually run the sale. How many buyers will you approach and how. What is the fee, the minimum and the tail. What would you do if I insisted on a price you thought was too high. Written answers, please.
Day five: reference and decide
Ask each shortlisted firm for two sellers you can call, and call them. Ask those sellers what surprised them and what they would do differently. Then compare the proposals on minimum fee, tail terms and the buyer approach plan rather than on the headline commission.
Questions people ask about find a broker to sell my business
How many brokers should I contact?
Five for the first round, three for proposals. More than that and the process starts to leak into your trade.
Is a big franchise brand better?
Not inherently. The person handling your sale matters more than the brand above the door, and franchised offices vary enormously.
What if none of them impress me?
That is a real answer. Selling privately with a good lawyer, or waiting a year while you prepare the business, both beat signing with a firm you do not trust.