Three Questions Your Broker Hopes You Never Ask (But absolutely should)
Selling a business isn’t like selling a car, a house, or a hobby you’ve grown bored of. It’s your years. Your late nights. Your backup plans and Plan Bs and “holy shit we made it” moments. So why do so many brokers treat it like it’s just another listing?
Most business owners don’t sell more than once, which means you’re relying on your broker to tell you what matters, and what doesn’t. That works fine until they don’t tell you what you should be asking.
Here’s your shortcut. These three questions will expose whether you’re dealing with a real dealmaker or just someone who wants to slap you on a website and call it a day.
1. How are you going to facilitate the deal?
If the broker starts rattling off marketing buzzwords “reach,” “exposure,” “buyer interest,” pause. That’s not facilitation. That’s listing.
Facilitating a deal means managing the full journey:
- Screening buyers so you don’t waste time on tyre-kickers
- Protecting confidentiality so your staff, suppliers, and customers don’t panic
- Guiding negotiations so things stay civil, focused, and fair
- Supporting you through due diligence, legals, and handover
- Keeping the wheels on when everything feels like it’s falling apart
- In short: it’s everything after the listing goes live. And it matters more than the listing itself.
2. How involved are you after introducing the buyer?
This one’s the litmus test.
Some brokers will ghost the moment a buyer says hello. They’ll throw you into a deal with no support, no structure, and no backup when things go sideways. And spoiler alert: they will go sideways at some point.
The good brokers don’t vanish. They manage timelines, resolve tension, chase down paperwork, and steer the deal from handshake to handover. They protect your price, your peace of mind, and remind you exactly why you started.
Ask this upfront. The difference between a helpful broker and a hands-off one can cost you six figures and your peace of mind.
3. What value are you actually bringing?
This one makes them sweat.
You’re not paying 4–10% of your sale price for someone to chuck your business on a few websites. You’re paying for value. Strategy. Buyer networks. Negotiation skill. Deal structure. Price protection. And experience that’s saved hundreds of deals from the brink.
A good broker should be able to walk you through exactly what their role is and what they do that you can’t do yourself.
Because if they can’t justify their commission clearly? You’re better off not paying it.
If your broker doesn’t already have answers to these questions, if they waffle, shift blame, or hide behind jargon then you’ve got your answer.
You deserve someone who sees the deal through, start to finish. Someone who gives a damn. Someone who treats this sale like the life chapter it really is.
Want a second opinion?
Book a no-pressure chat or call us on 1800 825 831. We’ll answer the questions before you even ask.