I am a business broker my strong suit is confidentiality.I work for the seller,However I am always fair and honest with the buyers.Trust and cooperation is very important in order to complete a successful business transfer.I have to pull teeth to get true and honest answers from sellers about their businesses. Many sellers think that there are foolish buyers waiting to purchase unprofitable businesses. I find that most buyers are intelligent individuals and will do their due diligence before laying down their hard earned capital. How can I educated the Main street business person of this fact.

I'm afraid there seems to be a lack of clarification to your question.

Who are you trying to educate, the buyers into knowing that the sellers are liars and they need to work with you in order to get true and honest info, or the sellers into knowing that they need to open up and give you full and complete disclosure before you will bring your customers to them?

Either way, you're talking about something that takes time and testimonials to prove.

Tell me your honest, I'll take you at your word, but I won't completely trust you until you prove your worth. That's simply human nature.

From those sellers perspectives... Aren't there laws about disclosure of information for such things in reference to the industry of buying and selling businesses or is it 100% buyer beware?

One of the best things I could recommend that you do is to create articles about the required honesty aspects of selling a business, publish them, not only on your website, but in the local newspapers, etc. as well.

If you can't write, yourself, hire an article writer to put your thoughts together for you.

Become KNOWN for your honesty; through your expertise.

Good luck with it.

Tina Brooks, VP Marketing
Brooks Pepperfire Foods, Inc.
Makers of Peppermaster Hot Sauces
http://www.peppermaster.com

Eat more peppers!