Successful Acquisitions

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Your search for the right market should be guided by a few basic principles. First, you must determine how you want to define “market”—geographically, vertically, or whatever makes the most sense for your particular industry. Second, market selection begins with a broad sweep and then progressively zeroes in on individual segments. This maximizes the chances of success, as demand can vary within a broadly defined market. Thorough research will reveal the likely future demand for each segment, increasing your chances of finding the right company to leverage that demand. Third, although your focus is markets, not companies, you are likely to come across individual companies of interest as you conduct your research, so it is important ...