How to Sell Your Business in French-speaking Switzerland: 7 Steps to a Sale Without an Intermediary

Selling your business in French-speaking Switzerland: 7 steps to a direct, confidential and commission-free sale

You have been running an SME in French-speaking Switzerland for many years. You have built something solid, and today the question of succession arises naturally. Perhaps you want to move on to something else, prepare for retirement, or simply turn a page by passing your business on to someone who will know how to make it grow.

What you do not want, however, is to spend months dealing with intermediaries, paying substantial commissions or seeing the confidentiality of your project compromised. Selling directly, to a serious buyer, is not only possible — it is often the best option for French-speaking Swiss SMEs with revenue between CHF 1 and 8 million and solid EBITDA.

Here are the 7 concrete steps of a direct sale process, as it unfolds with Vendre-Entreprise.ch, a direct buyer of SMEs in French-speaking Switzerland. For an overview of the different sale routes available on the French-speaking Swiss market, we also recommend reading our article Business transfer in Switzerland: 2026 overview of sale routes.

Why consider a sale without an intermediary?

The first question many business owners ask is a legitimate one: do I really need an adviser to sell my business? In many cases, the answer is no — provided you work directly with a structured and experienced buyer.

Here is what you concretely gain by opting for a sale without an intermediary:

• Complete confidentiality: no mandate circulated on public platforms, no contact with unidentified third parties.
• Zero commission: you pay no intermediary. The price negotiated is the price received.
• Speed: a well-run process with a direct buyer closes in 3 to 6 months, compared with 12 to 24 months through a traditional sale mandate.
• A single point of contact: you speak directly to the person who will make the purchase decision, with no filter and no delay.

Step 1 — Clarify your personal project after the sale

Before talking figures and documents, the first step is personal. Why are you selling? When do you want to leave? What role are you prepared to play during the transition?

These questions may seem secondary, but they shape everything else. An owner who wants to leave quickly will not have the same priorities as one who envisages an 18-month handover. Clarity about your personal project will allow you to negotiate clauses suited to your actual situation.

Take the time to answer them honestly, ideally in writing, before the first contact with a buyer.

Step 2 — Prepare your financial file

This is the backbone of any serious sale. A direct buyer such as Vendre-Entreprise.ch needs a clear and reliable view of your business in order to make a prompt offer.

The essential documents to gather

• The last 3 annual accounts (balance sheet + income statement)
• The latest available interim balance sheet
• A table of payroll and headcount
• The list of significant customer contracts (without naming them if necessary)
• A summary of fixed assets or current leases

These elements allow the buyer to calculate adjusted EBITDA and establish a credible valuation range. To go further on this subject, see our detailed article: Which documents to prepare to sell your SME in French-speaking Switzerland.

Practical tip: there is no need to have a perfect file from the outset. A first contact can take place with partial information, provided you are ready to complete it quickly after signing a confidentiality agreement.

Step 3 — The first confidential contact and signing the NDA

The first exchange with Vendre-Entreprise.ch is structured to protect your interests from the start. You do not need to reveal everything immediately.

The usual process unfolds as follows:

• You complete a short form presenting your business (sector, revenue, approximate EBITDA, canton).
• A confidentiality agreement (NDA) is sent to you within 48 hours.
• Once signed, a first discovery call is arranged — with no obligation on your part.

This step is often the one sellers dread most. In reality, it is simple and quick. The NDA gives you clear legal protection, and the first exchange allows you to test the buyer's seriousness and responsiveness before going any further.

Step 4 — Streamlined due diligence

In a well-managed direct sale, due diligence is not the administrative marathon some imagine. It is targeted, proportionate to the size of the business, and conducted by discreet professionals.

What due diligence generally covers for a CHF 1-8M SME

• Financial: verification of the accounts, EBITDA adjustments, analysis of cash and working capital
• Legal: articles of association, major contracts, any litigation, commercial leases
• Employment: employment contracts, social security charges, LPP pension contributions
• Commercial: customer concentration, nature of contracts, recurrence of revenue

The duration is generally 3 to 6 weeks for this type of structure. The aim is not to trap the seller, but to confirm the basis of the valuation and identify any points requiring adjustment.

Step 5 — The Letter of Intent (LOI)

The LOI, or letter of intent, is the key document that precedes the final sale agreement. It formalises the main terms of the agreement between you and the buyer: indicative price, transaction structure (sale of shares or assets), conditions precedent, provisional timeline and negotiation exclusivity.

It is not legally binding on the price, but it frames the relationship and gives each party clear visibility over the rest of the process.

At this stage, it is advisable to have your usual notary or lawyer review this document — not to negotiate on your behalf, but to make sure your interests are properly protected.

Step 6 — Direct negotiation

This is one of the most tangible advantages of a sale without an intermediary: you negotiate directly with the decision-maker. No filtered messages, no diverging agendas, no artificial delays.

The points usually negotiated at this stage are:

• The final price and its payment terms (cash, earn-out, vendor loan)
• The duration and terms of your post-sale support
• Warranties and indemnities and their caps
• The treatment of cash and net debt at the closing date
• Any non-compete clauses

Direct negotiation is generally faster and calmer than a multi-offer process run by a third party. Both parties share the same objective: to conclude a fair and lasting transaction.

Step 7 — Signing and supporting the transition

Signing the sale agreement before the notary or a lawyer marks the culmination of your project. But it is not the end of the process — it is the beginning of a new phase: the transition.

In a direct sale with Vendre-Entreprise.ch, the transition is planned well in advance. It can take different forms depending on your personal situation:

• Operational support for a few weeks to a few months, to pass on key know-how
• Gradual introductions to strategic customers, suppliers and employees
• Structured post-signing follow-up, with regular check-ins between seller and buyer

A well-prepared transition is the best guarantee of the longevity of what you have built. It is also often what allows the seller to leave with peace of mind, knowing they have passed on their business under good conditions.

Is this process right for your situation?

This 7-step path is designed for French-speaking Swiss SMEs meeting the following criteria:

• Revenue between CHF 1 and 8 million
• Annual EBITDA of CHF 500,000 or more
• An established business, with a stable customer base and documented processes
• An owner seeking a confidential, fast and commission-free sale

If your business matches this profile, you can start the process today. To deepen your thinking on the process as a whole, we invite you to consult our complete 2026 guide to selling your business in French-speaking Switzerland.

Next step: estimate the value of your SME

Before contacting a buyer, it is natural to want an idea of what your business is worth. Our valuation simulator gives you an indicative range in a few minutes, based on your key financial data — with no obligation and in complete confidentiality.

Estimate the value of my business → Prepare my first call →

Selling your business is probably one of the most important decisions of your professional life. It deserves to be approached with method, discretion and a trusted counterpart. That is exactly what Vendre-Entreprise.ch is committed to offering you — step by step, at your own pace.