Middle Market Deals and how to buy, sell and raise capital from $5 to $500 million

Thanks to Matt Blumburg for pointing us to Verne Harnish's "Nine tricks buyers use to 'steal' your company."

This is a great rant about the problems often encountered in M&A deals.  My sense, having stood between buyers and sellers, is that each side perceives everything the other does as being somehow malicious.  The fact is, malice is rare in the deals I see.  Stuff happens.  Stuff like Verne describes--just with less malice.

Verne's advice to sellers is right on, including:

• Identify several strategic buyers and keep them all engaged in due diligence initially.
• Don't make a single decision differently until the check is cashed.
• Keep your best customers extremely happy -- they are your best defense.
• Focus on company performance during due diligence. 
• Make it count.

What's your advice?