Ideally, if you personally like someone, which would be considered the “social” aspect of a deal, and you believe that they represent the best potential buyer of your company, then you might give their offer extra consideration beyond its price.
However, keep in mind that the attitudes the buyers present might not be genuine, and the people with the most money can afford to put on the nicest presentations, often without being questioned by seemingly lower level businesspersons.
If your own job is going to survive past a buyout or merger, you will definitely want to make sure that you are working with the right people. With that in mind, spend a good amount of time with the prospective buyers to see if your social values and communications mannerisms are compatible.
Your evaluation of the buyers should take into account intangibles like courtesy and stress level during negotiations and beyond. But don’t let their visits become intrusions and distract you from your daily business processes, or your company could become worth less during that period when you are trying to “flip it.”
