You’ve decided to sell your business. No problem, right? If you’ve worked hard and built a good name, selling shouldn’t be an issue. Even so, it takes a good chunk of time from start to finish to sell a business. You want to be able to focus on keeping up that good name and continuing to grow your business during the process. Hiring a broker is the best way to keep from getting overwhelmed.
Once you’ve decided to use a business broker, now it’s time to hire one! Do your homework. Check credentials and references, and ask people you trust for referrals.
Make sure your potential broker isn’t managing too many listings at one time, but also look for one that has experience and has a track record of moving listings relatively quickly. Discuss their screening processes and how they select serious contenders out of all the parties that show interest. Find out how they plan to market and promote your company to potential buyers. And of course, find out about pay structure and fees.
After you’ve made your choice, it’s time to get to work! They’ll work on selling the business, and you’ll work on maintaining it throughout the sales process. There’s always a chance that it won’t sell or that you’ll change your mind, so now is not the time to slack off on growing the business. The stronger it is, the more attractive it will be to customers, of course, but also potential buyers.
You’ll work closely with your broker in providing information and preparing documents. It’s the business YOU have built, after all. But being able to delegate much of the day-to-day tasks involved with the sale will lighten your burden and let both experts—you and your broker—focus on what they do best. If you have questions or are ready to get started, give us a call. Good luck with your sale!