Are you thinking of selling your business or company? There are circumstances when you would choose to sell your business. You may either want to reduce the number of business branches or opt to start a different business. Whichever the reason, it is your goal to find the best buyer. Finding a good buyer for your business is not an easy thing. That’s why you need to think of strategies that will boost your chances of finding a buyer. Here are tips you need to consider when selling a business online.
Determine the company’s current value
This should be your first step before placing your business on the market. Although you can do it yourself, it is recommended that you choose a third-party valuer. Valuation from a professional valuer will give an appropriate figure. Among the things to be considered during valuation are stock, goodwill, infrastructure and any other expense incurred that relates to its total value.
Provide clean financial statements
Potential investors are also smart. They want to buy a business that brings value to their investment. A smart buyer will look at your business’ financial statements to determine whether it’s worth buying. As the seller, it is advisable to provide the correct financial statements as they may boost your selling point.
Find an online business broker
You may be a good business manager but a poor salesman. To find potential buyers, you must be a very good marketer. Unfortunately, you can’t achieve this while concentrating on running your business. For a smart sale, consider hiring a professional business broker. A competent and experienced marketer will help you sell your business online fast and at a great price.
Pre-qualify buyers
Don’t be overexcited about every offer you receive. Selling online is not an easy process. There are thousands of fraudsters posing as potential buyers. Some buyers may also not have the finances to buy the business. It is, therefore, important that you take time to compare and research the buyers before making a deal.
Compare offers
The next step is to compare the offers you receive. Usually, buyers will make offers based on the business documents provided. The comparison should not only be based on the amount offered. Other factors you need to consider may include their terms and period of payment.
Market it
When selling your business, it’s your responsibility to reach out to potential buyers. You need to market it in online local listings, classified ads, blogs and magazines. You can create great ads by including images, contact info and a map to your business. It is advisable that you avoid sharing personal details or financial details on adverts.
It may take a week to over two years before finding a buyer for your business. How fast you get a buyer depends on your selling strategy. The fastest and easiest way to find a buyer is to involve a broker. Although the broker will charge a certain fraction of the sale price, it is much cheaper than doing the marketing on your own. It is also important to be open-minded and consider every offer you get and look at how best you can strike a deal.
