Important Tips to Buy or Sell a Business
When you want to buy or sell a business, it is important that you understand how the market works for small-sized and medium-sized businesses. The market is always on the move and rapidly changing. So if you want to make the right business decisions you need to apply the right business principles.
Firstly, here are important tips that you should consider when you want to sell your business or place it on the market.
Prepare for a Sale
You have to be sure that you want to sell your business. Once you have crossed that road, you need to take out time to sort out the things that would guarantee a successful sale. If your house is not in order or your commitment falls short during negotiations, you shorten your chances of a successful sale.
So it is important that you hold off any bids until you have made adequate preparations to portray your business in the best possible light. And this includes, updating your financial records or statements and putting material together to uphold claims about the nature or success of your business.
Call the Experts
Selling a business is not a Do-It-Yourself thing; you require help from the experts or those that have done this thing before. It is important that you assemble a team of people who can help you. The accountant or tax adviser should be the one sorting out your financial statements or any other information that potential buyers might want to see. A competent business broker will tell you how much you should sell your business for, put together a sales prospectus and set the terms of sale. An attorney comes in when all this has been done, irons out any clauses and ensures that both parties sign their agreements.
Alternatively, if you want to buy a business, these are some things that you should consider to help you mount a successful takeover.
Drive a Hard Bargain
Figuring out the cost of a business can pose a problem if not clarified properly. Sometimes, seller wants to be paid based on a previously profitable history while the buyer feels that payment should be a reflection of present performance. Ensure that you drive a tough bargain and only pay for a business with profit potential. Remember that you still need to spend to align the business with current business trends and the social climate.
Get Professional Advice
Hire professionals like accountant, business intermediary and attorney to help you out with any financial and legal downsides that you may experience. Avoid buying a business that may out-pace its usefulness. This might usually require some professional expertise because the business landscape changes quickly and a bad business could easily become good all over again.
About The Author
Alam Qureshi is a Certified Business Intermediary (CBI), Certified M&A Professional and Broker of Record at ProClient Brokers Inc., Brokerage. He helps business owners learn how to sell a business so they can get the maximum value for their company. call us 416 364 5550 or CONTACT US to get in touch.
Date modified: 7-17-2019
