Business Exits By Industry
Selling a Christmas Decorations and Lights Wholesale and Manufacturers Business
Few entrepreneurs relish the idea of selling a business in a struggling economy. Yet Christmas decorations and lights wholesale and manufacturers businesses continue to be sold at a brisk pace, outperforming the sales of many other types of businesses.
Business-for-sale markets are less dependent on economic conditions than most sellers think they are.
In order to market a Christmas decorations and lights wholesale and manufacturers business now, you need to apply the right combination of preparation, strategy and common sense.
Average Preparation Time
There are no effective shortcuts for selling a Christmas decorations and lights wholesale and manufacturers business. Since buyers prefer to see evidence of future cash flow, you'll want to to strategically lock in cash flows and increase profits before you list the business. Next, the business will need to be documented in professional financial statements and manuals that facilitate the ownership transition. At a minimum, plan on spending six months preparing your Christmas decorations and lights wholesale and manufacturers business for the marketplace. A more likely scenario is that it will take more than a year to create the conditions necessary to receive the maximum sale price.
Closing Strategies
Today's Christmas decorations and lights wholesale and manufacturers business buyers expect sellers to offer concessions to persuade them to close the deal. Concessions can consist of non-cash as well as cash incentives. When you've reached your limit on price, consider offering non-cash concessions to encourage a commitment from the buyer. In the current economy, seller financing is becoming common in Christmas decorations and lights wholesale and manufacturers business sales. If the prospect is inexperienced or lacks credentials in the industry, you can also offer to stay with the business for a specified period of time to help the new owner get on his feet and introduce him to your network of industry contacts.
How to Work with Business Brokers
Business brokers are professional business sellers. Brokerage is particularly common in the Christmas decorations and lights wholesale and manufacturers business-for-sale market, where aggressive selling strategies are the norm. However, your broker will still expect you to materially participate in the sale of your business. To maximize your broker's potential, conduct periodic consultations throughout the process and deliver requested information as quickly as possible.
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