Business Exits By Industry
Selling a Computer Networks Business
It's a misconception that no one is buying computer networks businesses these days. Savvy entrepreneurs see computer networks business opportunities as a path to short-term profits and long-term growth. There aren't any guarantees, but if you adhere to fundamental business sale concepts, you can likely get a good price for your business.
Market timing is a perennial problem for business sellers.
Many business owners don't know that computer networks businesses are still a hot commodity, to the extent that sellers have properly prepared them for the marketplace.
Before You Sell
The pre-sale checklist for a computer networks business is long and is full of critical tasks that will likely determine the success (or failure) of your sale. The first item on your checklist should be a reality check -- if you plan to sell your business for top dollar in just a few short months, you need to adjust your expectations%However, your first priority should be to set realistic expectations for the selling process and its eventual outcome. Once your expectations are in the ballpark, you can move on to making your business presentable to prospective buyers.
When the Sale Goes Off-Course
The computer networks business-for-sale marketplace is a mixed bag of brokered sales and solo efforts. Without brokerage, the risk of your sale going off-course is increased. As a rule, no business should sit on the market for more than six months without attracting the interest of at least a handful of qualified buyers. Lack of buyer enthusiasm or persistence indicates that something is wrong. The remedy is professional brokerage or a consultation with more experienced sellers.
Identifying Serious Buyers
Unfortunately, many of the prospects you will encounter aren't serious buyers. As a seller, it's important to separate the tire kickers from the serious buyers as soon as possible. Each tire kicker is an investment of time and energy that could be poured into finding a more qualified prospect. Your business broker can offer insights about how to quickly spot tire kickers. As a rule, they limit the amount of information that is provided in the initial stages of an engagement, waiting to reveal the juiciest details of the business until the prospect has been thoroughly vetted. Smart sellers may require prospects to provide background and financial information fairly early in the process as a way of verifying the financial capacity to close the deal.
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