Niche Exit Planning Strategies

Selling a Desktop Publishing Equipment and Supplies Business

Does the economy have you down? For exiting owners, the idea of listing their company now can be terrifying. Although it's going to take some work, there is a good chance you can still sell your company at or even above fair market value.

Business sellers are notorious for second-guessing themselves about the right time to put their companies up for sale.

Success is a factor of preparation, execution and a keen eye for the market. As a business seller, you need to go into the process with the mental goal of presenting your business in the best possible light.

How to Work with Business Brokers

Brokerage is a mainstay of the business-for-sale marketplace. Brokerage is particularly common in the desktop publishing equipment and supplies 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.

How to Skillfully Address Buyer Concerns

It's a common scenario: in an effort to perform a thorough due diligence process, buyers flood desktop publishing equipment and supplies business sellers with questions and requests, often to the point of becoming a nuisance. The questions desktop publishing equipment and supplies business ask during due diligence are designed to alleviate their concerns about the business and should be promptly addressed by the seller. Avoid answering buyer concerns with vague generalities. Instead, be as specific as possible, even if it means doing additional research before offering a response. If due diligence drags on too long, your broker may need to intervene.

Average Timeframes

Hoping for a quick desktop publishing equipment and supplies business sale? You may be disappointed. Unfortunately, there are no hard and fast rules about the length of time your business will be on the market. Pricing plays a role in sale length, but there are no guarantees that a fairly priced business will sell quickly. On average, it takes a minimum of six months to prepare a desktop publishing equipment and supplies business for sale and many sellers spend a year or more positioning their business to command a higher price. Even though it's conceivable that an attractive opportunity could sell in weeks, an immediate flood of offers could indicate that the business is underpriced.

Share this article


Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs

Lists of Venture Capital and Private Equity Firms

Franchise Opportunities

Contributors

Business Glossary