Exit Planning Techniques By Market
Selling a Fertilizer Handling Equipment Business
You've invested time, effort, and creativity into building your fertilizer handling equipment business. But the hard work isn't done yet. Before you can make a graceful exit, you will have to invest yourself in your business sale.
You won't find any magic formulas for selling a fertilizer handling equipment business, especially while the market is struggling to overcome the perceptions created by a down economy.
Does that mean selling your fertilizer handling equipment business will be a piece of cake? No -- but you might be surprised to learn that the fertilizer handling equipment businesses that are selling these days are finding success though simple, common sense selling strategies.
Why Confidentiality Matters
Highly publicized fertilizer handling equipment business sales are risky fertilizer handling equipment businesssales. If you are rigorous about maintaining a confidential sale, there is little risk in putting your fertilizer handling equipment business on the market. But if word leaks out to the wrong people, your competitors can use that information to steal business and damage your credibility. Successful sales walk a fine line between total confidentiality and aggressive promotion. Brokers and consultants can mitigate the risk by implementing confidential sale techniques.
Leveraging Industry Connections
Today's fertilizer handling equipment business buyers can be found in a variety of locations. Online business-for-sale databases have value, although they appeal to an exceptionally wide base of prospects. More focused prospects are typically found within industry networks. Time and time again, successful fertilizer handling equipment business sales emerge from relationships within the industry. The challenge is to leverage industry connections while keeping knowledge of the sale hidden from your competitors. Use good sense in restricting the flow of information within the industry and focusing your efforts toward trusted industry allies.
Pre-Sale Checklist
There is a lot of work that needs to be done before you're ready to sell your fertilizer handling equipment business. 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. After you have consulted with a business broker to right size your expectations, you'll need to add several items to your checklist, including financial statement preparation, pre-sale appraisals, financial planning, market positioning and other tasks designed to communicate value to prospective buyers.
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