Exit Planning Strategies

Selling a Voice Mail Equipment and Systems Business

Planning and execution can dramatically influence the price you receive for your voice mail equipment and systems business.

Waiting for better economic times to sell your company? That's a common anthem in the small business community.

More than a few voice mail equipment and systems business sellers sell for a price that is well below market value. Smart sellers know the value of their companies are prepared to identify buyers who are willing to pay top dollar.

Maintaining Objectivity

Objectivity is a rare commodity in a business sale. Sellers typically overvalue their companies compared to the rest of the marketplace. Although it may be a hard pill to swallow, you need to find a way to introduce objectivity into your sale. A business broker can be a valuable resource in right-sizing your expectations and preparing you for market realities.

Working with Accountants

Accountants lay the financial groundwork for a business sale. From a seller perspective, an accountant can offer personal financial assistance, especially when it comes to handling the disposition of sale proceeds. You may also want your accountant to assist in the preparation of professional financials to present to serious buyers. With seller financing becoming common, professional accountants are playing a more central role in negotiations and buyer qualification.

Business Valuation

Professional appraisers can use three methods to determine the value ofa voice mail equipment and systems business: The income method, the asset method and the market method. While the income method uses anticipated revenues as a value basis, the asset method focuses on the company's capital, real estate and intellectual assets. In many sales, the most accurate valuation comes from the market method which determines value based on the recent sales of similar businesses. As a safeguard, consider conducting appraisals using variations of multiple appraisal methods. To drive up your sale price, position your voice mail equipment and systems business by improving variables like assets, revenue and profitability during the years leading up to a sale.

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