Maximising the sale proceeds when you sell your business is a matter you can plan for! If you start preparing for the sale of your business at the earliest opportunity (you might even start as soon as you acquire the business), then this should mean you should be better placed to ensure the proceeds exceed what you paid for it.  This is, of course, a radical approach, but if you think about it, your intentions then should enable you to enhance what you have with a great chance of good gain.  This approach is so important and something you mustn’t overlook.  P-L-A-N-N-I-N-G is the most important thing for you to consider. It is incredibly hard to sell any business!  Just look at the classifieds in the printed media or on the internet.  In some cases you might even have realised that some businesses simply cannot be advertised for sale – the impact on the business can be severe from employees, creditors, suppliers, customers, etc as that act is seen as being detrimental to the business.  Many businesses are advertised and most do not get sold!  Most actually are closed by the owner simply because NO buyer can be found – not a great way to finish up when you thought that what you worked for was your retirement fund or at least a source of capital that might be useful.  And do not forget that even when the doors are closed, the costs may still come in (rents, etc) and of course the invoices do not always get paid, because your debtor is no longer able to use your services, so their need to pay is diminished – these Mr Business Owner are a fact of life. It is even harder to sell them for the price you seek, as for getting cash out, that can also be a challenge.  Selling your business can be difficult, even if there are today, more brokers than there has ever been! What does that all mean, in simple terms?  It means you must protect your most important asset by preparing it for sale and doing that well.  Planning for its ultimate sale is the most important matter you should ever consider as regards your business. The sale is only one aspect to consider, there are of course matters such as continuity; succession; health; death; marriage breakdowns; there are a plethora of matters to consider.  We … Continue reading Maximising the Real Sales Value of your business