Business owners are usually too busy running their business to deal with the fact that retirement will arrive one day. Ultimately, every business owner walks away from their business. The sooner you start preparing for that day, the better off you’ll be.
Whether it is an established location, relationships with customers and suppliers, or an understanding of a given industry, an established business has much to offer. Prospective buyers also know the benefits of buying a business with a track record.
Simply stated, no one is a greater expert on your business than you. That means you are positioned to evaluate your business and help map out a plan so that there is a smooth transition from buyer to seller. Let’s take a look at some tips for getting the best price on your deal and making that transition a little easier.
1. Have a Second-in-Command
This first tip is one that shouldn’t be overlooked. Develop and have a competent, dependable, and proven second in command. Any prospective buyer evaluating your business will feel much more confident with the idea of taking over if they know there is a responsible and experienced professional waiting in the wings to support the transition and beyond.
Buying a new business can be an intimidating prospect, especially if the buyer has never owned a business before. Acquiring a business with a competent second in command in place will serve to ease a prospective buyer’s many apprehensions while boosting their confidence that their plan to buy and operate your business will be successful.
2. Streamline Operations
A second key tip for business owners looking for ways to ensure an easy transition is to streamline operations. A lot goes into operating a successful business and the more you can streamline that process, the more attractive your business will be to any prospective buyer. This could be everything from creating operations manuals to improving training for staff members.
3. Be Transparent Wherever and Whenever Possible
Everybody wants to be loved…but when it comes to business it’s best as a business owner for your employees, customers and vendors to be more in love with your business than you. Communicating with key employees, customers and vendors early on in the process can help ensure a smooth transition. Deciding how and when to have these communications can be tricky however, and seeking outside counsel may be your best course of action in this regard.
Any prospective buyer who is considering buying a business will feel much more comfortable after learning that key employees, customers and vendors will all be motivated and ready to work with the new owner. One of the top fears of any prospective buyer is that they will buy the business only to see critical team members quit, key customers take their business elsewhere, or have to deal with supply disruptions. No one expects you to work forever so, the earlier transparent communications can take place about “one day…”, the easier the ultimate reality of a transition will be.
Finally, any business owner considering selling their business should explore working with a business broker or M&A advisor. Business brokers understand what it takes to ease the diverse fears that buyers have when it comes to buying a business. A business broker or M&A advisor’s expertise and knowledge base can prove invaluable for helping business owners chart the best path forward and get their businesses sold.