The Psychology of Selling – Are You Sure You’re Ready?
More than likely, selling your business is one of the biggest decisions of your life. Unless you own a business, it is impossible to understand just how all-encompassing of a process it can be. With that stated, it is important for business owners to step back and seriously reflect on whether or not they are truly ready to sell. The psychological aspects of selling are not trivial. Various aspects must be taken into... Continue Reading →
When Should You Think About Selling Your Small Business?
There are many reasons why small companies are put up for sale. Some of the more common reasons can actually have little to do with the company’s general performance. For example, many small business owners discover that they need to sell for health reasons or personal concerns, such as divorce or partnership issues. While a business downturn or fear of a larger competitor looming on the horizon might prompt many... Continue Reading →
Is Your Business Charging Enough For Goods & Services?
A small increase in what you charge for your goods and services can make a tremendous difference to your bottom line. The fact is that many businesses could charge more for their goods and services than they do, but fail to do so. Owners often do not realize the great value of charging just one-percent more. In this article, we’ll explore how charging even slightly more can dramatically impact your business.
Let’s... Continue Reading →
3 Steps for Achieving Pricing Power
The simple fact is that most of us want to control our own fate. This fact is especially true for entrepreneurs and business owners. However, the truth of the matter is that for most business owners, their fate isn’t completely in their own hands. For example, a variety of forces can prevent businesses from establishing their own prices.
Knowing whether or not your company has pricing power is essential and can... Continue Reading →
John Warrilow’s The Art of Selling Your Business
John Warrilow is the founder of The Value Builder System and accomplished author. While not a business broker himself, Warrilow has gathered considerable knowledge and expertise on the industry. His previous book Built to Sell was listed as one of the best business books of 2011. In this article, we will explore some of the key points in Warrilow’s latest book, which is entitled The Art of Selling Your Business: Winning... Continue Reading →
Why Businesses Get Into Trouble
No two companies are quite alike, and this also means that there are many reasons why companies can fall into trouble. While the number of variables involved in operating a company are practically endless, there are a handful of reasons why companies can fall on hard times. Let’s take a closer look.
Lacking Focus
Companies that lack focus can often run into considerable trouble. Not understanding their customers and what... Continue Reading →
Maximizing Your Time by Rating Buyer Seriousness
Your time is your most valuable commodity. The simple fact of the matter is that many “buyers” are not truly buyers. In contrast, they are often window shopping or acting out a fantasy of buying a business. In other cases, they would only plan to buy if they were to find the “deal of the century.” The last thing you want to do is waste your time trying to work out deals with people who aren’... Continue Reading →
Ownership Transition Survey Results
Mass Mutual Life Insurance produced an ownership transition survey back about a decade ago. The survey results were based on feedback and answers from family-owned businesses. It produced some very interesting results, and is worth examining even today. While the survey at this point is quite outdated in terms of the timeline, there are still many valuable nuggets of information to be gleaned from it. Let’s dive in... Continue Reading →
The Importance of Owner Flexibility
You shouldn’t expect to sell your company overnight. For every company that sells quickly, there are a hundred that take many months or even years to sell. Having the correct mindset and understanding of what you must do ahead of time to prepare for the sale of your company will help you avoid a range of headaches and dramatically increase your overall chances of success.
First, and arguably most importantly, you must have the... Continue Reading →
Getting the Most Out of Confidentiality Agreements
When it comes to buying or selling a business, there is no replacement for a solid confidentiality agreement. One of the key ways that business brokers and M&A advisors are able to help buyers and sellers alike is through their extensive knowledge of confidentiality agreements and how best to implement them. In this article, we will provide you with an overview of what you should expect out of your confidentiality agreements.
A... Continue Reading →