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Selling a Collating Equipment and Services Business

The decision to sell your collating equipment and services business isn't something that should be taken lightly, especially these days. If a business exit is on the horizon, you'll want to check out our suggestions for staying ahead of the market.

In a down economy, many collating equipment and services business sellers wait to list their businesses until they see signs that the economy has rebounded, making it difficult to accurately evaluate the number of collating equipment and services businesses that are actually for sale.

If you're looking for a reason to wait to put your business on the market, you'll find it. Selling a collating equipment and services business isn't easy, but we believe sellers can achieve their goals in any economic environment.

Pre-Sale Checklist

There is a lot of work that needs to be done before you're ready to sell your collating equipment and services 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. Once your expectations are in the ballpark, you can move on to making your business presentable to prospective buyers.

How to Skillfully Address Buyer Concerns

Buyers can present challenges, especially during the due diligence stage. The questions collating equipment and services business ask during due diligence are designed to alleviate their concerns about the business and should be promptly addressed by the seller. Avoid answering buyer concerns with vague generalities. Instead, be as specific as possible, even if it means doing additional research before offering a response. However, at some point due diligence has to end and the sale must proceed to closing. Consult with your broker to determine when it's time to draw the line and push the buyer toward a final commitment.

Working with Appraisers

An experienced appraiser is part and parcel of a successful collating equipment and services business sale. By hiring an appraiser to conduct a thorough appraisal of tangible and non-tangible assets prior to listing, you get a measure of the true worth of your business. Although the appraised value of your business may not be the same as the sales price, you gain valuable insight that can be used to your advantage during negotiations. If you're disappointed with the appraiser's estimate of your company's worth, you have the option of seeking a second opinion. However, it's more often the case that you will need to adjust your expectations of your business's value to buyers.

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