Business Exits By Industry

Selling a Convention Delivery Services Business

When it's time to sell your convention delivery services business, your future plans depend on your ability to get the highest possible sales price. Here's how to do it . . .

You won't find any magic formulas for selling a convention delivery services business, especially while the market is struggling to overcome the perceptions created by a down economy.

In our opinion, that kind of thinking doesn't make sense. In fact, this might be the perfect time to sell a convention delivery services business. We'll tell you what you need to know to achieve a successful sale outcome

When to End Negotiations

Negotiations have a way of dragging on forever. But sooner or later, someone needs to bring negotiations to a close. Unfortunately, that responsibility often falls on the seller. In a convention delivery services business sale, a stalled negotiation can be an indication that the deal is dead. Since it can be difficult to tell whether the buyer is serious or playing games, it's important to know the lower boundaries of your negotiation strategy and be willing to walk away from the negotiation table, if necessary.

Signs You're in Over Your Head

It's not uncommon for the owners of small convention delivery services businesses to adopt a go-it-alone sale strategy. Plenty of owners sell their convention delivery services businesses unassisted. But for every successful unassisted sale, several other convention delivery services businesses sell below market value or languish on the market for years without attracting the interest of qualified buyers. As a rule, no business should sit on the market for more than six months without attracting the interest of at least a handful of qualified buyers. When buyers fail to exhibit substantive interest, it could indicate unrealistic pricing or an inferior selling strategy. The remedy is professional brokerage or a consultation with more experienced sellers.

Timing the Market

Now may be the best time to sell a convention delivery services business. Although the economy is generally struggling, low interest rates make convention delivery services businesses more attractive to entrepreneurs who want to get in the game. When the economy recovers there will be more convention delivery services business buyers on the market, but higher interest rates could present challenges. At Gaebler, we recognize the value of timing the sale of your convention delivery services business. But we think it's more important to properly position your business for current market conditions -- whatever they may be.

Share this article


Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs

Lists of Venture Capital and Private Equity Firms

Franchise Opportunities

Contributors

Business Glossary