Exit Planning Techniques By Market

Selling a Fuel Oils Business

You've heard the naysayers - now isn't the time to sell a fuel oils business. But what they don't know is that many entrepreneurs see fuel oils businesses as a smart business investment.

It's a fact: Successful business sales take time.

The economy hasn't squashed the market for fuel oils businesses. Like always, unprofitable and poorly positioned businesses struggle to find buyers while sellers who have invested time and effort to prepare their sale are being rewarded in the marketplace.

How to Work with Business Brokers

Brokerage is a mainstay of the business-for-sale marketplace. Brokerage is particularly common in the fuel oils business-for-sale market, where aggressive selling strategies are the norm. However, your broker will still expect you to materially participate in the sale of your business. Successfully brokered sales are based on solid relationships between brokers and sellers as well as the strict execution of a common selling strategy.

When to End Negotiations

If the devil is in the details, the negotiation stage of a fuel oils business sale is the devil's playground. But sooner or later, someone needs to bring negotiations to a close. Unfortunately, that responsibility often falls on the seller. A lull in negotiations may be part of the buyer's strategy. Then again, it may be a sign that the search for common ground is a lost cause. At this point in the process, an awareness of negotiation parameters really pays off. If the buyer is unwilling to accept your minimum demands, it's time to end negotiations and move on to the next prospect.

Sale Preparation Timeframes

There are no effective shortcuts for selling a fuel oils business. Since buyers prefer to see evidence of future cash flow, you'll want to to strategically lock in cash flows and increase profits before you list the business. Additionally, prospective buyers usually request documentation that allows them to understand the business's daily workflows and operational strategy. Since all of this takes time and effort, a fuel oils business can rarely be ready for the marketplace in less than six months. If you can afford to wait, we recommend investing a few years in improving your business's financial position before you put it on the market.

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