Business Exit Planning

Selling a Metal Cutting Business

It's a misconception that no one is buying metal cutting businesses these days. Savvy entrepreneurs see metal cutting business opportunities as a path to short-term profits and long-term growth. There aren't any guarantees, but if you adhere to fundamental business sale concepts, you can likely get a good price for your business.

Business-for-sale markets are less dependent on economic conditions than most sellers think they are.

The economy hasn't squashed the market for metal cutting 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 Choose a Business Broker

Good business brokers inevitably produce better business sales. In the metal cutting business industry, experience is a must-have characteristic for qualified brokerage. The best brokers should also come with a list of references, a demonstrable track record and a proven plan for selling metal cutting businesses.

Dealing with Tire Kickers

Unfortunately, many of the prospects you will encounter aren't serious buyers. As a seller, it's important to separate the tire kickers from the serious buyers as soon as possible. Each tire kicker is an investment of time and energy that could be poured into finding a more qualified prospect. If you aren't sure what to look for in a serious buyer, ask your broker for advice. As a rule, they limit the amount of information that is provided in the initial stages of an engagement, waiting to reveal the juiciest details of the business until the prospect has been thoroughly vetted. Smart sellers may require prospects to provide background and financial information fairly early in the process as a way of verifying the financial capacity to close the deal.

Finding Prospects

Still looking for prospective buyers for your business? You probably already know several parties with an interest in acquiring your company. We frequently see qualified buyers emerge from the seller's network of business and personal acquaintances. In other cases, sellers take a proactive approach to finding likely buyers and contacting them directly. If possible, steer clear of selling to a competitor if for no other reason than the fact that competitors pay less for metal cutting businesses than other buyers.

Share this article


Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs

Lists of Venture Capital and Private Equity Firms

Franchise Opportunities

Contributors

Business Glossary