Sell a Business for the Best Price

Selling a Pulp and Paper Business

Market shifts affect business values and the pulp and paper business industry has seen more than its share of fluctuations in business values. Here's what you'll need to know to sell a pulp and paper business during challenging economic times.

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

There are many factors involved with the decision to sell a business. Knowledgeable entrepreneurs understand that market timing isn't nearly as important as other factors in a pulp and paper business sale. To improve sale outcomes, you will simply need to tailor your pulp and paper business to today's buyers.

The Best Person to Sell Your Pulp & Paper Business

An unassisted business sale is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, no one knows your business better than you do. When it comes to earnings potential, asset condition, and other considerations, you are the world's leading expert on your company. But your knowledge and personal insights about the pulp and paper business are also the problem. Nearly all sellers have an inflated sense of their company's value. At a minimum, conduct an independent appraisal of the pulp and paper business to gain an objective sense of fair market value.

Dealing with Your Emotions

Business sellers sometimes struggle to handle the emotions of a sale. You probably have good reasons for selling your pulp and paper business now, but that doesn't make the emotions you will experience any easier. We advise sellers to discuss their feelings with family members and close friends before, during and after the sale. At the same time, it's helpful to consult with people who can help limit the influence of your emotions on negotiations and other aspects of the sale process.

Buyer Identification

It's difficult to predict where the buyer of your pulp and paper business will come from. Avoid pigeon-holing your search to a single buyer category. Although it's helpful to target promotional tactics to likely buyers, allow for some exposure to the broader market. Sellers should also recognize the value of promoting their sale in trusted business networks, carefully balancing the need for confidentiality with the promotional potential of their contact base.

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