Exit Planning Advice By Market

Selling an Animal Rescue and Relocation Service

We hear from a lot of business owners who are timid about listing their animal rescue and relocation service. Despite the mood of the market, we think there are still opportunities to receive a good price for your animal rescue and relocation service. Here's what you need to know . . .

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

Fortunately for sellers, forward-thinking entrepreneurs continue to be attracted to animal rescue and relocation services that exhibit strong financials and potential for future growth.

Moving On

The decision to sell your animal rescue and relocation service can't be made without adequate consideration of what will happen after the sale. many sellers find themselves ill-equipped to handle life after their business and fail to understand that their future plans can influence the sale process. For example, seller financing can be an extremely valuable concession, especially in the current economy. But if you need all of the proceeds of the sale upfront, seller financing is off the table and you'll need to find a different way to make your animal rescue and relocation service attractive to buyers.

Buyer Concessions

Most animal rescue and relocation service sellers realize they will need to offer concessions to sell their businesses. But for every concession you grant, there may be an opportunity to obtain a concession from the buyer. For example, if the buyer needs seller financing, you can leverage a five-year loan to push for a higher sales price. Although you won't see all of the proceeds upfront, you'll earn interest on the balance and realize a higher price than you would in an all cash deal. Asset exclusions, retained ownership shares and long-term contracts with another of the seller's companies can also be leveraged to extract concessions from buyers.

Tapping Into Business Networks

Today's animal rescue and relocation service buyers can be found in a variety of locations. To advertise your sale to the widest possible audience, consider a listing on BizBuySell.com or other top online business-for-sale listing sites. But industry connections can also be a valuable source of leads. The downside of industry networks is that it leaves your company vulnerable to exploitation by competitors. Your broker may be able to offer strategies for promoting your sale within your network while maintaining some remnant of a confidential sale.

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