Exit Planning Techniques By Market

Selling a Funeral Cars Business

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

Like it or not, a funeral cars business sale is a complicated affair, made even more difficult by the emotions associated with leaving a business you've poured your life into. In our experience, a common owner concern is how the sale will affect customers and employees.

Success is a factor of preparation, execution and a keen eye for the market. Since your future goals depend on the outcome of your sale, you'll need to have your head in the game from Day One.

Leveraging Industry Connections

Today's funeral cars business 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. For more targeted lead generation, consider tapping into your network of industry contacts. The downside of industry networks is that it leaves your company vulnerable to exploitation by competitors. Use good sense in restricting the flow of information within the industry and focusing your efforts toward trusted industry allies.

What About Market Conditions?

At first glance, today's market would seem to be a hostile place for funeral cars business sellers. Although the economy is gaining steam, recovery is slow and entrepreneurs are holding their cards close to their vests. However, many business sellers don't realize that a full economic rebound can have devastating consequences, particularly if sellers who have waited to list their businesses suddenly create a glut in the business-for-sale marketplace. So what's our point? The economy isn't the most important factor in the sale of your business. Instead, you should be focusing on making your funeral cars business as attractive as possible so to buyers right now.

Selling to a Family Member

The idea of passing a business along to a family member sounds idyllic to many business owners. in reality, a family-based funeral cars business sale can be more complicated than selling to a stranger. If it isn't handled properly, a family sale can quickly create irreparable divisions within your family. Unless you have agreed to treat the family member like any other buyer, the risk of hard feelings among other potential heirs or family members is high. Although it may seem odd, a sale to a family member can take longer than a sale to a stranger because it may take time to work through family issues prior to closing.

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