Sell a Business for the Best Price

Selling a Pipeline Equipment Business

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

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

But sooner or later, all good things must come to an end. When that happens, your future plans will be dependent on your ability to receive the highest possible sale price for your pipeline equipment business.

Average Timeframes

Hoping for a quick pipeline equipment business sale? You may be disappointed. Although asking price and other factors contribute to sale time, it's difficult to predict how long your business will be on the market before you locate the right buyer. To adequately prepare your business listing, plan on spending six months to a year prior to listing. Even though it's conceivable that an attractive opportunity could sell in weeks, an immediate flood of offers could indicate that the business is underpriced.

How Much Does It Cost to Sell a pipeline equipment business?

In a pipeline equipment business sale, pricing is based on a number of factors, including the costs incurred during the sale. Hiring a broker is a mixed bag because although brokers can increase the sale price, they also take a 10% fee. Professional consultations can also represent a significant expense during the course of a pipeline equipment business sale. Furthermore, your time has value, so you may need to include a personal compensation consideration in your expense estimates.

Preparing Your Employees

As a business owner, you want to keep you employees informed about your plans; as a seller it's in your best interest to keep your employees in the dark for as long as possible. You're concerned about confidentiality, and rightfully so. But sooner or later, employees will begin to suspect that something is up, especially when you start parading prospective buyers through the business. Consider informing your key employees first, followed by the rest of your workforce later in the process. Maintain a positive tone in your conversations and answer your employees questions as completely as you can without jeopardizing the sale.

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