Weekly Bulletin September 2011
The sale of a business is the most likely exit an Entrepreneur has. A well prepared for sale enables an Entrepreneur to realise the true value of wealth they have built and which is inherent in their business.
Just like the integration of sales and marketing two completely separate and complimentary disciplines are needed to maximise your sale value. The preparation of a business for sale needs a strong strategic focus and considerable executive experience. Everything you do in preparation for sale will equip the business to better cope with the challenges for years to come. The sales process is a tactical exercise best handled by experienced sellers. It can be considered in a similar way to giving a “product” to a reseller to achieve sales by their skilled sales team in an existing sales channel. They’ll always achieve a result for a well positioned and well “packaged” solution.
Selling a company is like selling anything in the Business to Business world. It’s best done proactively and well prepared. To maximise value this is a strategic activity not a tactical impulsive or opportunistic decision.
Most companies are not ready to be sold. Unsolicited approaches often arrive from “left field”. When this happens this can be immensely distracting and as a result can have a detrimental effect on the core business. The consequences of not being ready are even greater, costing time, money, and opportunity. This can be a diversion and a drain on already overstretched core business resources. The Directors are often too busy running the business. Getting ready for an acquisition requires time and money.
In most cases, the investment required to properly prepare is insignificant compared to the loss in value you risk incurring if you’re not.
Selling a company is a strategic project which should be well prepared and have dedicated resource allocated to it, ensuring you are properly groomed for the big day.
If you are looking to prepare for a business exit and want to guarantee that you maximise the value of your company, please contact me on 01536 771440 for a free no-obligation consultation.
