Selling a Declining Business

2misi.com

http://www.2misi.com/article/2012/06/selling-a-declining-business

It always amazes me when I meet with potential sellers whose businesses are in decline and they are surprised learn that buyers will not pay them based on their "glory days" of the past. Sometimes they're shocked to hear how little value their business may bring in the marketplace. The small business market is not ripe with turnaround experts. Buyers are mainly looking for stability, growth is a bonus.

Before we get into the meat of the article, you need to know that the best time to sell a business is when it is doing well, very well. It is far more difficult to generate any excitement when you bring a declining business to market. However; if you're faced with that predicament and must sell the business, here's what you need to know and consider:

• Can you resurrect it? If so, at what cost and how long will it take? Unless you have no choice, it may very well make sense to dedicate yourself for a year or so to bring the business back up. Doing so will clearly demonstrate to prospective buyers that the business can grow.
• Be completely honest with any prospective buyers - explain to them precisely why the business has declined no matter how difficult it may be for you.
• Spend some time to write down all of the reasons you believe contributed to the decline, what you would do differently if you could go back in time, and what can be done now to repair the damage. This will serve to be a very useful document to the buyer.
• Consider offering a longer transition/training period to the buyer although they may actually want you around for less time, but at least offer it.
• If you find a genuinely interested party, work to get a deal done somehow. Good buyers are hard to find. There are a ton of businesses for sale. If your business is not doing well, and you have an interested party, you may not come across another again.