Do you ever think: "I want to sell my business in the short term or retire within a few years?" Or do you ever wonder if your business is even ready for sale? If you do, we advise you to prepare yourself and your business thoroughly. Many entrepreneurs start preparing their businesses for sale too late, unnecessarily missing out on value and money. "Begin with the end in mind" – in other words: what is your end goal? A question that few entrepreneurs consciously consider but the answer forms the basis for a successful sale. Making your business exit-ready is a complex process. Therefore, we recommend enlisting the help of a specialist. Marktlink has sold over 1,000 SME companies and knows better than anyone how potential buyers assess businesses. We know which parameters they consider important, how they value these and, most importantly, how you can positively influence these factors by preparing your business for sale on time. |
Before selling your business, thorough preparation is crucial. Making your business exit-ready can have a positive impact on the ultimate success of the sale transaction. When done correctly, your business can yield an average of 10-30% more at the moment of selling. By identifying weaknesses, risks, strengths, opportunities and threats, you gain insight into how you can optimise your business. The goal is to become attractive to potential buyers, facilitate a smoother sale process and achieve optimal results.
Want to learn more about making your business ready for sale? Attend one of our masterclasses.
Prepare yourself and your business for sale by examining your accounts, sales figures, organisational structure, business model and other factors that influence the value of your business. Find out how you can organise these aspects so they have a positive effect on how a buyer or investor perceives the value of the business. Businesses with a strong presentation, effective business processes and growth potential are generally preferred by both strategic and financial buyers. These aspects can be optimised, but that usually takes several years. Therefore, it's wise to start early, even if you're not planning to sell your business (yet). The time for selling will undoubtedly come.
“A mirror was held up to us and, despite not having concrete sales ambitions yet, there were plenty of starting points we could use to actually embark on the next phase and to take the organisation's temperature.”- Jan Brink, Ditt Officemakers
The specialists at Marktlink know exactly which buttons to push. In our Exit Ready programme, we go through the following steps together:
Our mission is to significantly increase the value of your business and prepare you for the sale process that follows. We don't just look at the numbers but at the entire organisation. You generally sell your business only once, so it's best to get it right from the start.
Is your business exit-ready? Or are there still certain steps you can take? Take the exit-ready test and receive a clear indication, without obligation.
Do you want to know more about preparing your business for sale or about other topics? Our specialists are happy to help.