Are you asking yourself, "How do I sell my business?" If you have decided not to use a business broker and to sell your business on your own, then selling a business online appears to be the most efficient way to accomplish that goal.
To begin with, selling your business online is the most cost efficient. It is much cheaper to advertise on the web then in newspapers. And your ad will reach a vastly greater audience.
There are several websites that offer this service. The websites vary a bit regarding their services and prices. For example, here at BusinessMart.com, reasonably priced advertisements (starting at just $20.99 per month) are offered for various lengths of time, with the option of premiere placement for an additional nominal fee. The average period of time it takes to sell a business is typically between five and eight months. Therefore, the best value for your money is usually to choose the 12 month ad in order to make sure that the ad is online long enough to have the best chance of selling at the most optimum price.
How do I start? What information do I post in order to sell my business at the best price?
Posting your business for sale online is not very complicated but should be done in a way that will attract the most attention possible. Having the information needed at hand when you post your ad will save you time. Before you begin, it may be a good idea to browse through some current online listings so you have a sampling of what other advertisements look like.
Title of your Business For Sale Ad
Beginning with the title of your ad, it is very important that you list the type of business you are offering for sale. This way, when people search by key word in the major search engines, your ad is much more likely to show up. For example, if you just put something like "Profitable business in busy shopping center for sale" and you are selling a shoe store, when prospects search for "shoe store for sale", your ad is not likely to rise to the top on search engines like Google and Yahoo.
Summary of your Business For Sale Ad
Next you will need to write a short summary of your business, in which you should include as many key words as possible just as you did in the title. You will want to include such information as the type of business, approximate location, the last 12 months gross sales, furniture fixtures and equipment value and inventory value.
Choose your Asking Price
Before placing your ad, it is best to decide on an asking price for your business. Try running a market valuation report online to get a better idea of a fair price.
Other categories of information needed for the online advertisement usually include such items as:
annual gross sales
cash flow
furniture and fixtures value (ff&e)
inventory value
year the business was established
number of employees
facilities/terms of lease
potential growth/expansion
owner willing to finance
owner willing to train
reason for selling
is it a home based business?
is it an internet based business?
Photos of your Business
Displaying photos of your business gives prospects a visual of the business for sale; this is typically very helpful in selling; although if you want to keep the sale of your business confidential this is not recommended.
Lastly, your personal information may or may not be listed. For example, on BusinessMart.com, you can chose not to have your name and phone number displayed. The potential buyer inputs their information and the information is sent to your email address without revealing your contact information until you are ready to contact the prospective buyer.
All in all, selling your business online has the potential to bring in the largest number of lucrative offers in the most time and cost efficient manner. This is a win-win for you and the buyer. Click Here to list your business for sale now.
About the Author BusinessMart.com has become the fastest growing business for sale search engine, helping buyers and sellers of small businesses and franchises. BusinessMart.com has many resources to help you on your journey to start your own business, sell your existing business or open a franchise. BusinessMart.com has thousands of businesses for sale in the US and Canada.
*** You may use this article on your website as long as the "About The Author" box is in place with all links exactly as above and the article or any links in the article are not altered. ***
