Stop waiting around for the perfect time to sell your business. If you aren’t actively growing your company or acquiring another one, now is the right time to sell! These five expert tips can make selling selling right now that much more attainable.

1. Have your finances in check – Want to prove to prospective buyers that your business has been and will continue to be successful? That starts with making sure all of your financials are in order. The primary way to make your buyers confident is to get audited financials from the previous several years. Although it will be an expense, it’s worth it to show buyers you are transparent.

2. Protect your intellectual property – Getting a patent, trademark or copyright isn’t something that can wait until the last minute. They often take more time than you’d think, especially if you run into any unforeseen issues. One of these issues owners occasionally run into is discovering that they’ve incidentally infringed on another business’s trademark. While this obviously isn’t an ideal situation, it’s much better to discover prior to beginning negotiations with a buyer.

3. Ensure the business can succeed without you – Buyers are investing in your business, not you. They want to know that your company is going to continue to flourish even after you’ve left it. Make sure the processes and procedures that have made your company successful under your tenure are well documented. It’s also crucial to have a quality management team in place, so the new owner can step in and continue where you left off.

4. Figure your business’s worth – To show your buyers the value of your business, the first thing you’ll want to do is get several valuations conducted from reputable, third-party firms. If your valuation comes back lower than expected, don’t panic. Figure out a strategy to boost your bottom line. That could include making some long-term, high value investments or trying to score some larger contracts.

5. Be fully transparent – About the worst thing you can do when trying to sell is hide an issue from a buyer. Not only will a buyer likely root out a problem anyway, you maintain liability for issues that you don’t disclose.


There’s no reason that now can’t be the perfect year to sell. Follow these five guidelines, and you’ll be well on your way to sealing a sweet deal.



Rock LaManna helps printing owners and CEOs use their company financials to prioritize and choose the proper strategic path. He is President and CEO of the LaManna Alliance, and provides guidance on how to grow a printing business, merge with a synergistic partner, make a strategic acquisition, or create a succession plan. Rock can be reached by email at [email protected].