How to Plan a Business Exit: Sell My Distribution Company in California
You may be asking yourself, “what’s the best way to sell my distribution company for the highest value?” Here are five steps to help you with selling a distribution business.
What is My Business Worth?
Before you can sell a distribution company, you need to figure out how to value a distribution business. You can find the value by getting a Broker’s Opinion of Value from a licensed merger and acquisition broker.
Brokers use your company’s financial statements, market data, expenditures, assets, income, and competitor information to calculate the worth.
Business brokers calculate the Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation, and Amortization or Seller’s Discretionary Earnings to find the net income. Then, the business intermediary uses the market, revenue, and asset approach to determine the business’ value three times. Finally, they weigh each calculation to get the business valuation.
The worth involves things like:
- Favorable location
- Profit and sales
- Sustainability
- The driving force behind sales
- Growth trends
- Market position
- Dependence on the owner
- Where customers come from and why
- What processes and systems run the company
After speaking to a California licensed intermediary or advisor, you should have a better idea of the worth of your distribution company.
Increase the Value of My Company
You are here asking, “how can I sell my distribution company?” The answer is simple. To make your wholesale distribution business more attractive to buyers, you should increase the value.
Raising these metrics will help:
- Sales statistics
- Clean legal history
- Predictable sales drivers
- Established and backup suppliers
- Growth potential
- Repeat visitors and sales
- Documented processes and systems
- Growing traffic from multiple channels
Here are a few tips to boost its worth.
- Work with an outside CA business broker who knows how to value a distribution wholesale company
- Boost your retained earnings to prove your profitability
- Explore wholesale distribution industry trends to see if you can sell more products or reach new markets to diversify the customer base
- Make a formal business plan with achievable milestones for cutting costs and boosting sales
- Ensure your management team can run the business
- Lower your business’s risk profile
- Earn revenue from multiple channels
- Improve the cash flow position of your company
- Train your employees well
- Keep detailed records of your finances
- Pay off debt
- Dominate your niche by setting yourself apart from competitors
Following these tips will help you outshine competitors.
Build a Company then Sell or Exit Business Ownership
When building a company in the wholesale and distribution industry make sure your position your business well in the market. Brand yourself with an eye-catching name and logo fit for your target audience. Try to research the market thoroughly to fulfill the consumer’s needs.
You can grow the company by understanding existing customers and fishing for more. Find what people like and seek to go above and beyond. Expand your online presence, use affiliate marketing, and engage in A/B testing strategies to advertise to new individuals.
Lastly, you can make it more viable to buyers by increasing automation, writing a reasonable business plan, and hiring a professional broker. Automating what you have going on now will make the transition smoother, and a business plan will give buyers an idea of what to expect. As mentioned throughout, a CA professional business broker can handle every aspect of selling your distribution business for a great value.
Position the Wholesale Distribution Company for Sale
You may want to sell your wholesale distribution business if you’re going to start a new one, feel exhausted, are ready to retire, or have recently gotten a divorce. Selling your distribution company gives you a lot of cash to use at your discretion, and it frees plenty of time.
When positioning your wholesale distribution business for sale, figure out who can be the best fit professional to sells it. You can handle the sale yourself if you have a small company, but if your distribution wholesale business is worth between $500k to $4m then it is much better to go and hire a licensed business broker specialized and familiar with your industry.
Next, determine what kinds of businesses would want to buy your company, like competitors or those who sell similar products. Then, identify specific companies in these categories. Research them with a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats analysis to see what your company could do for them.
Try to contact them to help them recognize your business’s value and influence them to choose you. Leave a positive first impression by having your finances and legal paperwork organized. Keep in contact with a financial advisor and gather a solid broker deal team.
Hire a Professional Intermediary
Even small businesses valued between $500k to $4m would benefit from hiring a licensed business broker in California. They help in multiple ways, such as:
- Ensuring you meet legal guidelines
- Performing a business valuation
- Helping you close the deal faster
- Preparing your distribution companies for sale
- Marketing the sale to qualified buyers
A professional intermediary can maximize the selling price as they have experience. They can handle the unfamiliar selling process and attract buyers you hadn’t thought of. Selling your distribution business in California is challenging, so they manage the complicated steps as you move on to the next phase of your life.
Other steps that a business broker can assist with include:
- Defining the reasons and processes behind leaving
- Valuing the business
- Increasing the business value
- Organizing financial statements and legal paperwork
- Finding qualified buyers and reaching agreements
- Following legal guidelines and signing documentation
- Transitioning the company to new ownership
You do not have to go it alone when deciding to sell.
How to Plan an Exit: California Wholesale Distribution Business
You probably considering, “how can I sell my distribution company?” It takes time, but you can do it if you have a business broker to guide you along the way.
Selling a distribution business requires you to value your company and boost its worth. You then prepare it for sale by building and growing it before hunting for buyers.
Professional intermediaries work with these tasks regularly, and they know how to get you an outstanding profit from your company. What are you waiting for? If you want to sell a wholesale company, contact Rogerson Business Services today.
Go to the next article: Part of tips to sell your wholesale distribution business in California series ->
