Are you considering selling your business but wondering how long it would take if you hire a business broker? Business sales vary in turnover depending on several factors. You need to factor in the type and size of the business as well as things like marketing, negotiations, and other legalities involved in a business sale. However, based on other business sales, we can work out an average turnaround time for business sales through a broker.
Any reputable broker would aim to have a good turnaround time for their business transactions. However, they’ll balance performance with efficiency, ensuring that your sale is processed properly even if it takes a bit longer. For smaller businesses, transactions can take up to six months. For larger businesses and corporations, a business sale can exceed a year, even taking up to two years in some cases.
Factors that will influence how long it takes to sell
There are several factors that will affect how long your business will take to sell, like:
The industry
Businesses in a popular industry tend to sell faster than those in a niche industry. The popularity of an industry depends largely on consumer trends. For example, the racket sport Padel has taken the world by storm recently, attracting a lot of attention, which would make a padel business sale attractive to potential buyers. Typically, businesses in a more popular industry will attract more attention.
Current market and marketing
Secondly, you need to consider current market conditions. For example, during a recession, businesses might need to sell based on sustainability, but the selling conditions wouldn’t be profitable. Likewise, if the markets are down, the number of investors available to purchase a business might be limited, meaning that your business would be on the market for longer. Market conditions play a significant role in how long a business takes to sell.
Then there’s how you market your business. Typically, a business broker would focus on creating and implementing a marketing plan for your business. The extent to which this plan is successful will determine how long your business will take to sell. A good marketing plan would attract the right buyers sooner.
How it’s priced
Think about how you process buying goods in a store. If you see that the goods are overpriced, do you still buy them? If they’re the only goods, you might, but if there are cheaper alternatives of the same quality, then probably not. A similar concept applies to selling a business. If your business is overpriced and you’re unwilling to negotiate, it’ll likely be on the market for longer. Likewise, if it’s too cheap, it may send the wrong message to potential buyers who might think there’s an issue with it. Pricing your business appropriately will help the sale move along faster.
Competition
Consider what other businesses are in the industry, too. If you’re selling a business that’s in a saturated industry, it may deter potential buyers. That said, if you’re competing and doing so well, this may also work in your favour. Nevertheless, competition also factors into how long a business sale takes.
Your reason for selling
When you’re selling your business, potential buyers are going to undoubtedly ask you why you’re selling. If your reasons for selling are because the business is underperforming and you market at a higher price to cover your losses, potential buyers might see through your motives and avoid buying.
Your broker’s performance
Lastly, how good is your business broker? There are many business brokers around Australia. Some who have a good reputation like Melbourne corporate advisors, and others who don’t. In the end, your sales turnover time will be attached and solely dependent on your brokers performance.
This is why it’s so important to consider what broker you choose before signing anything. Be sure to ask them about the sales process, contact some of their previous clients for a testimonial and also look at reviews. By doing this you’ll quickly find out whether you should do business with them or not.
Certain processes that take time
There are also certain processes that take time in a business sale, like back and forth negotiations, due diligence, and the initial closing of the business.
Final Thoughts
Again, almost every business sale is unique. Because of this, there is no exact turnover time for a business sale to go through, only an estimate. With that in mind, let’s recap. Smaller businesses can take from two to six months to sell, while larger businesses or corporations could take up to two years, depending on the details of the sale. Ask your broker for an average ETA on similar transactions to give you an idea of how long your business would take to sell as you start the process. This will let you know what to expect.
