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Selling your business

Are you ready for the next step in entrepreneurship?

Selling a company is often a once-in-a-lifetime event. And you only get one chance to get it right. Entrepreneurship is in the DNA of our specialists, and for over 25 years, they have supported SME entrepreneurs through one of the most crucial events in their lives. Because good entrepreneurship should be rewarded with the best result!

The right time to sell your business

I want to sell my business, but what is the best timing? Is it too soon, is my company ready for it? Shouldn’t we grow first? Preparing your business for a sale sure is important, but growth potential is another key parameter in determining the right time.

Great opportunities for the future make a company attractive to buyers and increase its value. But if all opportunities have been realised and the growth curve is levelling off, interest decreases. Don’t wait for it to happen, let Marktlink’s experts help you identify the perfect moment.

Is your company ready for sale?

Find out if your business is ready for a sale and get tips that can help you increase your chances of a successful sale.

Take the test

Preparing to Sell Your Business

Good preparation is half the battle and increases the value of your company. This process may take several years. Start in time, even if you don’t have immediate plans to sell your business.

A exit ready process comprises several steps:

Step 1: A comprehensive scan of your business: what is the strength of your business and is there any untapped value?

Step 2: An advice and action plan for the next 12 to 18 months based on the scan.

Step 3: Implementing optimisations that increase the value of your business.

Step 4: Also very important: determining your own future plans after the transaction.

Step 5: You and your company are ready: time to go looking for the right candidate!

Having sold over 1,000 SMEs, Marktlink's specialists know better than anyone what buyers are looking for. We are ready to show the market what your entrepreneurship is worth.

Want to know more about selling your business?

Choose the right sales strategy

What are the options, and which strategy suits you best?

How does the sales process work?

What steps do you need to take to get the best deal?

Reasons to sell your company

Why do you want to sell your company, and what motivates you?

The right business succession for your situation

There are various scenarios for selling a business: do you want to sell all the shares, or part of them? Is there an internal successor or are you looking for someone from outside the company? Do you want to grow with an investor via a pre-exit? Do you want to sell to a strategic buyer? We know the pros and cons of each strategy and will work with you to draw up a tailor-made plan.

Thanks to our data-driven approach and our huge and active network of international offices, buyers and investors, we get an average of 6 to 10 interested buyers at the table. This gives you the best negotiating position and the chance to find the ideal match.

How do I sell my business?

Selling your business starts with good preparation. Finding a buyer and the actual transfer involves a lot in terms of information, negotiation and legal aspects. And that's on top of running your business. It pays to engage a specialist advisor.

How long will it take to sell my company?

There is much to consider in a sale process. From drawing up the profile of the desired buyer to the final legal transfer, such a process takes 6 to 12 months on average. Marktlink's experienced advisors have been through this process hundreds of times and they use that experience to ensure the smoothest possible process.

How do you calculate the value of your company?

The company's value is a crucial factor in its sale. There are various methods for calculating this. We use the Multiple Method, deriving the company's value from the sale prices of similar businesses. This approach provides a comprehensive and reliable insight, incorporating parameters such as the type of business, industry, financial data, and the purpose of the calculation.

The Marktlink Multiple is a unique online tool that factors in all these elements. In just one minute, you'll receive a reliable and up-to-date assessment of your company's value, based on over 1,000 deals and 40,000 calculations annually. Your personalized report also offers valuable tips for increasing your company's worth. Our advisors are available at any time to answer your questions.