The buyer of your business will buy for his or her reasons, not yours.   If you decide to sell, because your business is not going well and you simply want to get rid of it... do you think a buyer will be convinced ?   Your attitude and what you say can drastically devalue your business and its true worth.
 
Whatever your situation, your reason for selling must be convincing and your explanations consistent.
 
It's only natural that you will want to get the highest price you possibly can.   Although, how much you get is important, it won't necessarily drive your ultimate decision to sell.
 
For most business owners, the decision to sell is usually a combination of personal and financial reasons.   Is this your situation too ?   The chances are, you will have a personal attachment to your business.   It's been part of your life for some time now.   Only you, are capable of making the ultimate decision to sell.
 
The Same Applies To Buyers.   It won't just be a financial decision, it will also be about life-style, personal independence, freedom to express themselves, maybe an escape from the corporate "rat race", or the satisfaction of being in charge of their own little empire.
 
The price they pay is important, as it will need to stack-up financially, if they are to convince someone to lend them money.   But, financial considerations alone, will not drive their decision to purchase.
 
Buying the business will change their lives and they know it. Only the buyer is capable of making the decision to buy.
 
Remember, at the end of the day, both you and your potential buyer will have to balance the imagined personal gains against what could be uncertain financial prospects.   Because, and here's the crunch... you as seller, are offering a business opportunity, NOT a business guarantee.
 

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© Noel Peebles - author of "Sell Your Business The Easy Way"