subject: You Can't Sell A Secret [print this page] You need to let buyers know your business is for sale. There are two main ways to do this: newspaper advertising and Internet advertising.
Advertising in your local newspaper will probably result in an eventual sale, but it can be expensive. If your business is on the market for several months, that number can soon add up.
NEWSPAPER ADS
When advertising in the paper, be smart with the way your ad looks. Don't waste money using a photo, because most of the time the photo has nothing to do with your business. It's simply a waste of space. Real buyers will read each ad. Instead, consider spreading your marketing budget, so you have enough funds to advertise over the entire period your business is for sale.
I would budget to be in the paper on a regular basis for at least 4 months, and if it works out for less than that, then even better.
You might want to consider doing single- or double-column ads and use splashes of color to attract attention. These ads are far less expensive than those with pictures, and, in my opinion, are more effective.
Be consistent. And if you can't afford to advertise weekly, do it every other week.
Monitor the response and make small adjustments to the ad as time progresses. You may run a small add for the first few weeks and realize you need to run a bigger ad to attract more attention. Or maybe by then, you learn you need to adjust your price. This way, you aren't wasting your valuable marketing dollars on an ad that doesn't attract the buyer you need.
INTERNET ADS
Internet advertising has a host of advantages. It's fairly inexpensive compared to its newspaper counterparts. Plus, it will reach buyers globally. That's because this form of advertising is a convenient way for a buyer to search and find businesses for sale.
What you need to work out is which Web site should host your advertisement. There are a lot of "business-for-sale" Web sites, but you need to do your research wisely. Some sites only reach a handful of buyers, whereas other popular domains might reach thousands more.
One must-have site to be on is realcommercial.com.au.This domain is owned and linked to realestate.com.au and is one of the most viewed business for sale web sites in Australia. It would be in your best interest to start Internet advertising here.
Asset Agents offers a free, no obligation business evaluation service. To find out what your business is really worth, contact us at assetagents@gmail.com or phone 07 3103 5616.
