How to maximize the value of your business

It is important for a business owner to know the true value of their business. Conducting a business valuation can be voluntary (as a good business practice) or necessary (triggered by an event). In both circumstances, many business owners typically look for ways to maximize the value of their business to ensure that their valuation results are as favorable as possible. In short, there is no "quick fix" to maximizing the valuation of your business. However, there are strategic tools and best practices that you can employ to amplify the value of your business, should the need for a valuation arise.

In performing a business valuation, there are a number of factors to be considered, but generally speaking, the value of a business is determined by how much income it can generate. To put it simply, the principle way to increase the value of your business is to look at the ways your business can make more money.

All businesses can improve their bottom line by increasing their cash flow. This can be accomplished by either increasing income, decreasing costs, or both.

How do you increase income? Take a step back and look at your particular market. Seek out opportunities to increase your market share. Are there products or services that you can bring to market that you are not currently providing? Are there additional ways that you can reach your target customers through more effective marketing methods? Are the prices of your products or services set at not only competitive levels, but does your profit margin reflect your true costs and provide you with an appropriate net profit? If you have a variety of products and or services, do you know which ones are the most and least profitable? If you do, it certainly makes sense to focus your business and grow your business in the most profitable areas.

Cost cutting is also a popular approach to maximizing profitability; but be very careful and selective when you take the hatchet to cutting expenses. Be sure that you understand the nature of all of your expenses and evaluate how those expenses contribute to the value of your business before indiscriminately cutting costs. For example, increasing rather than reducing marketing spend may produce more (rather than less) revenue. While decreasing certain wage costs may contribute to lower quality products and services and result in lower revenue.

Reducing your business risk is also a common strategy to increasing value. The more risky the investment, the higher the rate of return needed to entice a buyer. You can easily reduce risk by properly insuring your business and the key people involved in mission critical operations. You can also reduce risk by keeping outstanding loans and financing needs to a minimum.

Whatever strategies and best practices you choose to implement, keep in mind that having an accurate picture of the value of your business is always a step in the right direction.