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website investment is the real estate investment of the 21st century. Here’s how you can get in on the action….
I’ve spent thousands of dollars buying websites. Why? They are an awesome investment: they come with a readymade audience, steady traffic, and content that money can’t buy. Out of all the websites I’ve bought, the sellers have given me varied reasons for selling. Sometimes it’s personal, other times it’s just that something better has come along.
Here are six signs that it might be time for you to sell your website or online business on to an investor- do any of these sound familiar to you?
The siren calls are becoming hard to resist
It’s normal to have side hustles and creative projects throughout your career, and usually they are pretty easy to manage and control. Generally, it’s easy enough to set realistic boundaries for yourself so that you don’t get carried away by a creative outlet. But if you find that you are getting increasingly distracted and pulled away by side projects, it may be that it’s time for you to move on from your main one.
Fluctuating levels of motivation are a normal and healthy part of running a business, but if you are in a slump for months on end, your business may become increasingly untenable. If you aren’t finding any elements of your business motivating, and are constantly looking elsewhere, you may need to admit to yourself that you’ve lost your mojo. At that final stage, it would be unfair for you to continue as you are: you need to be open and honest in order to run an online community – you’re not being fair to your users or customers by staying on without your heart. People will feel it if you’ve ‘checked out’.
Also read:
Reasons why Maxburst should be your First Choice for Web Designing
Website Content Layout Tips for Generating More Leads
The Importance of Redesigning Your Website
If you are beyond excited by a new business idea that won’t leave you alone, it may be a sign that you’ve found your calling and that you need to devote some time to pursuing this new idea. Throwing yourself into something new can be a great way to move on from a website, but just make sure that you tie up any loose ends before you jump. And remember, all that glitters is not gold – especially online.
Profits are stable, but you haven’t got the ‘vision’
Money is coming in. People are happy. Business is good. But you have no idea what to do next, or even whether you want to be the person to take the next step for your business.
Maybe your lack of vision is a sign it’s time for you to take a step back and let someone else have a go. It’s not fair to let the website stagnate. Other people may see growth opportunities where you can’t see them, or they may have existing projects that will tie in nicely with the business and help take it to the next level.
The good news? Showing a healthy and steady profit is a great way to get an awesome price when you do sell your website on. Buyers are looking for businesses they can improve and make more money from – your stable profits might be just what they’re looking for!
And that’s when the idea of selling your business may start to become more appealing to you. If it sounds like something you might be interested in, looking at something like this quicksprout guide can help you to establish the five easy steps to selling your business. Whilst this may seem like a daunting process, it may not be as hard as you initially think, especially if you follow this guide down to the letter. Before making any decisions though, you need to think about whether this is the right route for you to go down.
You’ve achieved what you set out to do
Sometimes it’s as simple as that. You wanted to build a website, and now you’ve done it. And that’s it. You haven’t got the need or drive to take things any further than that. In that case, don’t let all your hard work go to waste and pass the mantle onto someone else who will be able to complete your work.
Be open with buyers about your reasons for moving on, and try to find someone who’s genuinely passionate about your niche – they will be better placed to take care of your site’s community. It can be hard to pass the mantle on, but it’s important to recognize when your job somewhere is done.
You’ve simply run out of time
It can be easy to be optimistic with how much time you have, and life tends to take unexpected turns that mean you need to suddenly re-prioritize. Time management is a top entrepreneurial skill, but sometimes even all the skill in the world won’t help you find more time!
Running a website takes time and dedication – you need to commit to creating new content, updating the site’s theme, posting on social media, and a whole host of other related admin tasks. When it comes to ecommerce, you need to constantly be available to answer customer queries, and devote loads of time to brand and product PR too.
If you find that your standards are slipping and things are starting to drop by the wayside, it could be time to look for a permanent exit. In this case, you probably want to make a quick and easy transition – start by asking around in your network and user base to see if there is anyone willing to take the site on. If not, you can always list your site for free on social media, or put up your ecommerce store for sale on sites like Exchange. Make sure you spend time customizing and personalizing yours site listing to attract the top buyers.
Even after many re-designs, you’re still not happy
If you are constantly changing stuff on your site, but ultimately aren’t ever happy with it, maybe it’s time to admit defeat. Something that started off as a great idea or a passion project, may have now become stale and uninteresting to you. Someone with a fresh perspective and new ideas may very well be able to breathe new life into your site or business. When you are talking to potential buyers, try not to be too negative about the site – don’t let your judgement cloud theirs.
You’re tempted by a great offer
Even if things are going well, being tempted by a good offer may be a sign that your enthusiasm and confidence are waning. Put it down to tiredness, boredom, changing team dynamics, or pure temptation – sometimes an offer comes along that is just too good to say no to. If you do decide to suddenly sell up, make sure that you lay the groundwork for the next person coming in, and make sure you consider your decision long and hard before signing on the dotted line. If you need some advice then you might want to talk to one of these business brokers in Austin, TX to see if selling your website or business makes financial sense. There’s nothing like seller’s regret to make you kick yourself!
Selling a successful website can be an emotional decision to take, but the money you’ll make from the sale may help you start your next ‘big thing’. Be open and honest with yourself about your reasons for selling, and make sure that you have all the necessary admin, paperwork, and data to hand. What reason would you have for selling your website on?
