Don't show your financial statements to everyone who asks about the business for sale. Require potential buyers to submit a written offer subject to review of the company's financial documents. Qualify potential buyers; separate serious buyers from "observers".9. All sellers hope to be paid in full right away, but this rarely happens. Usually, buyers make a down payment and pay the rest in installments. Be flexible and creative with the terms of the transaction. The terms can be an effective negotiating tool for the business to be sold. 10. While waiting to sell the business, continue to run it efficiently and profitably. It is more difficult to sell a business that has stable or negative sales or that has gone out of business. Staying in business is critical to selling the business. Plan carefully and be patient. On average, it takes 6 to 18 months to sell a business. You may be waiting for the right time to sell. If your business isn't doing well, try waiting until it picks up. You may also want to wait for the economic climate to become rosier to maximize the returns you expect