Practice
Your Response to “Is Your Business for
sale”
Even with the most careful handling rumors are
unavoidable. People asking if the rumor is true
that "I heard your business is for sale"
may approach even a business owner whose business
is not for sale!
To handle this situation,
you must decide how to muffle the business-for-sale
buzz even if you have taken precautions. Even
when no one has breached confidentiality, the
subject of the business-for-sale may still come
up.
When you least expect
it, someone will ask, "Is your business for
sale?" Or, they will tell you that they heard
that it is!
To respond to the
business-for-sale question or comment, you need
to anticipate the question so that the elements
of surprise is not on the busybody’s side.
Prepare and practice
a truthful answer in advance so it appears to
be spontaneous. Even if you don't regard "little
white lies" as morally wrong, you would do
well to avoid answers that have the potential
to create future problems. The busybody might
be a genuine buyer.
One good response
is to confirm that buyers have approached you
over the years and that such informal discussions
often cause the outbreak of rumors. Another approach
is to laugh it off with the "everything's
for sale at a price" comment.
The best response
developed over the years is a combination response.
A good combination response is: "Sure, I'll
always talk to someone who wants to buy me out!
Did you bring your cheque book?"
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