All Essentials to Know on How to Sell a Landscaping Business

Learn how to sell your landscaping business and maximize your profits with these expert tips. Discover the key factors to consider and boost your sale price.

Jeel PatelJeel Patel
||13 min read
All Essentials to Know on How to Sell a Landscaping Business

Key Takeaways

  • 01It takes 8-10 months on average to successfully sell a landscaping business
  • 02Three main valuation methods exist: Multiple of Revenue, SDE (Seller's Discretionary Earnings), and EBITDA
  • 03Potential buyers include employees, competitors, strategic buyers, private equity groups, and financial investors
  • 04Prepare your business by reviewing financials, trimming unprofitable clients, and updating equipment
  • 05Professional invoicing and accurate bookkeeping make your business more attractive to buyers

"Selling anything is not just solely about selling, it is about identifying the buyers, understanding their wants, and tailoring your marketing efforts as well as a sales pitch that caters to the buyer's concerns."

You require a combination of skills, knowledge, and strategy to successfully pitch your sale. Selling a product, service, or landscaping business is no different. You cannot sell them within the blink of an eye or all over in one night. It requires the right approach and guidance to ensure a smooth and profitable sale.

Reports stated that it takes 8-10 months on an average, to sell your landscaping business. Here in this blog, we will educate you on all the essentials of how to sell a landscaping business within which you can take a profitable exit from your landscaping business.

Evaluate the Value of Your Landscaping Business

Evaluating the landscape business is the first and foremost task to conduct. You should know the worth of your landscaping or lawn care business. Potential buyers will want to know how much your business is worth and will base their offers on that value.

If you are finding it difficult to calculate the worth of your landscaping company, it is preferable to hire a business appraiser.

What is a Business Appraiser?

Business appraisers are professionals who give a fair opinion of the value of a business after considering various factors such as analyzing the company financials, trends, and consistency of the sales as well as determining the efficiency of business operations.

Here are the three common methods highly accepted by all, when it comes to valuing landscaping companies:

Multiple of Revenue

Simply multiplying your annual revenue by an industry modifier helps you get an estimated value. It is the fastest and most common way to get the estimated business value.

Note: Industry modifier is nothing but the expected percentage of your industry's growth in the next year.

The formula to calculate the estimated business value is:

Estimated business value = Annual Revenue x Industry Modifier

Suppose the annual revenue of your business is $600,000 last year before taxes and the industry growth rate range between 2-4%, then your EBV (estimated business value) will be $1.2M-$2.4M.

The industry modifier is variable and may change depending on multiple factors such as industry trends, competition, profitability, and growth potential.

SDE (Seller's Discretionary Earnings)

The simplest and easiest way while conducting the landscaping business valuation is through this method. Multiplication of SDE (Seller's discretionary earnings) with that of industry multiplier will give you an estimated business value.

The SDE that will be considered while estimating the business value is the summation of various factors:

SDE = Net Pre-Tax Earnings + Owner's Salary + Business Expenses - Outstanding Debts

Estimated Business Value = Seller's Discretionary Earnings x Industry Modifier

EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization)

All the landscaping businesses usually prefer valuing business using this method. Generally, larger businesses over the value of $5M along with those focusing on getting a clear picture of their cash flow statement and business profitability use this method.

EBITDA is a method that adds up your net income, taxes, and interest expense to get the business's net profit. After arriving at the business net profit add depreciation and amortization expense, and then multiply those summations with the industry modifier to get the business worth.

Business profit = Net income earned + Taxes + Interest expense

EBITDA = Business profit + Depreciation + Amortization

Business value = EBITDA x Industry Modifier

SDE Calculation Example

Let's take an example where your net pre-tax earnings are $150,000 and the salary you received is $50,000 along with the business expense incurred of $25,000. You also have $10,000 as outstanding debt which you will need to pay off before selling your lawn care company. The industry modifier is 4%.

SDE (Seller's Discretionary Earnings) = $150,000 + $50,000 + $25,000 - $10,000 = $215,000

Estimated business value = $215,000 x 4 = $816,000

Landscaping professionals find this method easy, accurate, and effective as they get a clear idea of how much the business is actually earning and what is worthy of the business after paying off all the debts.

Pro Tip

Read this blog post to ensure that you are not missing out on any landscape expenses while calculating the business value.

Identify the Potential Buyers

Determining the business value is not enough, lending your landscaping business to the right hands is essential if you are willing to get what you are worth. Hence, to identify those right hands, here are some essential points to take care of:

How to Find the Right Buyers

  • Analyze the existing people around you - network with existing customers, suppliers, and competitors who may have expressed interest
  • Advertise your sale through online classifieds, business brokers, and industry-specific publications
  • Consider different buying options based on your goals and priorities
  • Look at financial buyers who are interested in your business for its financial returns

Consider Choosing the Best Buying Options Available

Sell to an Employee or Other Individual

One option is to sell your lawn mowing business to an employee or other individual. This can be a great option if you have someone in mind who is already familiar with the business and has the skills and experience to take it over.

Sell to a Competitor

If you want to get what you are worthy of along with this, you even care for your customers and want that they continue to receive high-quality lawn care services, then you may sell your landscaping business to your competitors. However, be aware that competitors may try to lowball you on price.

Sell to a Strategic Buyer

Those who are keen to achieve their goals and ambitions in the landscape industry can pay what you desire. There are various reasons that compel the strategic buyer to acquire your landscaping business. Expanding their own landscaping services or entering a new market are some of the reasons contributing to the strategic buyer's decision of purchasing such businesses. This type of buyer may be willing to pay a premium price for your business.

Sell to a Private Equity Group

Private equity firms may also be interested in buying your lawn mowing business. These firms typically invest in businesses with a lot of growth potential and may be willing to pay a high price for your business. However, keep in mind that they may also want to make changes to your business that you may not agree with.

Pro Tip

Get inspired by the unique landscaping website to improvise yours. Remember that a strong online presence through a professional and attractive website can help you get recognized easily.

Get Your Landscaping Business Prepared for Sale

Now that you have all the ingredients, it's time to make the final dish. After determining your landscaping business value and identifying potential buyers, it is time to get prepared for the sale. Strategically planning your sale and taking the right steps at the right time, can make all the difference in achieving a successful sale.

Here are the essentials to take care of:

Review Your Books

Your financials will be the core matter of interest for the potential buyers. Hence, it is very much essential to examine your books and make sure they're accurate and current. The balance sheets, income, and account statements with the cash flow statements fall under the category of books. Also, it is crucial that you clear your accounts receivable and consider following up any unpaid invoices.

InvoiceOwl helps you sync your landscaping estimates and invoices with Quickbooks online so that you can get simplified bookkeeping processes.

Trim Your Client List

Trimming your client list is essential so that you can attract potential buyers at the time of your sale. Cutting down the unprofitable clients can help you present a more appealing profitable picture before potential buyers. Potential buyers will find it luring to see your commercial client base instead of residential ones. On top of that, commercial clients are more money-makers than residential ones.

Encourage Independence

Never rely significantly on personal involvement. Make sure your company can function independently.

Update and Maintain Equipment

Finally, make sure your equipment is up-to-date, well-maintained, and in good working condition. This can help improve your business's efficiency and reduce the risk of costly breakdowns or repairs. Up-to-date equipment can also be a selling point for potential buyers.

Improve Your Invoicing

Efficient and organized invoicing can help improve your cash flow and make your business more attractive to buyers. Make sure your invoices are accurate, professional, and timely. You may want to consider investing in invoicing software to help streamline the process.

Key Preparation Steps

  • Review and update all financial documents
  • Trim unprofitable clients to show stronger revenue
  • Ensure your business can operate without your personal involvement
  • Maintain all equipment in excellent condition
  • Streamline your invoicing process with professional software

Marketing Your Landscaping Business

B2B marketing is completely different from B2C marketing. You can not market the sale of your landscape business through flyers or door hangers. These practices are more suited for B2C marketing. Ads in local publications for entrepreneurs, or spreading the word through business relationships are some of the effective marketing ways for your landscaping business sale.

Go for a more targeted approach and start promoting the operational parts of the business that help you stand out from others. Examples of these are:

What to Highlight When Marketing Your Business Sale

  • Draft your landscaping or lawn care business plan effectively
  • Mention what type of clients you have and how many
  • What types of landscaping services you offer and what tools and equipment you use
  • Enlist the name, designation, and roles of your key employees and their experience
  • What processes you follow that keep operations running smoothly
  • What is the unique selling proposition that sets you apart

Remember, the key to successfully marketing your landscaping business is to showcase your business's strengths, expertise, and unique selling points. By doing so, you can attract potential buyers who see the value in your business and are willing to pay a fair price for it.

Start Negotiating the Sales of Your Landscaping Business

Negotiations will need to be conducted once a potential vendor makes you an offer. A business broker will conduct the negotiations on your behalf if you are dealing with them. However, the following advice will help you close the transaction if you are acting on your own behalf:

Negotiation Best Practices

  • Speak loud about your asking price with assurance - you are aware of what your company is worth
  • Keep a level mind and abstain from deciding things based on feelings
  • Make sure the purchaser will appreciate the effort you have put in and is a good fit for your company
  • Work with a lawyer to create or revise the purchase agreement
  • Keep your bookkeeper updated to ensure they are ready for tax season

After you have identified the right buyer for your landscaping business and agreed upon the initial terms, it's time to start negotiating the sale. Negotiating is a crucial step in selling your landscaping business, as it determines the final sale price and the terms of the agreement.

Negotiation Tip

Stay confident in your asking price. You've done the work to determine your business value using one of the three methods (Multiple of Revenue, SDE, or EBITDA). Trust your numbers and don't let emotions drive your decisions during negotiations.

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Frequently Asked Questions

The time when your landscaping business is thriving and profitable, with consistent revenue and a strong client base can be considered an ideal time to sell a landscaping business. However, personal factors such as retirement, health issues, or a desire to pursue other opportunities can also play a role in the timing of the sale.

Typically there are three methods to determine the value of your landscaping business:

  • Multiple revenue method
  • Seller's discretionary earnings (SDE)
  • Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA)

These methods can give you near to accurate business value. However, it is recommended to consult with a professional business appraiser to know the exact value of your business.

The essential documents required to sell a landscaping business include:

  • Financial statements
  • Tax returns
  • Client contracts
  • Employee agreements
  • Any necessary licenses and permits

It is important to ensure that all the necessary documents are up-to-date and accurate before starting the sales process.

On average, it takes 8-10 months to sell a landscaping business. This timeline can vary depending on factors like market conditions, your asking price, business profitability, and how well you've prepared your business for sale.

Hiring a business broker can be beneficial, especially if you're unfamiliar with the sales process. A broker can help you value your business accurately, find qualified buyers, and negotiate on your behalf. However, if you choose to handle the sale yourself, make sure to work with a lawyer to create or revise the purchase agreement.

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Written by

Jeel Patel

Founder & CEO at InvoiceOwl

Jeel Patel is the founder of InvoiceOwl, a highly-rated estimating and invoicing software designed to streamline contractor businesses' invoicing and estimating workflows. He holds a degree in Business Administration and Management from the University of Toronto, where he developed strong analytical capabilities and business acumen.

More about Jeel

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