You invested your time, effort, and financial resources into your retail store. You chalked up countless long days and frustrations as the sweat equity that was necessary to realize your dream of being an entrepreneur. You had hoped to one day sell your business and retire in relative comfort. That day has finally arrived.

Millions of independent retailers have discovered that selling their businesses is more complex than it seems. There are numerous pitfalls along the way. Some of them can have a significant influence on the sale price, causing you to leave tens of thousands of dollars on the table.

In this article, I’ll provide a short list of common mistakes to avoid when going through the process of selling your retail store. Some may seem like common sense while others might surprise you. It’s worth noting that all of them have ensnared savvy entrepreneurs.

#1 – Choosing The Wrong Consultant

While you can sell your company on your own, there are many advantages to hiring a consultant to help with the process. That person will work closely with you to find high-quality leads who are serious about buying your shop at a reasonable price. The problem is that a lot of business owners are approached by brokers or consultants who make aggressive promises. The owner hires the first person he or she meets only to discover that person is unqualified for the task.

Interview several consultants before choosing the person who best meets your needs. Ideally, that person should have a strong background in retail and understand what it takes to produce qualified leads.

#2 – Leaving The Marketing To Others

Selling your retail business requires letting the right people know you’ll consider serious offers. You’ll need to take a proactive approach to promote the sale. Your consultant or broker will generate leads, but it’s a mistake to leave the entire task of marketing the sale to that person. He or she does not know your business nearly as well as you do. And while they’ll toil relentlessly to produce potential buyers, they cannot match your enthusiasm and passion.

Call people within your professional network and let them know that you’re selling your store. Offer them a finder’s fee if a prospective buyer they send your way end up purchasing your business.

#3 – Not Setting A Realistic Price

Few things are more important when selling your specialty retail shop than setting a realistic price. If you set it too high, you won’t attract prospective buyers. If you set it too low, you’ll leave money on the table. Many entrepreneurs seem to pull a number from the air and set it to a price tag. They do a disservice to themselves.

Research your market to identify the prices being asked for similar companies. You’ll also want to consider the state of the economy and your monthly profits.

#4 – Jumping At A Poor Offer

When someone makes an attractive offer, it’s tempting to accept it. But, all offers are unique in their structure. Some are an outright sale in which you receive the negotiated price immediately. Others work on a tiered structure in which you receive payments each month for a defined period during which the new owner operates the business.

The latter case is risky, especially if the new owner has little experience in operating a small retail shop. If he or she runs it into the ground, it’s unlikely you’ll receive the monthly payments. You might be able to resume ownership of your shop, but it may be to late to resuscitate it.

An experienced consultant will help you sift through offers based on their individual merits. Take advantage of the advice. With persistence, patience, and the willingness to promote the sale, you’ll eventually find an offer that meets your needs.

Sell gold jewellry; it seems like everybody is talking about it. The Associated Press reported mass sell-offs in London and New York: “People formed long lines outside jewelry stores, clutching old coins, candlesticks, watches, bowls—anything that contained gold or silver.” It seems you can’t watch television or drive down the road these days without seeing an infomercial or billboard urging you to sell gold jewellry.

If you are seriously considering how to sell gold jewellry, my suggestion is don’t focus so much on the “how.” Instead, the smart way to sell gold jewellry is to pay attention to the “when.” Timing is critical when you sell gold jewellry to ensure that you get the best price for your unwanted items and have a fast, safe, and reliable transaction.

Here are a few market conditions that affect the timing of when to sell gold jewellry for maximum profit:

* Gold price – this one is pretty self-explanatory, but note that prices to sell gold jewellry are hovering around the all time high in late 2008 and early 2009.

* Demand for your items – the more viable buyers there are equals more competition and ultimately drives the prices up benefiting you, the gold seller. In the past, volume gold buyers only dealt with Fortune 500 companies and brokerage firms, but recently that trend has changed and now the public can also sell gold jewellry and reap the highest financial rewards available.

* Ease of sale – this one is personal and regionally driven, but basically how much hassle, time, and inconvenience is it for you to sell gold jewellry?

* Knowledge of selling options – another personal factor that determines what selling routes you have available and again, how easy is it to sell gold jewellry?

The best news if you want to sell gold jewellry, is that the timing is almost perfect right now. Demand is very high and prices are skyrocketing. New consumer-friendly gold buyers simplify the sales process and bring the transaction right into your living room and onto your computer. With fast, stream-lined systems to get cash in your hands quickly and painlessly, there is really no reason not to sell gold jewellry today.

Here is the simple 3 step process on how to sell gold jewellry, silver, platinum, and other precious metals.

Step #1 – Answer a few questions on a website. This takes about 30 seconds. You will receive a free information kit in the mail to sell gold jewellry. In the meantime, dig through your jewelry box and or sock drawer and gather up any old gold, silver, or platinum (scratched, bent or broken, any condition is OK).

Note: There are no strings attached and you are under no obligation to sell gold jewellry until you choose to return your items in step #2.

Step #2 – Drop your unwanted items into the postage prepaid, secure shipping folder and return via US mail.

Step #3 – In about 24 hours, you receive a cash payment for your items.

It’s really just that easy to sell gold jewellry and cash in on the new gold rush. Join the growing list of satisfied customers who sell gold jewellry from the comfort of their home today.