For a dealer principal, it can be overwhelming to think about finding the right successor to assume responsibility over a business you’ve likely spent much of your life building.
For dealers in many southeastern states, successorship can feel particularly challenging — but not due to a lack of demand. In fact, the challenge is a buy-sell market flooded with hopeful buyers.
Opportunities and Challenges Coexist in the Southeast Seller’s Market
On the surface, the demand for dealerships in the Southeast might not seem like much of an issue for a local dealer considering selling — the opportunities are ripe. But it’s a double-edged sword. While market conditions are certainly favorable for sellers right now, the stiff competition for buyers means current dealers must navigate a sea of hungry buyers — not all of whom may always be the right fit for the business in question.
For this reason, it is vital to work with an experienced partner as your advocate throughout the buy-sell process.
How To Choose a Partner When Selling Your Dealership
When it comes to something as important as finding a caretaker for their life’s work, dealers have many factors to consider. Here are five qualities that dealers who are ready for a change — particularly those in the U.S. Southeast — should look for when selecting a broker to help them pass on their business:
- Experienced in your market. When it comes to selling a dealership, no two markets are alike. What works in one region may not work in another. This is why DSMA maintains an active local presence in all our markets — including the Southeast. Working with DSMA grants you access to a team with global knowledge and local expertise.
Dealers who choose DSMA work with dedicated partners local to them — meaning they receive a personal, engaged advisor with unique market knowledge who meets with them in-person to discuss their needs. - Aligned with your priorities. A dealership isn’t just a business. It’s a legacy — the product of a lifetime of work and dedication, a livelihood for a team of employees and a valued community presence. When evaluating potential buy-sell brokers as a dealer, it’s important to look for a partner that possesses an appreciation for all the intangible values your business represents.
- Informed by data. With over 1,900 valuations completed and more than 450 deals closed, DSMA has a wealth of historical data to ensure every decision made throughout your process is informed.
A crucial first step is conducting a meticulous business valuation to optimally position your listing in the market and attract the highest potential buyers. DSMA employs the Blue-Sky method to evaluate not only tangible assets but also intangible factors to ensure each valuation captures the true essence of a dealership’s worth.
What’s more, DSMA’s proprietary QUOTUS™ platform transforms monthly OEM financial statements into actionable business insights, bringing advanced business intelligence to dealership groups of all sizes. With QUOTUS™, more knowledge means more power to make the best decision for your specific situation. - Invested in the relationship. As a dealer, you’ve built your business on personal service, and when it comes time for your dealership’s next chapter, you deserve that same level of personal commitment.
Understandably, many dealers — even those who don’t expect it — find that passing on their dealership to a new owner can be an unexpectedly emotional process. For many dealers, their dealerships are reflections of themselves.
The buy-sell process shouldn’t be a faceless transaction. It should be a personal, positive experience for everyone — including you as the seller, and that’s a commitment our DSMA team takes to heart. - Engaged throughout the process. From marketing specialization and financial expertise to OEM approvals and more, selling a dealership can be a complex process.
Many buy-sell brokers offer piecemeal capabilities, outsourcing the rest to third-party players. As a dealer, this approach can make the process needlessly complicated. To avoid this, DSMA combines end-to-end capabilities, so clients have a single point of contact throughout the entire process.
As a dealer, you deserve to know your dealership’s status throughout every step of the buy-sell process. For this reason, open, engaged and continuous communication is standard practice for DSMA. From the initial cup of coffee to the closing table, DSMA is with you every step of the journey.
A Bright Future for You and Your Dealership
The decision to sell your dealership is a major one and we at DSMA want to help you do it with confidence. Current market trends, particularly for dealers living in the U.S. Southeast, are making this a favorable time to consider listing.
DSMA has an extensive network of active buyers looking to acquire dealerships and dealership groups across the Southeast. Dealers who are interested in learning more about the buy-sell process are invited to contact DSMA for an introductory call by visiting www.dsma.com.
