What a preliminary valuation range is

A preliminary range takes figures you supply — revenue, profit, and a few facts about the business — and sets them against common ways buyers talk about price. It is a way to see whether a conversation is worth having.

It is not an appraisal. It is not a fairness opinion. It is not a price a buyer must pay, and it is not a promise that a sale will happen.

The range moves when the inputs move. If revenue is estimated, or if profit depends on the owner's unpaid labor, say so. A precise-looking number built on an unstated assumption is less useful than a wider range with the assumption written down.

Use the range to decide the next step: wait, prepare, or talk. You do not have to list a business to look at the range.