You've spent several months, perhaps years, putting everything you have into building a thriving, high-demand online business and now you have decided to sell your baby.

Thousands of businesses change hands everyday, oddly enough the channels you can use to get maximum price and exposure for your online business are extremely limited.

You have a few options:

1. Ebay. It's perhaps the biggest venue for listing and finding new businesses forsale, but you have to be concerned over the quality of sites listed on eBay. For every quality site listed there are at least 100 crappy, low-priced, cookie-cutter sites that can put the wrong impression in the minds of your prospects.

2. Classified pay-per-listing sites. The leading online business listing site is http://www.buysellwebsites.com run by experienced professional Nelson Bates. This is a super service for sites under $50,000 with proven results and proven demand. A great technique for lower-priced sites, but perhaps not the right option for the site you want to get maximum exposure and price for.

3. Experienced and Focused Business Broker. You've invested heavily in your online business. A professional can help you through the sometimes complex tasks of placing a price on your business, getting it in front of the "right" buyers, helping to separate the tire kickers from serious buyers and take your deal to an optimal close.

Online business brokers can...

1. Get more money for your site

2. Get your site exposed to buyers with money

3. Reduce your stress by only putting you in touch with serious buyers

4. Handling the paperwork and forms associated with securely selling your high-value online business

5. Handling the uncomfortable "selling" role for you - you just decide which deal to accept

6. Let you move on to other things, confident that your online business is being represented by the best

7. Help you through an emotional process - they will be your rock through the entire process

8. Give you the benefit of experience closing many deals, something most sellers do not have

9. Open up new markets and opportunities you may not have even thought of yet

10. Help you wade through legal, tax and regulatory issues that can be quite intimidating.

What To Look For In An Online Business Broker

Finding a great business broker can make a massive difference to the success of selling your online business, getting the value you deserve.

Here are 4 characteristics to watch out for:

1. Experience with selling businesses. This one tops the list. Skillful business brokers have spent years mastering the art of negotiation and undersatnding the market. If you are selling an online business, then it is even more important that you find a specialized online business broker, someone who understands getting maximum price for internet-based businesses.

2. Proven Reputation. You want someone who has a rock-solid reputation with years of experience helping sell businesses. The ideal online business broker will have sold hundreds of online businesses already and can point out some specific examples.

3. Great Communicator. Selling your business can be a lengthy and detailed process, in order to get the most out of your online business broker, they need to be a great communicator - it's absolutely necessary.

4. Must Ensure Your Confidentiality. You can't afford to have your customers, partners and competitors know that you are about to sell your business. Look for a broker that guarantees confidentiality using appropriate protection forms every step of the way.

5. Specialize. Focus on a business broker that understands your type of business. Just as you wouldn't go to foot specialist about your stomach problem, you want to make sure you find a broker that specializes in online business.

Finally, you can take the stress out of selling your online business by using an experienced, professional online business broker. Don't leave the sale of your business to chance, consider consulting your very own online business broker today.