The most important step in the process of opening up a franchise business, besides deciding which franchise to invest in, is choosing the site location for your new store. Typically it is the responsibility of the individual franchisee to do all the legwork when it comes to researching and negotiating potential site locations. Most franchisors provide some support during this process, but the actual act of going out and looking at locations with a commercial leasing broker is solely the responsibility of individual franchisees. Additionally, the franchisor may provide some advice for lease negotiations, but again the majority of the work will be completed by you and your leasing broker. This can be a very stressful step in the franchise process, but follow the six tips below and you will be better prepared to handle your site search.
1. Bring a digital camera or a video camera
If you do not bring a camera then you will have no visual records of the sites you visited. These pictures, or video, can help you remember the locations you visited and most franchisors actually require that you submit pictures or video for their review.
2. Bring a tape measure, pens, and paper
It is essential to have ample paper and writing utensils because you will probably be taking a lot of notes as you visit different sites. It's also good to bring a tape measure that you can use to get measurements for drawing a floor plan.
3. Do not forget about accessibility
While you are visiting different locations keep this question in mind, “is the store easy to get in and out of?” Make sure you find a location that has ample parking and easy access. Odds are that if it is hard for you to get to the store then it will deter potential customers.
4. Consider the amount of car and foot traffic
While visiting potential sites you should look out the windows and think about the number of cars driving by and the amount of foot traffic in front of the site. You probably want to find a location that has decent car/foot traffic to generate customers.
5. Examine other businesses in you shopping center
Think about the types of clientele the stores in your shopping center will attract. Make sure these people fit into your target customer demographics. Additionally, most franchisors will usually tell you what stores and businesses are good to have in your shopping center.
6. Think about functionality
While inside the location you should think about how easily it will be for you and your business to function. Look for things like electric outlets, ceiling lighting, breaker box, etc.
7. Make sure to see the bathroom
It may sound funny, but it's important to take a look at the bathroom before you decide on a site. You will work long hours at your site and odds are that you will be using the bathroom, so make sure you like it.
