Finding commercial premises requires special attention: it must correspond precisely to the needs of the company, its employees and their operating methods. The watchword is functionality, but also location and logistics so that everyone can gradually get used to the space. So how do you find your way around, and what are the criteria you need to know? We’ve taken a look at the subject below.
1. The most important criterion: location
The location is undoubtedly the most important criterion in a business. Indeed, your future business premises must be ideally located for your customers but also for your employees, suppliers, deliverymen, etc. The easier it is to get to, the more likely your customers will be to visit your premises and buy your products. Although the best locations are often the most expensive, the difference will have a definite impact on your turnover. But don’t think you can save money by moving away from busy streets: you need to be visited to maximize your turnover.
2. Make sure your premises are accessible
When looking for your business premises, consider accessibility: will customers be able to access it easily? Is it located in a busy street or is it set back? Is there public transport nearby? Will they be able to park easily? Depending on all these elements, you can get an idea of how accessible the premises are and thus better project the number of customers.
3. Take into account traffic and the neighbourhood
For your commercial premises, you must think in terms of image. To do this, you need to look at the footfall in the area. In order for you to sell your products and/or services, pay attention to the shops that already exist as well as their traffic to get an idea of the life of the neighbourhood. If these elements correspond to the image you wish to project to your future clientele, then you can consider renting.
4. Be realistic
Choosing your commercial premises is a process that requires you to be realistic about your rental or purchase project. In fact, opt for a surface area that corresponds to the volume of your goods in storage, the sales area and the space required for the organization of your employees. Be careful: you should also look at the medium and long term to see how your business will develop. Perhaps you will have more references in several months or years? If this is the case, or at least if this is your objective, then you can choose premises with a larger surface area than is necessary at the time of opening.
5. Get a professional to help you in your search
If you would like special help in finding premises, if you are short of time or if you simply want to be sure of your decision, then you can call on a professional who specializes in real estate for professionals. This professional will take into account your various criteria and will study the available rental / sale offers on the market. This real estate professional will present you with the available premises that correspond to you and will organize the visits. Once the premises have been chosen, he or she will act as an intermediary between the lessor/seller and you: all you have to do is sign the rental contract to be able to launch your project and organize the fitting out of the shop.
6. Think marketing
When you think about commercial premises, you have to think in terms of marketing. Don’t hesitate to look at the different strategies for creating traffic to your shop and making your sales space attractive. You can take inspiration from nearby shops to create uniformity and blend in perfectly with the neighbourhood you have chosen to set up your business.
7. Know how to compromise
Finally, finding commercial premises sometimes requires compromise. It is possible that not all your criteria will be met because the budget is too tight or the demands too complicated. If this is the case, you will have to review your project by defining your priorities. For example, is it necessary to have such a large (or small) area? Can you consider moving to another area? Can you do without a car park in favour of access by public transport? Good to know: If you want to see things more clearly and if you want to find the premises that are best suited to your expectations, call on the advice and expertise of a professional. He or she will be able to call on his or her network and skills to meet your requirements perfectly. He or she will also be able to inform you about the specific characteristics of each neighbourhood and the accessibility of your future customers. As you will have understood, finding commercial premises is an initiative that deserves a great deal of thought, particularly on precise points such as location, accessibility, the needs of the business and management. Once you have defined these criteria, all you have to do is select the premises that perfectly meet your expectations for the development of your business: to help you in this process, do not hesitate to call on a professional specializing in this field. Now that you have all the information, you need to make the right choice.