Business Location Evaluation

Business Location Evaluation

Use this survey to evaluate potential locations for your business. Rate each item with a score of one to five, with five being the best and one being the worst.

I. Competition

Things to consider: do other stores nearby offer the same product as you intend to, or will you be the only one in the area?

II. Visibility

Things to consider: will your store be easily visible from the road, or from a certain distance, or will potential customers have to actively seek out the location?

III. The People

Things to consider: what is happening to the local population? For your product/service, are there enough people with the appropriate income? What about the age range of the local population?

IV. Traffic

Things to consider: is this location in an area that customers would frequent normally, or would they have to make trips specifically to get to your store? Do a lot of people regularly pass by the location right now? Is there any chance that construction in the future might hinder access to your location, or might it in fact bring in more traffic?

V. Convenience

Things to consider: this is where you think about your own needs. Is the location close to your own home so that you won't have a long commute? Are there services in the area that you would use regularly, such as shipping/printing, dry cleaning, etc.?

VII. Appearance

Things to consider: think about the area in general, along with the actual building in which your business would reside. When you tell a potential customer where to locate this business, would you be embarrassed by the neighborhood? Does the image of your business match that of the location? Would the façade of the location draw in customers?

VI. Accessibility

Things to consider: is your store easy for customers to access? This should include the actual location (i.e. the doors, the path from parking to the door, etc.), as well as the ability to get to the location. Are the directions difficult to follow? Is the store clearly marked? Is there parking? Is the location already accessible for your handicapped customers?