One of the most important questions a new franchisee can ask is: “where do I base my franchise?” Answering this question isn’t always easy, and sometimes it can seem outright daunting. With nearly 200 franchises across 26 states, American Family Care is always looking to establish a presence in new locations. The good news is our services are needed by everyone, regardless of demographic, so the options are truly limitless. However, there are a few specific factors you should always consider when choosing a home for your urgent care center.
The Market
The first thing you’ll look at the choosing a location is, of course, the city. It’s important to keep in mind your target demographic and the competitive landscape. The city should have a relatively strong economy, and a need for your services. If your city of choice is inundated with hospitals and urgent care centers, there might not be room for your franchise. Luckily, AFC is here to help. Our team will answer any questions you may have about location selection, and help you find the perfect site for your urgent care center franchise. This includes real estate negotiations and helping you convert an existing care center location into an American Family Care franchise.
Convenience
When opening any new business, the conventional wisdom is to lease an office space on a heavily-trafficked road or downtown area. More traffic often equals to heightened awareness, more business, and more profits, right? While this may be true, we encourage franchisees not to limit themselves, and get creative with location selection. The cost of rent in a busy area can be astronomical, and many franchises would rather direct their resources to growing other aspects of their business. With AFC, it’s entirely possible to still run a successful urgent care center while being based in a cheaper, less heavily-trafficked area. As part of our marketing offerings for all franchisees, we provide brochures, pre-approved ads, direct mail artwork, radio scripts, etc. to help you create awareness of your franchise. If you have a sound marketing strategy and take full advantage of our resources, there’s no need to shell out a fortune in rent.
Cost
Cost is perhaps the most important factor in choosing a location for your urgent care franchise. While you may be able to save money by renting in a less-expensive area, there still are many financial factors to consider before leasing a space. These include property rental fees, maintenance costs, and avenues available to you for financial assistance. Remember that when leasing a building, your rent may grow over time as your business grows; pay attention to clauses that require you to pay for common area maintenance, real-estate taxes, landlord insurance, etc. Luckily, we’re here to help guide you through this process. AFC will work with you to negotiate a fair deal, and to identify any available means of financial assistance. While this is your business, and you’re in charge, keep in mind that you have a strong support system in AFC that’s prepared to help you every step of the way.
If you’re ready to take the exciting step toward franchise ownership with your own urgent care center, reach out to us today to get started.