When setting up your business, choosing a location can be a critical factor in its success. Unless you are completely home-based, you will need to decide where you will conduct your business either by leasing or buying premises. Each organisation has varying requirements, so it is necessary to consider your needs and priorities when deciding on a business premises that will best suit you.

Know your business:
The types of premises will depend on your business. Businesses that offer professional services may consider choosing long or short-term leasing options that will allow you to conduct customer and business meetings from a central location. If you run a retail or hospitality organisation it will involve deciding on the best location to sell your products while also being accessible to customers. For those that involve manufacturing, wholesaling or selling over the internet, then selecting a business location will not impact on attracting customers.

Identify customers:
Identifying who your customers are and how you can best meet their needs can also assist in choosing a location. Researching relevant information, such as where they live and work, and how far they will potentially travel to buy your products or services, can help you decide on a location that is practical for existing customers and attractive to new ones.

Assess the location:
Consider the external elements that can affect your business. Look at the traffic in the area and work out how it can support or hinder you and what services are in the area in which you choose to locate. You may consider asking other local business in your desired location for some advice on the best providers for services such as gas or electricity, water, phone and internet.

Remember your legal and environmental obligations when choosing a place to set up your business, and check with the local council for any planning and building restrictions if necessary. For example, you could consider how possible noise produced by your business would affect the local community. Before making any big decisions, consider seeking further legal or professional advice.