Finding the right location for your laser clinic is one of the most frustrating and challenging parts of the journey for an aspiring clinic owner. Dealing with real estate and leasing agents effectively through clearly describing your requirements can streamline the process and mean you’re not wasting your time by visiting unsuitable locations needlessly. The following assumes you are not considering starting a laser clinic from home.
Here are some clinic requirements that you can communicate to your agent and keep in the back of your mind when evaluating locations.
Treatment Room Size
Each treatment room needs to be at least 3×4 metres in order to accommodate the laser device, a treatment bed and allow suitable space for technicians and patients to move around safely.
Technical Requirements
The location also requires a plumbed sink. The treatment room needs a 32AMP, single-phase plug, dedicated to the main switch that must be installed by an electrician. An airconditioning unit must also be installed in the room to ensure a consistent temperature can be maintained – crucial for the health of the laser device.
Foot Traffic
Tell your agent that you’re looking for medium density foot traffic. This means that there is a reason for people to walk past the clinic. This may involve being positioned between a cafe and a children’s playground (ideal for mothers) or on the way to a supermarket or department store. Make sure you think about what those people are doing and if they’re likely to be clients. After all, there’s no point in having loads of people walk past, but none of them falls into your target market.
Visual Potential
If you can’t find a location with medium foot traffic density, consider a highly visual location. If you have a large amount of traffic going past, or if there’s an opportunity to use signage to your advantage, you can build awareness around your clinic quickly. Tell your agent that you’re interested in locations where you can use the side of a building that faces a busy road, or in medium-density traffic areas where the front of the clinic faces the street.
Parking
Parking makes life easier for your clients. However, you only need enough parking for the number of clients you can serve at one time. If you have one laser device and can only serve one client at any given time, you only need one car park, or potentially two if you’d like to consider the client in the waiting area. Start small and build your way up. Tell your agent you’d like loads of on-street parking, or the option to buy car parks as you expand.
Expansion
Speaking of growth, think about your plans for the future before jumping into a location. If you’re keen to stay small or open multiple locations while keeping the first one, that’s fine. If, however, your growth plans include additional treatments or employees, you’ll need to look at where you can expand into. Ideally, let your agent know you’d like the option to take on additional space as the business grows. This type of arrangement is far more common than you may think.
Spend Some Time
Even after all this, there is no better information than your own research and experience. Spend some time at the potential location. Go to the cafes, speak to local business owners, look around the neighbourhood. Once you get a feel for the place, you’ll know if it’s suitable for your new clinic.