Location! Location! Location!

Author: Laurel Brock

First Authored: April 13, 2012

Last Revised: June 13, 2018

Introduction

This is a single lesson plan that focuses on choosing a location for any business. The lesson is modeled with open-ended questioning and checklists. Students work on activities mostly in groups, are guided through practice, and reflect individually.

Goal: To choose a business location that aligns positively with what makes a business successful.

Related Instructional Objectives (SWBAT...)

Activities in this Lesson

Video

Hooks / Set

These are good videos to start out the lesson with.

Video: "Choosing Premises" (3.5 min). This video presents various locations for various businesses.

Additional Video (if you have time - 5min) "Best Location for a Hot Dog". This video represents locations for a specific business.

 

Resources and Materials

What's Your Business Like?

Guided Practice

 

Preparation: Teacher should take 10 pieces of paper and write a different classification of business on each one. Diversify. (Examples include: beauty salon, retail store, restaurant, fast food, specialty store, etc…). Fold each piece of paper and put into a hat/bowl.

The students will need access to the internet to complete this activity.

Make groups of three students. Have each group pick a business out of the hat/bowl.

Present the following on the classroom board. Ask each group to write out their responses in relation to their selected business. Ask one question at a time and then proceed after they have had a chance to discuss the topic and write down their responses in a collaborated effort. This way you can clarify concepts as needed.

Once all the questions have been completed, the group will meet individually with the instructor to be evaluated. The instructor will evaluate whether their responses are appropriate for the selected business. The information you will need to evaluate whether they are ready to proceed will come from your professional knowledge. Each business will be different and will have to evaluated as such.

There is an attached example of a Dog Daycare business.

  1. Determine your business activity

Do you have to have accommodations for customers? If so, what kind? Do you have to have a waiting room? How much parking do you need? Should there be a "meet & greet" area?

Do you to go elsewhere to provide your service? Do you offer delivery? Do you not need a location that needs to be accessible to your clients? Do you need a location that has a garage for storage and/or delivery trucks?

Are you a "one-man-band" or do you need help providing your products/service to your clients? Does your staff need an office? Do they need a locker room? What about parking?

Do you need a space that can accommodate mass amount of large equipment? Are there areas that need to be allotted for safety? Do you need a garage? Do you need delivery truck access?

  1. In what ways does the following affect your business? How important are these things to making my business successful?

Does your business require that you have an easy access for your customers? Do you need to be in a certain area to accommodate your clients' needs? Will you customers "find" you or do you need to be visible to gain business? Will your employees be able to park?

How many other businesses in the area are just like yours? Is there business going to affect the success of your business? Would you be better off not locating near them or do you offer something a little different that can work? Or are you able to "beat the competition"?

Chamber of Commerce in most towns can provide this information. Alternative search terms include "(area)(type of business)"

Is your location okay for offering a business? Will the allow big, bright signs for you to gain business with? Does your business have entertainment? If so, what time can you have your music on until? What does the city say about what you can and can not do as a small business in their town? Search terms: "(area) city ordinance"

Resources and Materials

Check for Understanding

Check Understanding

 

The instructor should walk around the room and check in on each group guiding them toward further thought about their specific business. Once each group has completed recognizing their selected business' location needs, they will meet with their instructor. The instructor will provide feedback on their answers to the above questions and decide whether the students are ready to go on with the activity or if they need to reflect further on the needs of the business. The information you will need to evaluate whether they are ready to proceed will come from your professional knowledge. Each business will be different and will have to evaluated as such.

Group Discussion

Other

 

One at a time, ask the groups to share their business and the limitations recognized above with the rest of the class. Decide how many groups will share based on the amount of time you have. You may want to have some share and then tell others you will have them share at the end of class if you have additional time or the next class meeting.

Location! Location! Location!

Guided Practice

 

Ask all students to get out a piece of paper. On the paper, they should write: LOCATION! LOCATION! LOCATION! with their name and type of business.

As you facilitate stating each question separately, ask each student to write the question on their piece of paper. Let the students answer each question before you proceed to the next. You will be able to check for understanding at each point.

As you state each question and the students are writing it down, talk about your interpretation of the question and use an example. I would suggest using the same example of a business in each category as well as picking a different business also for different examples. For example: Talk about a car business and what makes it successful and then talk about a restaurant. In the next category about the target audience, talk about the car business again and then maybe a hair salon.

o What is the location like? (Area demographics, Crime, Income, Housing, Schools, Competition, Education)

o How expensive is it to own a business there? (lease cost, employee wages, taxes, insurance)

When choosing the location for the business, it is my suggestion that the students pick your local town. They will be able to relate to the information better because they are comfortable with your area demographics. However, explain that these activities can be done to find out information on any location.

Give the students 30 minutes to answer their questions. Remind students that the Internet should be used to research factual information for the location they are considering. Walk around and check for understanding. Assist them with understanding, as needed.

I have attached an example.

The information you will need to evaluate whether they are ready to proceed will come from your professional knowledge. Each business will be different and will have to evaluated as such.

Resources and Materials

Location Checklist

Group Work

 

After the guided practice activity, distribute the location checklist to each group. Have students collaborate to evaluate the business needs and determine if the location they have chosen still aligns with their business activity and target audience. Students will continue using the Internet to research their specific location. Searches can be made by using terms that include the area name and the topic of information being sought. Additional examples can be found on the Location Activity Example provided in the above activity.

As students are evaluating their location choice, check for understanding and assist with clarification, as needed.

The information you will need to evaluate whether they are ready to proceed will come from your professional knowledge. Each business will be different and will have to evaluated as such.

Resources and Materials

Choosing the Location!

Group Work

 

Based on the information gathered in the above activities, ask students to continue collaborating to determine the exact location for their business based what will make that business most successful.

Have students use the Internet and search local newspaper classifieds or Craiglist and find a location that is availabe in the selected area. They can also do a search for local "Retail Management Companies" if the location they are looking for requires a shopping center or mall.

Once the students have decided where their business would be most successful in the selected area, have them write down and discuss what made that location more appealing to them than other areas that were available.

As the students are working on the activity, walk around to check for understanding and provide assistance, as needed.

Once each group has determined their location, they should meet with the instructor for evaluation. The instructor should review the researched information and determine if there are flaws in their understanding. Each business will have a different evaluation based on its classification. As the instructor you can discuss the pros and cons to the choices they have made. Use the attached rubric to assist you in making consistent evaluations between groups and business types.

I have attached an example and a rubric.

Resources and Materials

Self-Reflection

Formative Assessment

 

Once students have completed their group activity, ask them to individually write a summary of what they learned about choosing a business location. Each student should answer the following question based on the information they learned in this lesson:

If you had to open a business in your home town, what would it be and why?

Closing

Closure

 

Students should turn in all work to the instructor's basket. Group work should be stapled together with a title page. The title page should be a white piece of paper with the title "Location! Location! Location!" in the center, the type of business centered underneath it, and the name of each student in the group directly under that.

The individual work should be stapled together with the reflection on the top and the student's name in the top right hand corner. All work should be placed in the instructor's basket.

Assessment

Assessment Types: Writing Samples, Demonstrations, Observations

Students will be assessed throughout the lesson by the  instructor as they check for understanding.  Students will produce evidence of their understanding.

Note:  This is an assignment that needs your specialization to evaluate.  Knowing business and knowing what seems to work and what doesnt.  Knowing where to look if you wanted to start your own business.  These things come with your specialization and that you should evaluate based on what you know.  If you are not a business instructor by trade, you can research basic business marketing concepts to gain foundation knowledge in what information is needed for finding a location.  YouTube is a wonderful resource and provides updated, intriguing perspectives to learning new information.