TheEDM, or market surveyis one of the most important foundations of business creation. In practice, however, it is often neglected. It seems to be too complex, too time-consuming, or too incidental. This is a mistake. A well-executed site survey enables you to :

• Facilitating access to financing
• Securing your investment
• Limiting risks
• Maximize your chances of survival

At GEO Business, we believe that any decision to set up a new business must be based on a clear and precise MDA. This must be based on reliable, up-to-date and easily accessible data, particularly in the case of franchising.

Why is a good EDM essential?

According to INSEE :

• 2 out of 3 entrepreneurs start out on their own.
• Half have less than €8,000 down, and only 25% have more than €40,000.
• 1 in 2 declare a lack of financial assistance.
• 33% of companies are less than 3 years old.
• Only half make it to 5 years: 1 company in 2 will not see its loan and associated life projects through to the end.

The absence or weakness of market research does not explain everything, but it does contribute to weakening projects from the outset. It undermines the credibility of the business plan, limits its attractiveness to banks, and prevents rational decision-making.

Demystifying market research: how to structure an effective MRS? 

Successful market research is as much about method as it is about common sense. It involves asking the right questions, confronting them with reality, and documenting your choices. GEO Business allows you to formalize this crucial step in just a few clicks. You benefit from an intuitive platform and rich data collections, accessible as soon as you register.

Here are the 6 essential pillars of relevant market research:

1. Location

City centers, suburbs, retail parks, shopping malls, business parks... Each sector has its own codes, flows and customer typologies.

2. Target location

Corner premises, at the foot of a building, stand-alone, in a gallery? The immediate environment has a major influence on visibility and attractiveness.

3. Premises features

Accessibility, visibility, footfall, parking, pedestrian or vehicular traffic... All these parameters can be objectively analyzed using geomarketing data.

4. Market and customer analysis

Who are my targets? How big is my market? What is their purchasing power? What is the population structure: residents, employees, tourists, etc.? Thanks to GEO Business, you can access this information without any prior expertise.

5. Catchment area

Determining your area of influence, identifying physical or competitive barriers, visualizing flows... these are all essential points for sizing your project.

6. Competitive analysis

Knowing your competitors, estimating their performance, their differentiation, their traffic, their marketing strategy... This is a powerful lever for fine-tuning your positioning.

A study to help you make strategic decisions

The most frequently asked question at the end of a market study is the sales forecast. GEO Business helps you to build this estimate usingsimple, concrete assumptions, accessible even without a financial profile.

Method 1 - Behavioral approach :

Average price × Number of customers per day × Days open per year

For example: if you sell baskets at €25, target 40 customers a day, and open 300 days a year → your forecast sales would be €300,000 excluding VAT.

Method 2 - Market share approach :

1. Estimate the number of potential customers in your catchment area.
2. Multiply by average annual purchase frequency (e.g. 3 visits per year).
3. Apply an average price per purchase act.
4. Divide by the number of equivalent competitors to simulate market sharing.
5. Apply a realistic capture rate (e.g. 20% if you are well positioned).

But beyond the figures, a good study allows you to : 

• Anticipating investment needs
• Better negotiate a bank loan
• Guide marketing and sales actions,
• Make decisions rooted in reality.

GEO Business: a valuable ally for your study

Designed to simplify geomarketing, the GEO Business platform helps entrepreneurs and franchise networks analyze their location potential. Thanks to an intuitive interface, a catalog of public/private data, competitive analysis tools, territory modeling and an intelligent assistant, research is no longer a constraint, but a real lever for success.

Market research is not a theoretical exercise: it's the founding act of your business project. And with the right tools, it becomes a strategic asset for securing and successfully expanding your business.

Start your market research today with GEO Business and lay a solid foundation for your business.