Any entrepreneur opening a business would love to avoid common pitfalls if they can. It saves money, time, and headaches, and ensures things operate smoothly.
At Yampa Sandwich Co., we’ve developed our top five best practices for how to start a sandwich business to help savvy investors put their best foot forward with a new sandwich venture in Colorado or beyond.
CREATE A UNIQUE SANDWICH CONCEPT
The very first thing someone asking how to start a sandwich business needs to do is develop their unique sandwich concept.
The sandwich shop as a fast-casual franchise is not new, so standing out in the market for what kind of sandwiches your shop will sell is a key ingredient for attracting customers.
At Yampa Sandwich Co., we stand out for our unique flavor combinations, such as the Bushwacker, which is a curry chicken salad sandwich with toasted almonds, rice, granny smith apples, gouda, and romaine lettuce on whole wheat.
Our ingredients are also sourced as a whole, so we can find them from sources that create as small a carbon footprint as we can manage. This keeps all of our foods as fresh, crisp, and tasty as we can offer, and means our menu is our biggest asset and our unique selling point for our customers.
2. CONSIDER A FRANCHISE RATHER THAN STARTING FROM SCRATCH
Perhaps this should come before our first tip, because if you go with a franchise model like Yampa Sandwich Co. when considering how to start a sandwich business, the sandwich concept is built in.
If you’ve decided on a sandwich concept first, look around for a franchise that might already meet your criteria. Once you find a brand that is consistent with your vision, becoming an owner could be a much better path for you, rather than starting a sandwich business on your own.
Franchising is a way for smart investors to go into business for themselves, but not by themselves. You’ll have the backing of an experienced franchise development team that can help you from the very beginning with opening your new sandwich shop.
The assistance begins with site selection advice based on demographics information, flows through training and build-out during pre-opening, and continues to opening day. You don’t have to do the difficult parts of starting a sandwich business—in Colorado or beyond—by yourself.
Once your shop is open, the franchising team continues to offer ongoing support, access to a confidential operations manual that helps with procedures, and technology tools to keep the business running smoothly. There’s very little downside to joining a franchise model like Yampa Sandwich Co. in Colorado.
3. SECURE A PRIME LOCATION
Once you’ve signed a franchising agreement, the next tip for how to start a sandwich business is securing your best possible restaurant location.
At Yampa Sandwich Co., we have more than 20 years’ worth of demographics data to extrapolate which areas in Colorado are the most primed for opening a new Yampa Sandwich Co. franchise.
We’re happy to advise our newest franchisees on the best possible sites to begin their Yampa Sandwich ownership journey.
We love to be part of our franchisees taking charge of their future, joining their Colorado communities (and growing along the Rockies too!), and sharing the Yampa Sandwich Co. philosophy with more people. It all begins with location.
4. BUILD YOUR NAME
Branding is one of the most important ways to build your client base. Having a brand customers recognize in an instant, with flavors they crave and choose above others is how to grow word-of-mouth that your sandwich shop—whether independent or part of a franchise—is coming to town.
That’s why a marketing strategy to advertise your brand is a critical component of how to start a sandwich business.
Franchising with Yampa Sandwich Co. means the brand you join is already well established, and our promotional materials get the word out about your franchise’s new location. They’ve been tested and have worked well for generating buzz and excitement for opening day and every day after.
It’s another aspect of how to start a sandwich business franchisees don’t have to create on their own.
5. GET INVOLVED IN YOUR COMMUNITY
Getting involved in your local community may seem like a lot on top of opening a new sandwich business, but it’s a crucial step in how to open a sandwich business.
There’s a lot of opportunity for cross-promotion with other local businesses when you meet other small business owners in your town, and that can really help build trust among residents who may not already know you.
There’s a lot to be said for becoming a familiar face, as well. When people recognize you, they brighten, smile, and greet you with a hearty hello.
When you establish yourself as an honest businessperson in the local commerce of your town, it goes much further with guests to your sandwich shop than you think.
It’s easier for them to believe the advertising campaigns surrounding your sandwich business, because they’ve come to trust you as a business person.
Other businesses may be more inclined to place catering orders with your sandwich shop for luncheons or small meetings they may host, which increases your revenues.
When you build your reputation as a solid business partner, it opens doors in your town and establishes your brand with the kind of goodwill that can’t be bought. It makes running your business more enjoyable and gives you a better chance to flourish as a fixture in your town.
HOW TO START A SANDWICH BUSINESS WITH YAMPA SANDWICH CO.
The easiest way is to sign our franchising agreement!
But, let’s back up for a minute. One of the most common questions we get is how much does it cost to start a sandwich business?
Lots of factors can influence the total amount it’ll take to get your sandwich business up and running. These include the size and location of your site, whether you rent or purchase your building, and how much equipment your business requires to run smoothly.
The estimate for initial expenses to open a Yampa Sandwich Co. ranges between $295,750 to $527,900 for a single location, which includes our franchise fee of $25,000.
Based on our experience since opening more than 20 years ago in Steamboat Springs, those investors asking how to start a sandwich business in Colorado couldn’t choose a more welcoming location for their sandwich franchise.
Coloradans love a good sandwich. The active lifestyle of many of Yampa Sandwich Co.’s customers leads them to our menu seeking our portable whole-foods for on-the-go healthy meals that fuel their bodies and spirits.
There you have it. The top five tips from Yampa Sandwich Co. for how to start a sandwich business.
Yampa Sandwich Co. is expanding into new territories in Colorado and nearby states. We’re eager to hear from interested, passionate entrepreneurs who believe in serving whole foods to adventurous souls while caring for the environment and lifting their communities. If this could be you, contact us today!
