New and prospective members of your coworking space will have a lot of questions. Hopefully, you'll be able to answer every single one. But it can't hurt to create a cheat sheet for your staff and community managers so they know what to expect and are consistent and confidant in their answers.
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When deciding what space best fits their needs one of the most obvious things a prospective member or team will consider is price. Are they a startup with two, ten or fifty employees? Are they a freelancer attempting to gain traction in an industry? Coworking managers usually factor in amenities with their price tiers and there’s likely one to fit their needs. If you happen to cost more per month, do you offer something that the cheaper space does not? How badly do they need that extra resource/amenity?
The other members and businesses in your coworking space play a large part in building and developing each prospective member's professional network. While competition between similar businesses is definitely not something to be take lightly, the major concern should be how other businesses contribute to the overall community.
Some spaces have more niche communities than others. Perhaps your coworking communities is focused toward specialized groups like artists, developers, or scientists. While they might not necessarily brand themselves as an “artist” or “tech” space, prospective members may want to understand the make up of the community to get a feel for it themselves. Remember, companies from different industries is not rarely a negative. Emphasize the variety and contributions of your various members.
If you offer a member directory like Coworks, you can show how that works on an app. Coworks lets members search by job title. Members can opt to include their contact info in order to grow their network.
Are the members engaged? Do they value privacy? Do they take advantage of networking opportunities? Are they early birds or night owls? Are they social? Do you welcome business travelers? Relationships with other members is important in getting the most out of any community. Prospective members will be able to find a space that fits their resource needs and also cultivates a warm and welcoming environment.
New members probably have basic expectations — WiFi, printers, desk availability, free coffee. Do they have strong preferences about aspects of their work environment? Do you prefer a place with a fully stocked kitchen? Do you think modern interior design would make you more excited about your workplace?
If you have equipment and resources that require booking or reservations, show prospect how easy it is to see availability and make bookings.
This is always something to consider when give a tour of your space. Think about answering questions along the lines of, “Yes we have what you need, but we also have what you want!”
Conference rooms are very important for conducting virtual and in-person meetings. If you have it, make sure you demonstrate that you have adequate space, as well as software capable of handling room reservations and easy access to conference room availability.
Some spaces have conference rooms available for member sanytime. Others may offer a set amount of bookable hours with a membership type. You can manage these membership plans with booking hours through space management tools like Coworks.
Explain why your space offers the booking plan it does. Demonstrate how simple the process is with your member app.
Some spaces use softwares like slack while others have an “in-person” approach. Emphasize how your space provides ample tools for networking and communication to align with that. Choosing a community with poor communication channels can lead to an inhibiting member experience.
The wifi stops working in the middle of a project. The usual parking lot is closed for repairs. A holiday is coming, but some businesses stay open.
How will your members know?
Having an easy to find FAQ and resources section on your member app helps so be sure to show prospects how they can quickly get information.
Anyone touring your space might be in a situation where they are choosing between similar spaces. Or they need to justify the expense of not working form home.
Have your unique selling position ready and clear. Make is specific. Pressure test the story with members: what made them join? What makes them stay?
Many coworking spaces offer day passes, which gives someone who is indecisive the opportunity to be immersed in the experience of the space before having to commit to it. It doesn’t hurt to ask. Many community managers are flexible and will accommodate these needs. Embedded forms from Coworks let you offer day passes right on your web site.
Once you have considered all of these answers, look for that community fit.. If you keep an open mind when welcoming new community members, odds are you will find a fun and engaging addition.
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