How to Secure Your Coworking Space

Cool, trendy and flexible—the first things to come into someone’s mind when thinking of coworking spaces. However, once you set up your space openly and stylishly, you also need to secure it. Securing your business against unauthorized access should be one of your priorities before you proceed on starting to operate.

Here are some tips that you should embrace to enhance security in your coworking space:

Physical Security System

First, Front desk people plays an important role in making a good impression. Coworking spaces are well-served by having someone at the front desk who manages the entire visitor experiences, including security. Second, You can also hire a security guard on duty. Having a security guard on duty eases coworkers’ minds and make them feel secure within the space. Third, you might want to install a CCTV system that will help you easily monitor all that is going around the office. It is a good security feature that allows you to know how something happened and who could have done any crime that is discovered.

Strong Data and Security

Establishing a strong and secure network for your members to use is the key to keeping all digital information in your space safe. It’s crucial to protect your customers’ devices and data from being hacked. For WiFi connections, allocate unique credentials and a password to each user. You can also go one step further: Individualised private WiFi networks are becoming the way to go for optimal digital security. You could also purchase an electric timer, which basically would shut off WiFi access overnight.

Access Control System

Install an access control system so that only those who are authorized can access to some parts of the coworking space. With a tap of a phone or swipe of a card, authorized users will gain access to any room you designate. You can also control the access of the users with different memberships. An example, your regular members can have full access while weekend members can have their access blocked to any given room or at any given time. You can regulate the entry of the members through an access control system like KISI.  Check our latest integration with KISI.

Additionally, get intruder alarms so you can know when someone not allowed to enter in some areas.

Password Protection

Access to your network with hard-to-crack logins, or require users to authenticate using their own unique credentials. If your users access the network through one password, change it up regularly, and create a separate network for non-members and members.

Protect Network Systems and Printers

Many businesses store vital files in clouds using networks. If the networks are not secured well, then it can be easily hacked. To prevent this from happening, ensure that your business uses an encryption technology that is up to date. Also, your computers should have an active antivirus and antimalware software.

Fire Safety

Lastly, you want to protect your coworking space against the risk of fire. Installing a fire alarm system will help you to report immediately any slight sign of fire. 

Conclusion

It can be quite difficult to create a sense of liveliness while also getting serious about security. But, this shouldn’t be taken for granted. This is not only for you but also for your coworkers and visitors. Hope this article has helped you a lot. Share your experience with us on how you secure your coworking space.

 

How to Use Social Media for Your Coworking Space

Social media is a powerful marketing tool for businesses. It can help you promote your products and services to a wider audience. It can generate a “buzz” around your new features or promotions and gives you a platform to receive feedback from the market.

For your business to benefit from social media marketing, you need to invest a lot of time, effort and money. Social media is arguably one of the easiest ways to market your coworking space online.

Check these few tips on using social media for your coworking space.

Post Regularly

Social media is the most effective marketing solution to increase brand awareness and visibility. As you post regularly on social media, your customers ‘’see’’ more of your brand. And the best part? It is a cost-effective solution to marketing your brand and getting it out there where it can reach your potential customers. The more active you are on social media, the better your chances of trending on it. Trending on social media means a lot more social shares which has a definite impact on Search Engine Result Pages rankings. In short, staying active on social media can help you beat your competition when it comes to rankings.

Social media offers many benefits to business owners, as it allows them to reach out to their customers and to gain the attention of more people/potential customers.

Increase Interaction

Social media is a good way of engaging and interacting with customers. The more you communicate with the audience, the more chances you have of conversion. Setting up a two-way communication with your target audience will help you know their requests and interests. Communication and engagement are one of the ways to win their attention and convey them your brand message. Your brand will reach more audiences in real terms and gets itself established without any hassle.

Show off your Space Amenities

Maximize social media in showcasing your people, service, resources, and amenities available. In doing this, people will know what does your coworking space offer. In addition, encourage your staff, coworkers, and followers on social media to repost or share or retweet your posts so other people will know about your coworking space. Find out more on Amenities on How to Maximize your Coworking Location.

Quick Response

Have you ever sent someone a text message, only for it to go completely unanswered? We’ve all been there, and it’s not a good feeling. No one likes to be ignored. Above all, if a business exists on a social media network, it is more than likely going to receive questions and complaints from its customers – daily, hourly or even every few minutes. Customers have questions about products. They have complaints about poor service and they want to know that you appreciate that they choose your brand over its competitors.

Will your business be there for its customers or will their posts, tweets, and concerns be unanswered and neglected?

Try out different platforms and see what works for you

You might find that Facebook is the best for engagement alternatively you might find that Snapchat Stories bring greater engagement as well. In addition, a combination of Instagram posts and Stories allows you to connect best with your current customers, as well as potential customers. YouTube or Pinterest allows you to the best show of your coworking space. Just try a few different things and see what works best, and make sure not to spread yourself too thin.

Final Words

There is no denying that social media marketing has many advantages for startups and established brands. It will lead to increased traffic, better SEO, improved brand loyalty, healthier customer satisfaction and much more. This was some very general advice about how you should be utilizing social media to grow your coworking business.

Benefits of Using a Coworking Management Software

We all know that Coworking has become very popular to many entrepreneurs, professionals, and digital nomads. The number of coworking spaces worldwide is projected to soon cross 20,000 and reach 25, 968 by 2022. This also means that there is an average increase of 2, 595 new spaces every year since 2015.

The busyness on managing, operating, and doing marketing can be a hassle. So how can this be managed effectively? Then you will need a Coworking Management Software to help you stay on top of management.

Listed below are the benefits of using Coworking Management Software in your space.

Saves Time and Effort

Instead of looking at what your competitor is using, start assessing how much time you and your staff dedicate on filling out spreadsheets via Excel, sharing works via Google Drive, and connecting member data from one system to another? Or if you have multiple space locations or want to open one, do you have a way of managing it without confusion? Booking resources, membership plans, wi-fi for guests and members, and other features of your space are something that can take up your staff hours time if you process everything manually. Coworking software manages everything instantly to keep your space well-organized for better management of your time and space.  Also, if you are in a business meeting or away from the office, you still have control of your coworking space.

Efficient Meeting Room Bookings

One of the important features of every coworking space is on managing the bookings and resources. You allow members and guests to find and book the resources and amenities they want to use inside your space. Coworkify has its own Booking Calendar, wherein, resources are booked at specific times by checking the color-coded calendar. It’s not difficult to use. Even drop-ins can use the booking calendar with no confusion. 

Easy Payment Collection Process

Most of the regular days, payments and recording are done manually. Imagine the stress it would cause especially if you have a growing number of members. Even with the presence of Excel, there are still tendencies of wrong input of data. In coworking software, invoices are directly integrated which makes life easier. In Coworkify, it allows members to register their credit cards through Stripe and Paypal. We see to it that the need for processing payments and invoicing is met with simplicity.

Simple User Interface

We designed our coworking software so that everyone can learn to use it. With a simple interface, space owners won’t have a major problem in learning the process of the system. In addition, they can enjoy vital time in managing their business not neglecting other tasks.

Member Experience

Coworking Management Software allows a whole new experience for your members. It grants them an option to sign up for memberships and create bookings without speaking to any one of your staff. Other than that, you are giving them access to your coworking space at the palm of their hands.

Conclusion

There are many benefits of using Coworking Management Software. To manage operational complexities, it’s best to go about a coworking software designed for coworking spaces. This is very helpful in transforming your space for the best result in productivity and efficiency. Thus, coworking software is now a necessity for your coworking space. Be sure to take a visit on Coworkify Features and see why we are the best software for your coworking space.

How to Maximize Your Coworking Space Location

A coworking space is a platform for business growth for all entrepreneurs, professionals, small business owners, and other organizations. This is an avenue for them to expose their business to a diverse group of professionals by getting referrals and making connections very simple. As space owners, maximizing your space location is not just about having cool designs. But more about productivity, culture, flexibility, and most importantly the well-being and happiness of the coworkers within.

Whether they’re working on solo on projects or trying to start up a new business, your coworking space is the platform for them to do so. Find out here on how you can maximize your coworking space and use it to your advantage.

Use Location to Your Advantage

Most coworking spaces are located especially in a city and working in these areas can be advantageous for a number of reasons. The first one is transit, where you’re close enough to the customer base for them to see and reach your space easily. The second is access to people and tools as resources. If you are located in a high traffic area, make use of this area by engaging in public relations. Use your location to meet people, to get information from them that will be helpful for your marketing ideas in the future. By engaging with people, you’ll be able to know how to get the work completed and on managing your business easier.

In addition, when people see the comfort and creativity of your space, they will more likely spend money in a place where they are already spending time than in a location that is out of the way for them. Maximize your location by having a good space layout with different zones for a different purpose. Such as private rooms or study booths, open space area, team meeting rooms, break-out areas, cafeterias, and places for rest. What else is around your place? You may have a mall nearby, or located near a gym or chain restaurants or schools. Promote that you’re nearby in all these desirable places.

Make Purposeful Connections

Use your coworking space to learn about those with whom you work so that networking has a purpose. Find out about others and what they do so that when you decide to do a team building or any events, you have an idea of what is needed by your members. Engage and collaborate with your tenants. Find a way to communicate with them and get their feedback. As space is your product, find a convenient way to gather as much feedback as possible about your product and how to improve it. After all, you want the coworking space to please your members and make them happy.

Partnerships

Impact partnerships can cause the success of your space especially on making the most of your location. Whether its a coffee shop inside your space, cross-promotion with local restaurants or a gym promotion, you need to maximize your partnerships to draw traffic and leads to your space. If you’re in a suburb area, use partnerships to give extra incentives to people who come your way. Host sponsored yoga classes or invite local musicians to play at your space. Any sort of partnership that will generate attraction to the local community around you.

Community

A positive community will lead to happy and thriving members in their fields. In addition, making members and guests like their part of something special makes their work purposeful. You may be in a desirable and trendy place, but that doesn’t guarantee that you will retain your members automatically. That’s why it’s important to maximize the community aspect of your coworking space. This plays a huge role in members choosing your space over others in a competitive location or being able to drive outside the desirable area for somewhere they feel more comfortable and confident. More importantly, members of your coworking space will become advocates if they love what your offer and they have a good experience with your space.

Amenities

Every good coworking space has amenities and that’s one of the reasons why people turn to Coworking over other alternatives. As a space owner, use this advantage to make use of your amenities to draw someone’s attention regardless of how ideal your location is. If you’re in a suburban area, aim for a location that has a site parking and a good wifi connection.

Amenities are essential in a coworking space since it enables coworkers to be more productive at their work. You can offer free coffee and tea so they won’t have to run in a nearby coffee shop. It will also be good if you provide good, healthy snacks for your tenants. Having a place for a snack and a good coffee is a nice way to stimulate creativity, interaction, and collaboration between members. Make the most of your amenities and offer a good service. Make sure your service is at high standards. Orient your staff and other members to be welcoming, receptive and helpful as possible. You can provide a free day pass to guests, or give trial discounts.

Conclusion

Make the most of your coworking space. There are many possibilities that you can use to bring in greater opportunities. Maximizing your coworking space location is a key to members’ retention and customer generation. Share your thoughts on how you maximize the location of your Coworking Space. We would love to hear from you!

Best Marketing Strategies For Your Coworking Space

Do you need to reach out to your surrounding community more? What are the best ways to be sure you are creating a positive atmosphere? Is there a way to let others know how great your coworking space really is? It is important to promote and deliver value within and outside of your space. You want to be sure that your space is represented!

As our world expands continuously in the technology sector, it would be best to start with what marketing could be done online. The market for coworking spaces is rapidly growing, and with more people looking for spaces, it’s important to make your space as one of the best options.

Check out these steps below to build the best marketing strategy for your coworking space.

Quality Website

A quality website is vital for business since its often the first impression you give to potential customers. If they found you through a search or through a link from a referral friend, your website will be the first point of contact by them.

The purpose of the website is to convince new members that your space is great and it will solve their office problems. It has to improve your sales results by “converting” more of the people that noticed you to prospects that are knocking on your door for a tour. Thus, you need great content and visuals that are laid out well in a logical way so that it conveys the benefits of joining your coworking space.

Live Chat

A live chat is something to think about. Convenience is everyone’s preference and if one can get to an answer faster, they will. Providing a live chat offers visitors the chance to get any more information they might need directly.

Through live chats satisfied, long-term customers are statistically less likely to switch. As an added bonus, they tend to be less price-sensitive. Experts say that customers who feel taken care of are less concerned about what they are paying.

List Your Coworking Space On Google My Business

Did you know that 90% of the searches in the United States are done on Google? Did you know that by simply listing and verifying your spaces with Google, it automatically shows your local workspace to customers looking for your services, specifically in your area. What could be better than that?

Use Google Adwords Display Network

Use Google Adwords Display. With Google features like this, you can see who is visiting your coworking site, exactly what specific content on the site, create your own ad and with the association of emails Google can present your ad to those account holders on its display network.

Start A Blog For Your Coworking Space

If you run a small business, chances are you are wondering if blogging is worth the time and effort. The short answer is a resounding YES! Moreover, blogging on a frequent basis is a relatively easy, inexpensive way to enhance your inbound marketing efforts, drive traffic to your site, and attract more prospective customers. Both your website and blog should be optimized for search engines, so make sure the team behind the blog understands SEO.

Promoting Members

Invite your members to send you content and push it out on your own channels with accreditation. This can be done through blogging or by posting to any of the social media platforms. All this makes it easy for your members to want to share your content more.

Generate Reviews

Generating reviews from current clients is going to help you be chosen by those that are looking to work in a coworking space. Not only will you want to generate reviews on Google but also on Facebook and any other platforms you use to market your available spaces.

Social Media Presence

Social media marketing is a powerful way for businesses of all sizes to reach prospects and customers. Your customers are already interacting with brands through social media, and if you’re not speaking directly to your audience through social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest, you’re missing out!

People can engage in the event you are hosting and look through images of your office spaces. Also, highlighting the amenities and spaces you have available is one of the best ways to attract new clients. Great marketing on social media can bring remarkable success to your business. In addition, it creates devoted brand advocates and even drives leads and sales.

Link In Membership Plans

A great idea towards capturing that regular customer is by offering some economically viable membership plans. When coworkers do come to your space, it is often because it’s near their residence and is backed with a strong membership offer. Then, you are certain that they would stay with you for a while!

Seminars and Courses

Conducting seminars and courses within your coworking space will not just get the word out but also get people accustomed to the amenities provided by you. Through these, you are helping coworkers to improve their needed knowledge and skills in their different fields. At the same time, this is a great opportunity to market on what your coworking space can offer to the community.

Partner With Local Businesses and Host Events

Getting your products or services in front of potential customers is no easy task. By partnering with another brand, you can reach your target audiences faster whilst making your money go further.

The benefits of partnership marketing include:

  • Reaching a bigger and broader audience
  • Adding value to your consumer proposition
  • Enhancing your brand perception through tapping into each other’s brand values

Offer a Child Care

Do you have an option for a child care facility? Offering one can expand your business. There’s a lot of coworking space which offer child care facility, for example, Work and Play have had tremendous success with this as their core business model. It gives a viable and exciting alternative to the target market.

To know more on marketing your coworking space, check our blog How to Get Leads for Your Coworking Space. 

 

12 Event Ideas to Build Community for Coworking Spaces

Coworking is exploding nowadays because it gives freelancers, independent workers, and entrepreneurs the opportunity to network, engage, and collaborate. It builds a community of like-minded coworkers. Coworking spaces shouldn’t just be all about work, but it should also be about building camaraderie and community. As such, organizing an event is a great idea. Coworking events solidify and highlight the core values of any coworking environment.

Here are a few you could consider:

Happy Hours

Happy hours are not just about having cheaper drinks, it is a time where people can get to know each other better. As a space owner, you should welcome members to end their workday with a beer or a glass of wine. Schedule a happy hour on regular days and update your members not too late so they can still find time to attend. This way, it helps independent workers to find their place in the community. It doesn’t have to be expensive though. You can still stick to a tight budget and achieve successful happy hours for the people in your shared office space.

Lunch and Learn

Over lunch, you can host a book club, brainstorming session or social potluck meal. Another approach is you can invite an outside expert to offer advice to members on topics, whether it be work productivity, work/life balance, accounting, and other. Make sure that the luncheon topic will be appealing and not too long to drag their time away.

Create Accountability Group

Creating an accountability group helps develop a spirit of mutual support in your coworking space by enabling members to support each other. How to do this? Members of the group shall meet regularly and share what they’re currently working on and discuss what they want to be held accountable for.

Purposeful Networking

Coworking spaces offer the advantage to be surrounded with goal oriented and high-achieving entrepreneurs and business people. So if you host a networking event, you allow members to connect with each other and help them grow. In order for this to be effective, put the organizer in charge of making connections so that everyone shall meet someone interesting to them.

Monthly Classes or Training

What knowledge and skills do your members need? Small business accounting? Social media marketing? Leadership workshop? Coordinate with a local expert or maybe one of your members to offer a series of monthly classes that are relevant to your members.

Food Truck Extravaganza

If food trucks have taken over your city, then organize a weekly lunch trip to explore the newest craze.

Family Events

Employees are happier when their families are involved. So, you can move the occasional networking event to a park-like setting where it will be conducive to casual conversation, — and nothing breaks down the barriers like children.

Morning Exercise Session

Nothing gets the brain going like exercise. Bring in a yoga teacher or organize an early morning run group occasionally. Moreover, you can do other activities that encourage exercises such as bike rides, Zumba, pet yoga, or a fitness session.

Monthly Game or Sports Nights

Once a month, break out the board games or organize a friendly sports game among members including their family and friends. This brings in fun and teamwork within the coworking space community.

Free Days Pass

You can offer a limited number of free day passes to non-members. Through this, you’re giving new people a taste of what your space has to offer and it is the best way to convert them into regular members.

Entrepreneur Talks

Invite local entrepreneurs and let them share their success stories, including the obstacles they encountered and how they are able to overcome it. Through these talks, you are motivating your members and mentoring them to be better leaders in their businesses.

Serve Days

Allow members to propose ideas for serve days. Choose the most popular idea, schedule the day, and plan on what to prepare and how you will organize this event. Working for the betterment of the community will not only give back to the community, but it also strengthens the bond and values between members.

Conclusion

When it comes to initiating and organizing an event, you’ll never run out of events that will build community in your coworking space. You just have to execute the mix of events that will lay the foundation for a thriving coworking community. A positive workspace culture can impact happiness and satisfaction to coworkers. To know more, check our blog on How to Improve Workspace Culture.

How to Get Leads for Your Coworking Space

Coworking is known as a shared office space, it gives entrepreneurs and freelancers access to all the facilities and perks of conventional office space without the cost of a lease and all the hidden extras that go with it. Coworking enables people to work independently in a space with shared values and a defined culture. and is increasingly being adopted by larger organizations too.

One reason why this works for remote workers is that they appreciate the more structured work setting which coworking provides. There are also studies that show that certain workers are more productive, happier and more creative in an office environment.

We have listed below the best ways to get leads for your coworking space.

Find the Best Location

Find the best location or building that is most suitable for each and every member in your coworking space. In addition, find a location that allows you to design and offer the best space available to the members.  Make sure you’re located near amenities such as public transportation, dining and entertainment options, or parking if that’s the most used means of getting to work daily in your city.

The coworking space should have ample natural light, amazing views and should have top of the line conference rooms. This makes a perfect environment for every small and big company to work in more innovative ways. You can also put indoor plants or artificial grass as it appears pleasant to the eyes.

Niche Services

When you create a niche value proposition to a smaller segment of the market, your messaging and content are more relevant to those people. Relevance gets people’s attention. Moreover, you build trust and interest in less time when you speak to their language.

By having a niche, your marketing materials become focused on the most important features and benefits that you offer. You tailor your message to the unique needs and wants of a smaller market segment, instead of watering yourself down by trying to appeal to everyone.

Positive Community

If you have to build positive vibes in your coworking space, it is necessary that the members of different companies interact with each other. This way, it will further improve communication between the members and increase the transfer of innovative ideas amongst them. However, some members would not take an initiative to start a conversation. In such situations, as a space owner, you should initiate in introducing your members to one another to encourage conversation and potential collaboration in the future.

In addition, design your community by listening to their needs where they can always feel comfortable and happy. This is the future of coworking for both big and small companies. It’s just the start and it will go a long way.

Building your Own Branding to Minimum

When you start your own business, we know there’s a lot to handle and think about. There’s your growing team, your intellectual property, product management, and a pinched budget.

Large companies want to have their own brand and they don’t want to be connected with your workspace brand. It will be a great idea to minimize your coworking space branding to the minimum. Do your own branding at the reception and washrooms and leave the rest on the members to find their own identity within the space. This will lead to more innovative ideas as members will find more creative ways to work on the desk they have designed for themselves.

Hope these ways will help you to attract companies to your coworking space. Check our blog on Tips on Making Your Coworkify Space Stands Out for it will guide you on how to make the best impression to your potential customers.






How Does Design Affect Coworking Space Performance

Can you really increase the performance level by changing the space design? With the arrival of millennial workers, the rise of startup businesses, and the increasing number of freelancers, the working environment nowadays is rapidly growing. This trend plays a vital role in redefining traditional offices, particularly in the office space structure.

Workplace design refers to the process of designing and organizing a workplace to optimize worker performance and safety. In an office workplace, the design is primarily focus on an environment that optimizes employees wellness by maximizing conditions such as air quality, lighting, and ergonomics.

With good workplace design, you can create a place where people will be productive and happy. It is essential to design the coworking space so that it enhances user experience and can create a sense of community.

Here are some key reasons on the impact of design in coworking spaces:

Facilitates Interaction

An appealing design can lead to productivity for coworkers. A coworking space is meant for communal work-setting where individuals from varied industries and backgrounds are able to breed new ideas and collaboration. However, it doesn’t mean that collaboration happens right away just because you’re in a shared space. This is why elements to facilitate interaction are necessary.

How much we interact with our colleagues is all in the way we move. Encouraging movement with the flow of foot traffic can do wonders for coworkers proximity to one another. Open work spaces consisting of large round tables or long tables are one option that many coworking spaces adopt. Being in close proximity to others without the barriers of cubicles encourages greater collaboration.

Additionally, nothing brings people together like food, so it may be worthwhile to add a cafe-like setting that encourages conversations with a mix of work and leisure. Providing a place where people can relax and let down their guard, can create a comfortable setting to network and entertain clients without having to leave the office. The key to enhance the interaction among coworkers is to find the right balance between fun and formal.

Increases happiness and productivity

Coworking spaces also need to provide spaces where members can attend to work and calls in privacy. Some members are able to produce creativity and collaboration in an open office layout, but with an assortment of people, some prefer less chatter to function at their best. Office environment with natural elements such as greenery and sunlight can improve the wellbeing of coworkers in their performance and productivity. Introducing nature into the space  also helps to boost serenity and calmness. As well as keeping savvy with color schemes and keeping the space bright, open and inviting, are one of the best ways to ensure an inspiring workplace.

Since concentration is a key part of productivity, there must be a striking balance on designing the layout of the space. Open floor plans attracts and increases productivity for interactive people, while quiet zones allow space for others to work on their own. Flexible working hours means that people need a comfortable place to rest for a while. Imagine how delighted the members would be if they have a place for relaxation with natural air and sunlight after a stressful work. These spaces can come in a form of rest pods or private nooks where one can temporarily escape from the bustle of work. This can help reduce well-being issues like eye strain and backache.

Boost moods with Visual Accents

Although it’s like a minor aspect of design, but sufficient lighting can transform a place for coworkers. Natural light can elevate workplace performance and research has shown that a workplace with a good daylight have a 3% to 40% gain in productivity and sales. Adding more windows can help coworking spaces give independent professionals a productive edge during the workday. Make sure desks are positioned towards windows, and if access to natural lighting is limited, consider installing skylights.

Offers a sense of flexibility

Stress at work can be detrimental to productivity. Pressures can keep you from operating at full capacity. As mentioned above, workplaces with informal breakout rooms and relaxing stations provide a chance to regroup and give your members a break. Fun and versatile areas can diminish the burden of work, as long as they don’t impede on areas that are reserved for meetings, phone calls, and private talks. Designing the coworking space where working section and unwind section are separated can produce flexibility.

Conclusion

In summary, the better the workplace design, the better the work performance of the coworkers. In a coworking space environment, it does not only encourages efficiency, but also creativity towards their work. Space owners need to design or redesign their coworking space to create a positive workplace culture, which will lead to satisfied and engaged members.







Tips on Making your Coworkify Space Stands Out

There are loads of coworking spaces and loads of new ones every week. No matter what industry you’re in, you’ll face competition. However, competition is a good idea. It makes us better and it drives innovation. The competition forces companies out of complacency. No matter how much competition you face, there are many ways to make your coworking space successful by showing what makes it unique from the rest.

Why Making your Coworking Space Stands Out is Important?

Just because you’ve built your space with a cool cafe, don’t assume you’ll be 100% occupied just yet. Making your space stands out gives customers a clear reason to place their money with you. The clearer you know what constitutes your competitive advantage, the easier it is for you to focus your efforts and investments, market your services and convince your customers. Also, your customers will not have a hard time sharing your coworking space to others, since they can easily identify what makes you stand out from the rest.

Here are some tips to making your Coworking Space stands out:

Accessible Location

One of the best ways to make your space stands out is to choose an accessible location wisely. If your city has all the spaces concentrated around the area, then put it another side of the city. In order for you to determine the location wisely, then you have to understand first who your coworking and the shared workspace is for. If your target market is students, then you can strategically place your space near to universities. Or if your market is business travelers, then you can place it near airports.

Fast and Reliable Wifi

Wifi is the most important thing an office needs. Invest in a good wifi provider and your members will not only be amazed by it but will want to stay and keep coming back. Imagine if your coworking space stands out in your area because it is known for its fast wifi connection.

Alternate Seating Choices

Do you know that most of the people nowadays look into the creativity of the space? Seating choices have an impact on the interior design of the space. One of the things that help with differentiating a coworking space is the types of seating options. You can have an area that uses couches, beanbag chairs or hammocks. You can stand out with unique desks and a good layout on arranging it well. Depending on your target market, use seating style that fits their needs and that is convenient for them.

Dedicate Space for Phone Booths and Meeting Rooms

Help your space stand out by including phone booths that also double as video/Skype booths. Also, ensure that they are soundproof to minimize distractions, and offer good lighting for video conferences. To make your meeting rooms different from others, you can offer a meeting room that is for a larger crowd with 20 or 25 people inside.

Stock up on Basic Amenities

Think of the basic items that you see on the office and ensure that you provide these things to your members. Offering essentials, such as paper clips, sticky notes, folders, pens, small notebook, and other basic office stuff. This helps you draw in members since they don’t have to worry about the small stuff.  

Create support systems for your customers

One of the ways to stand out is to incremental value to your existing service. Can you find partners who can provide the entrepreneurs with financial and accounting services who work inside your space? Can you negotiate to get better airfares or book cabs in advance for your clients? Can you provide options for healthcare, childcare, career counseling? And the list is endless. If you are able to prove that you consistently support your community, then you’ll be recognized by it.

Have an Outdoor Area

While people want to work inside, others do their best work with natural air and sunlight. This can be a balcony, courtyard, or rooftop. Ensure that there is sufficient seating in this outdoor space.

Make a bold move

A bold move grabs attention. If you are a coworking space that wants to move away from closed offices and wants to reconnect with nature, you can design secluded meeting rooms with full wifi access under palm trees. If you’re focusing on aesthetics, invest in details that wow your clients.

Cultivate Community

Differentiate your coworking space by cultivating a feeling of community. The culture your promote and attract through messaging should be consistent throughout all of your channels. There should be a common identity that unites all people in your community.

Conclusion

Whatever you do, standing out is not a one-time trophy, but is a rigorous and continuous endeavor. This can be a challenge, but this is what makes your member wants to join and stay with you for as long as possible.

Successful Leader in a Coworking Space

What it takes to be a successful leader?

A leader is a person who influences a group of people towards the achievement of a goal. A good leader concentrates on the major things; not the minor items. They have selective ignorance that helps them focus on what matters.  Great leaders know how to both inspire people and get followers to complete the tasks that achieve the leader’s goal.

No matter how brilliant the idea or the brand is, it’s useless without someone holding all things together. In a coworking space, a leader is even more important. The success of the coworking space is also a success to the leader. In this article, we take an in-depth look at some of the characteristics of a successful leader in a coworking space.

Asks for Help

It may sound surprising, but asking for help can be difficult for some. It can chip away your pride, make you question your own abilities. A good leader prioritizes tasks to get the job done. A common perception is that when a leader asks for help, it appears that the leader is weaker than coworkers. But it doesn’t have to. Asking for help acknowledges that as a leader you know the skills of your colleagues. And the more you tap on their skills, as a leader you’ll be able to make a smart decision that delivers better results.

Shows Support

The best leaders are those who are there to help their staff and others in their field. They are there to educate new entrepreneurs, guide employees, and motivate. If the goal is important, a good leader will motivate his coworkers and constantly remind them of what they can gain.

Good Communication

Commitment is a willingness to give your time and efforts to the vision. Until you clearly communicate your vision to your team and tell them the strategy to achieve the goal, it will be very difficult for you to get the results you want. Leaders are communicators. They can deliver their message to team members, vendors, and business contacts alike. You can foster your communication skills through a community working environment. Words have the power to motivate people and make them do.

At the same time, as a leader, it is good that proper communication among team members is emphasized. When coworkers exchange ideas with one another, it paves the way towards the solution of a problem. Communication and socialization grow the bond of the team.

Confidence

To be an effective leader, you should be confident enough to ensure that others follow your commands. If you are unsure about your own decisions and qualities, then your subordinates will never follow you. As a leader, you have to be oozing with confidence, show some swagger and assertiveness to gain the respect of your subordinates. This does not mean that you should be overconfident, but you should at least reflect the degree of confidence required to ensure that your followers trust you as a leader.

Passion and Commitment

Your teams look up to you and if you want them to give them their all, you’ll have to be passionate about it too. When your teammates see you getting your hands dirty, they will also give their best shot. It will also help you to gain the respect of your subordinates and infuse new energy in your team members, which helps them to perform better. If they feel that you are not fully committed or lacks passion, then it would be an uphill task for the leader to motivate your followers to achieve the goal.

Honesty

A strong leader treats others as to how they wanted to be treated. Being honest is able to address issues and problems to the team in a way that is healthy for everyone. An honest leader always practices business with an excellent code of ethics. They have a sense of integrity. They live what they preach.

Creativity

Creativity is a phenomenon whereby something valuable is formed. While creativity mostly reminds us of all of the artists, it’s also an integral part when it comes to leadership. In today’s competitive business environment, it has become increasingly essential for brands to rely on creative thinking. Successful leaders always think of new ways to solve a problem. They strive to better their team by any means as necessary.

creativity

Motivation

Great leaders do not leave motivation to chance.  A successful leader motivates their members in public and private. They show an exceptional ability to inspire others to follow. Anyone who has worked in an office cubicle understands the feeling. There are times that the team shall experience bad days from time to time. Mistakes can make them feel bad, but it’s your job to remind them of who they are and what they’re capable of. Good leaders find a way to motivate and inspire their members to accomplish more.

Empathy

Empathy enables you to know if the people you’re trying to reach are actually reached. Without empathy, you will not be able to inspire others or elicit loyalty. In here, the leader is able to understand another person’s experience, perspective, and feelings. Empathy is not about making people happy or being nice, but it’s more on understanding the human environment of the business you are working on. As a result, the leader will be able to make better predictions, craft better tactics, inspire loyalty and communicate clearly.

Conclusion

A successful leader in a coworking space focuses on results. It takes responsibility and maturity in leading the coworking space and the people within. That is why becoming one is never easy.  As John C. Maxwell said, “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way.”

Hope this has inspired you to be a great leader at your coworking space.