You picked your hood for a reason, and guess what? Your potential guests are probably already living working and hanging out there too! The community you’re setting up in is your talent pool, your customer base and greatest ally so actively engage with this community, join local events, and bring your existing members along for the ride. You’ll find a bunch of folks just itching to be a part of the awesomeness you’ve created!
OUTREACH TO YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY
When it comes to reaching out to new potential members, think beyond the typical business stuff. Get creative! We’ve seen major success when supporting groups that share our values—think community cycling meet-ups or neighbourhood improvement squads. You can offer your space for these gatherings and huis. Go on, colour outside the lines!
FIND THE VALUES THAT UNITE YOUR COMMUNITY
You know that feeling when you walk into a thriving community, and it’s buzzing with excitement? Well, let’s recreate that magic in your space! It’s more than just squeezing artists into a room hoping for an Andy Warhol Factory vibe or putting a bunch of engineers together hoping for a skunkworks. A truly thriving space is often built on shared values rather than a coincidence of being in the same industry. At Colo, we’re all about connecting those who groove together culturally. Let the magic happen! As we detail later in this chain, one way of doing this is to conduct and audit of your community.
FIND THE UNMET NEEDS OF YOUR COMMUNITY
What does your community crave? Do they need a dedicated space for awesome photo shoots? Are they yearning for a cozy spot close to home where they can focus on the mahi at hand without being distracted by their laundry pile? Maybe they’re desperate for an alternative to meeting clients at noisy cafes. Listen to them and design your space, services, and marketing to cater to those needs. Be the hero they deserve!
REACH OUT TO LOCAL BUSINESSES
Time to mingle with the cool cats in your hood! Connect with bars, restaurants, local business owners, and coffee shops. Let them in on the secret that is your coworking space. Spread the word and make sure everyone knows you’re the hotspot in town!
ORGANIZE MEET-UPS AND EVENTS FOR YOUR COMMUNITY
Let’s get this party started! People bond when they have a blast together. But here’s a pro tip: don’t try to force people into events that don’t match their interests. Instead, host meet-ups and shindigs that cater to all your residents.
Talk to the ones who seem a bit disengaged and find out what tickles their fancy. Show them you genuinely care, and you’ll be surprised how far a good old convo can take you. Conversations—bringing people together since forever! There are a heap of tools to help promote your events from meetup.com to help promote and manage these events.
