Coworking spaces are the perfect setting for entrepreneurs and creative thinkers. If you want to know how to start a coworking space, it’s useful to know exactly what appeals to members. This will help you guide your marketing and recruitment efforts.

After asking around and conducting some research of our own, we agreed on five things that potential members are paying attention to. We outline them below.

Pay Attention to Location 

Location is perhaps the most important aspect of a successful workplace. A good coworking space should have convenient access to amenities as well as quiet areas for concentration. . Think about where the most important events happen in your town or city–tenants will be drawn to these spots.

If you can, try to pick a location as close to the center of the action as possible. Below are a few key factors in selecting the perfect location.

Target Market

You might be looking to cater to a specific group of people. Finding a niche is an excellent way to build loyal working relationships and a community. Here are just a few target markets to consider:

• Women entrepreneurs or professionals
• Tech startups
• Artists
• Writers

Attractions

If your space is in a good location, you will have less work to do on the space itself. There will be fewer needs to meet as long as there is good dining, shopping, and recreation within walking distance. Keep an eye out for these kinds of businesses in the surrounding area:

• Restaurants and coffee shops
• Fitness and wellness centers
• Libraries
• Parks
• Banks 

Accessibility

If getting to your location seems like a chore, most tenants won’t be interested. 

You can avoid this by paying attention to where the local community lives. Try to avoid the outskirts of towns and cities, unless they have a variety of amenities in the area. It’s also wise to find a location with good parking or near a garage.

Focus on Community

Working with others and having stimulating discussions about business or life, in general, can help individuals retain a sense of community as someone in a remote or hybrid work environment.

Below are a few tips to build and strengthen the community in your coworking space.

Build a Community Board

Your community board should include important information regarding the workspace. Tack up rules and regulations as well as community events and opportunities in this area so everyone can access them. You can also allow the members to select whatever they’d like to share with others in the space.

Popular themes include:

• Pets
• Family and friends
• Helpful contacts
• Book, movie, or music recommendations 
• Quotes
• Items for sale

Some other interesting themes include:

• Craziest coffee order
• Anecdotes 
• Weird encounters/stories
• Scrap paper art galleries

Plan Events and Gatherings

Events are an excellent way to encourage team members in their professional pursuits. When tenants feel as though their accomplishments are recognized and celebrated, they are more likely to remain loyal and recommend the space to others.

Celebrate birthdays even if it’s just a card and some cake. An easy way to do this is to combine monthly birthdays on a set day of any given month. Check out this list of nine community event ideas.

Ease-of-Use

Members who are paying to be in your coworking space want to know that it won’t be a hassle to move around the space and access all the amenities. Some simple techniques ensure that tenants won’t have a difficult time navigating their way through the space.

Ease-of-use includes everything from making payments to making communications simple.

Have a Reliable Payment System

Paying the rent on your workspace shouldn’t be a headache. If payments are regularly missed or lost due to an inefficient system, you will not only be losing out on funds but also open yourself up to legal issues. Companies like CoWello can help you set this up. 

You can also take a few simple steps to avoid mishaps with payments:

• Make sure your rent and any increases are consistent for all tenants 
• Pick a due date and stick to it
• If you include a grace period, only extend it in extenuating circumstances
• Be transparent and do not hide additional fees

Make Communication Simple

Getting in touch with other employees or members shouldn’t be difficult. Often, questions are time-sensitive, and members of a coworking space shouldn’t feel as though they have to jump through hoops to get in contact with someone.

Having a chat or email chain exclusively for tenants is a great way to help everyone stay connected.

Offer Amenities

As with any office space, you should offer basic office amenities. It is unreasonable to expect each of your tenants to bring all of their office supplies. You’ll need to invest in furniture, tech equipment, and anything else that makes members feel productive and comfortable.

Here’s a list of some of the products and services your members will expect to have access to:

• Desks
• Office chairs
• Lamps
• Copiers
• Wi-Fi
• Kitchenette
• Bathrooms
• Basic security measures such as locking doors

If your goal is to stand out among shared working spaces in your area, think outside the box. Below are some ideas to get you started.

• Gym
• Locker room
• Showers
• Childcare
• Full kitchen
• Recreation room
• Conference rooms
• Presentation equipment 
• Coaches and classes

Consider Different Layouts

It’s good to have a variety of rooms for people to choose from. Separating collaborative space from personal space is key in this regard. The question is how to create equal space for sharing ideas and quiet places to think.

The answer? Different layouts. Below are a few to consider.

• Offices
• Conference Rooms
• Collaborative Areas
• Recreational and Resting Spaces

So, How Do You Start the Coworking Space that People Want?

A collaborative space can only thrive when all of its team members have their needs met. Most people spend many hours of their lives working. Creating an appealing space will mean incorporating most of these essential elements and fortunately, it isn’t complicated.

Ready to turn your coworking space into a revenue-generating machine? Contact us to learn more!