Turn Traffic Into Bookings [Webinar Recap]

On July 9, 2025, we welcomed workspace operators and marketing professionals from around the globe to explore how flexible workspaces can emulate the precision of ecommerce: attracting high‑intent visitors, converting inquiries into tours, and ultimately boosting bookings. Our panel featured three leaders with distinct perspectives:

• Rebekah Murphy, Chief Revenue & Experience Officer at Hub Australia
• Kendra Overall, Founder & Community Manager at ko&co workhub
• Elena Pundjeva, Marketing Director at OfficeRnD

Together, they painted a vivid picture of today’s coworking landscape, a market where commoditized desks are a commodity, and true differentiation comes from the experiences you create.

Let’s dive in.

From Landlords to Hosts: Crafting an Emotional Connection

When Rebekah opened, she didn’t talk about square meters or plug counts. Instead, she asked us to picture a day-in-the-life of a Hub member:

Imagine walking past your home office, where laundry and distractions beckon, and choosing instead to step into a vibrant community. You’re greeted by name, invited to a morning coffee chat, and surrounded by people who call each other by their first names.

That scene captures the essence of hospitality. As Kendra pointed out, even her 38‑desk South Melbourne hub feels a world away from landlord‑style marketing:

My members don’t sign up for a desk – they sign up for a productive, distraction‑free environment filled with familiar faces and spontaneous collaboration.

By focusing on emotion, pride, belonging, and inspiration, operators can move far beyond commoditized offerings and position themselves as true community hubs.

The Marketplace Dilemma: Aggregators vs. Your Own Website

Marketplaces like coworking aggregators offer quick visibility, especially for smaller or new operators hungry for traction. But at what cost? Elena pointed out that aggregators function much like online travel agencies: while they boost visibility, their filter-driven interfaces can flatten the unique qualities of each workspace.

Rebekah’s team at Hub Australia treats these platforms as strategic partners – integrating live booking and availability, yet continues to pour equal energy into their brand site. Their mantra: “Don’t outsource your narrative.”

The takeaway: list selectively, invest in your own SEO, and harmonize your pricing so customers always know where to find the best val

Ecommerce Tactics for Workspaces: Beyond Discount Codes

In the webinar’s most practical segment, Elena led us through a roadmap of digital tactics suited for workspaces:

1. Instant Booking & Live Availability: Prospects reserve desks, day passes, or meeting rooms in real time—no back‑and‑forth emails needed.
2. Automated Proposals: Personalized PDFs trigger immediately upon form submission, cutting proposal wait times from days to minutes.
3. AI Chat Assistants: Bots answer common questions about community events, membership perks, and workspace features.
4. Data Capture & Segmentation: Track which pages prospects linger on (pricing, tours, events) and feed that behavior into targeted email journeys.

Elena reminded us about a Gartner stat:

70% of the buying process happens before they ever pick up the phone.

By borrowing e‑commerce principles, operators can turn casual browsers into qualified leads, often before a single human interaction.

Why “First Month Free” Isn’t Always Free

Kendra’s confession brought a hush:

We drove sales up 250% with aggressive discounts, and watched community engagement and renewals plummet.

The lesson? Discount hunters often churn. The better path lies in value‑based offers:

• Curate themed networking nights
• Host guided wellness workshops
• Offer VIP access to a speaker or mentorship series

These add-ons reinforce your community ethos and reward members for engaging, rather than simply buying at a discount.

Metrics That Matter: From MQLs to LTV

Leads fuel your growth, but owning your data powers long‑term success:

• MQLs: Track daily inflow by source and location.
• Conversion Ratios: Map the journey from form‑fill to tour to signed agreement.
• CPA vs. LTV: Compare acquisition costs on marketplaces versus direct channels.

Hub Australia’s rhythm: review MQLs each morning, adjust ad spend weekly, and conduct quarterly deep dives to test new channels. This cadence ensures quick pivots when CPL climbs.

Choosing the Right Channels: Art + Science

Marketing is not about being everywhere; it’s about being where it matters:

1. Define Your Audience: Solopreneurs? Creative teams? Enterprise satellites?
2. Map Their Touchpoints: LinkedIn for B2B decision‑makers; Instagram for community stories.
3. Allocate Budget: A 70/30 split—70% performance, 30% brand awareness—is often effective.
4. Pilot & Scale: Run small tests, measure Cost per Lead, then double down on winners.

Great marketing blends data’s precision with creative intuition.

Practical Advice Inspired by the Webinar

Inspired by the day’s conversation, here are four actionable strategies:

• Double Down on Storytelling: Record short video testimonials or member spotlights. These human moments live across social, email, and your site, building trust and SEO value.
• Forge Hyper-Local Partnerships: Collaborate with nearby businesses – coffee shops, fitness studios, nonprofits for co‑hosted events or reciprocal promotions.
• Collect Intent Data: Launch a simple quiz (e.g., “Your Ideal Workspace Personality”) to gather member preferences. Use responses to trigger personalized email flows.
• Balance Fresh Experiments with Core Tactics: Test new channels like niche podcasts or in‑person roundtables, while maintaining reliable touchpoints, such as a weekly newsletter or monthly member showcase.

These steps aren’t one‑off campaigns; they form the backbone of a resilient, adaptable marketing engine.

Next Steps: From Insight to Action

Move beyond ideas to implementation with this 90‑day action plan:

1. Audit your top three acquisition channels. Pinpoint one “quick win” (e.g., enable instant website bookings).
2. Design a value‑packed membership add-on that cements community engagement.
3. Pilot a small digital experiment—automated proposals or an AI chat assistant.
4. Measure MQLs daily and convene weekly budget reviews.
5. Share your outcomes and lessons within our coworking network—because collaboration is our industry’s cornerstone.

Every click can spark a connection, and every connection can evolve into a committed member. Here’s to turning traffic into bookings and to the thriving communities we build together.