You might have turned your vision of the perfect coworking space into a reality, but your work isn’t finished yet. In fact, this just spells the beginning of the work!

If you want your business to last, it’s crucial to attract more members, keep current members happy, and foster a sense of community.

This article will walk you through how to grow a coworking space through nine marketing strategies. These range from using technology to your advantage to creating a hub for local events.


Quick Summary:

  • Coworking spaces are becoming more popular than ever.
  • Owners should work on their online presence, track data, fine-tune their tours, and offer referrals.
  • They can also maximize their existing members through onboarding, events, upselling, and listening to their feedback.

Making Growth Priority #1 for Your Coworking Space

The global coworking space market was estimated to be worth $10.53 billion in 2023, and it’s expected to grow by 14.5% between 2024 and 2032

You might think this growth shows the coworking industry is doing well, so you can be sure about the future of your own business. But it may not be so easy.

Forecasts suggest the number of coworking spaces across the world will go from 19,345 in 2021 to 41,975 in 2024. While this shows steady growth, it also means that owners of coworking spaces can’t get too comfortable.

The competition is high, and you need to make sure you stand out. Fortunately, the rest of this guide is focused on the best tips and strategies to help you achieve exactly that.

#1 Work on Your Digital Storefront

Most leads will find your website or social media before they know anything about you. Making a good impression here may be even more important than making sure your coworking space looks good in person.

Plus, common industries using coworking include the tech and creative sectors, which are full of highly tech-literate professionals. They may judge you more harshly on your website’s appearance than those from other industries.

Your digital presence should:

  • Include membership fees and rate structure
  • List available amenities
  • Have an easy-to-navigate layout
  • Highlights what makes your coworking space unique

Social media can also be a chance to connect with potential customers on a more personal level. You may want to go beyond typical branding choices and give people a “feel” of the coworking space instead.

Why not shine a light on current members’ entrepreneurial journeys to showcase the kind of coworking community customers can expect to find? Or film the facilities so customers can check them out from the comfort of their sofas?

#2 Track Leads Through Data

Good growth plans aren’t pulled out of thin air — they should be informed by tracking data. This informs you about crucial info, such as where your leads are coming from. You can then use this to nudge them toward becoming customers.

For example, you might find that most of your website visitors come from Instagram and decide to pay for an ad campaign on the platform.

When you figure out what works and what doesn’t, you can make data-driven decisions to inform future marketing choices. Continuing the example above, you may decide to stick to Instagram because it’s delivering the results you want. Or, you might discover that another advertising platform is more effective at bringing in leads.

With data reporting and visualization tools, you can also run reports on coworking KPIs such as occupancy rates and a number of new memberships sold. You can also gain insight into which spaces or amenities members are using the most, or which one of your membership tiers is the most profitable.

#3 Finetune Your Tours

As important as your digital storefront is, first impressions in person still matter. Most customers will want to see a coworking space for themselves before they sign up, and they may compare it to other sites.

Tours offer a chance to shine!

You can stand out before your prospects even get through the front door by making it easy for them to book a tour. Provide a simple form online using an automatic booking tool that syncs with your CRM.

Coworking management software such as OfficeRnD Flex allows you to create branded, embeddable tour booking forms. Watch the short video below for more info:

When visitors come, make sure there’s someone waiting to greet them straightaway to kickstart a positive experience. During the tour itself, show an interest in the prospect’s needs, expectations, and what they plan to use the site for.

To help highlight the best parts of your coworking space during a tour, why not ask your current members? You can then try to incorporate these elements into your tours.

For more on this, check out: How to Deliver Great Coworking Tours Every Time (In 5 Steps).

#4 Have a Smooth Onboarding Process

After a successful tour, you can still lose potential leads by having a cumbersome sign-up process. Do everyone a favor by automating it and not asking new customers to provide more details than necessary.

Once a customer has signed up to join your coworking space, it doesn’t mean that you can relax. Now, you need to make sure they stick around!

Provide a welcome pack to help them settle in. This could include:

  • The facilities in your coworking space
  • Other nearby amenities (e.g., top lunch spots)
  • How to find out about events
  • Who to contact if they need help or support
  • How to book hot desks, conference rooms, or other facilities

If you really want to go the extra mile, you could even hold a regular event for new members. This would offer an opportunity for them to make friends or business contacts and become part of the community.

Using coworking software to automate repetitive, manual tasks can help simplify and streamline the onboarding process for new members. Some platforms offer coworking rental contract templates you can customize to suit your space.

#5 Market to Those Passing Through

Depending on where your coworking space is, locals might not be your only target audience.

Many sites are in bigger cities that get a lot of visitors. This means tourists and digital nomads could also be potential customers.

Tourist accommodation doesn’t usually cater to remote workers, so these people may be looking for a coworking space they can use. Advertise at hotels, hostels, airports, and other hotspots to reach them.

Most tourists and digital nomads will only want to join a coworking space temporarily — maybe even for a single day. Consider offering flexible coworking memberships or day passes to appeal to this demographic.

Events are another way to make your coworking space seem exciting for those passing through, which we’ll get to now.

#6 Turn Your Coworking Space Into an Events Hub

Lots of people seek out a shared workspace for networking and community-building. Organizing coworking events is a great way to capitalize on these opportunities. If you sell tickets or charge for admission, events can also provide an additional revenue stream.

Events can be anything from an organized lunch and learn activity to an after-5 office happy hour. Regardless of what type or topic, events give members a chance to connect and be part of a community.

But the possibilities are endless, really — you can host cultural events, film screenings, or even late-night concerts.

Putting on events with other local businesses can help grow your potential customer base. To reach a wider audience, consider co-hosting or co-sponsoring different types of events in your coworking space. Get creative with your event ideas; you can host:

  • Networking events
  • Skills workshops
  • Hackathons
  • Speaker or lecture series

It may seem overwhelming to organize your first event and start leveraging community, but it’s worth it.

Here’s an actionable article with some original event ideas.

#7 Upsell to Existing Members

Growing your coworking space doesn’t necessarily mean getting more customers. You can also sell more to your current members.

This may mean selling a more expensive product to current customers (upselling) or selling more items to your current customers (“cross-selling”).

Cross-selling makes up 21% of revenue for the average company, so don’t underestimate the power of this approach.

Some ideas include:

  • Tiered membership levels
  • Subscription-based meal and beverage plans
  • Virtual office services
  • Premium spaces and amenities (VIP lounges, quiet zones, podcast studios, and outdoor spaces)
  • Members-only networking events
  • Personalized wellness plans and mental health support

You can also upsell for members that have dogs.

#8 Listen to Your Members

As we’ve said already, members are at the heart of every coworking space. Deciding how to grow your business shouldn’t be a top-down approach.

Find out which services your current members use the most and least. Then, use this to figure out what your target audience would like you to offer.

Is there a particular perk you could provide, such as daycare or workshops? Or maybe there’s a certain kind of food everyone wants. Or maybe a mobile app for members?

Send out surveys to your email list to find out, and make sure there’s a clear way for members to give feedback at any time. For instance, you could include a link to an anonymous feedback survey in every email newsletter you send. Also, don’t sleep on your net promoter score.

Alex Hillman, co-founder of Indy Hall did just that to scale his business succesfully. Learn more about that here.

#9 Take Advantage of Referrals

Referrals are an age-old marketing strategy for helping businesses grow.

Your current customers probably know more potential customers. Because these prospects already know current members, they have social proof of how great your coworking space is. This makes them more likely to join than a random person who has never heard of you before.

Of course, you need to make sure it’s worthwhile for people to recommend you. Give discounted membership or fees to those who make a successful referral.

You could also give members a chance to bring a non-member to the coworking space once or twice a month for free. This can gently introduce a potential member to the coworking space without making a hard sell.

If you have a referral offer, don’t forget to check how well it is working using data and analytics.

Grow Your Space with OfficeRnD Flex

As demand for coworking spaces continues to grow worldwide, it’s more important than ever to stand out. The strategies outlined above can be winners for any coworking space, no matter your budget or location.

A crucial factor for success in the flex space industry is using the right coworking management software. One such is OfficeRnD Flex.

Thousands of coworking spaces worldwide rely on it to:

  • Automate billing and payments
  • Manage multiple locations
  • Easily book conference rooms and other resources
  • Provide branded member experience thanks to white-labeled mobile apps
  • Make more informed decisions thanks to powerful analytics
  • Keep members happy and automate the rest

Head over here to book a live demo with OfficeRnD Flex and see how it can completely transform your space.

FAQ

How Profitable Is a Coworking Space?

The profitability of coworking spaces varies, but they tend to have fairly tight profit margins. They typically bring in around $4 per square foot, but you can boost this in other ways and enjoy the many benefits of owning a coworking space.It also depends on whether the space is an urban or a suburban one.

How Do You Attract Customers to a Coworking Space?

There are various ways to attract customers to a coworking space. For instance, using social media platforms, hosting community events, and providing an exceptional experience on your tours.

Is Coworking Really the Future?

As remote and hybrid work grows, all signs point toward the growth of coworking spaces.

How Do I Make My Coworking Space Stand Out?

Many coworking spaces manage to stand out by nourishing a genuine sense of community, such as through member events. Having the right facilities also helps! In addition, you can consider investing in coworking consulting.

How to Build a Successful Coworking Space?

To build a successful coworking space, focus on location, community, and amenities. Choose a location that is accessible and in proximity to potential clients like freelancers, startups, and small businesses. Create a community by fostering a collaborative environment, organizing networking events, and encouraging interactions among members. Offer a variety of amenities that enhance productivity and comfort, such as high-speed internet, meeting rooms, private booths, and relaxation areas. Ensure the design of the space is flexible and can accommodate different work styles and events. Maintaining a strong online presence and offering flexible membership options can also attract a diverse group of users, contributing to the space’s success. In addition, managing your coworking office supplies well can help you reduce costs.

Here’s a useful article on how to create a thriving space in 2024 and beyond that contains 7 expert strategies.

How can I Improve my Coworking Space?

To improve your coworking space, start by upgrading amenities like high-speed internet and comfortable seating to enhance overall comfort and functionality. Strengthen community engagement through regular networking events and workshops that encourage member interaction and collaboration. Solicit and implement feedback from users to refine the space according to their needs, ensuring the design supports various work styles with quiet zones, collaborative areas, and leisure spaces. Offering flexible membership plans can also attract a diverse range of users, adapting to different working needs and schedules.

Miro Miroslavov
Chairman and Co-founder of OfficeRnD
Miro Miroslavov is a software engineer turned into a tech entrepreneur. In 2015 he co-founded OfficeRnD - a leading flex space and hybrid work management platform. As a CEO at OfficeRnD, he grew the company from inception to a leading software vendor that serves thousands of customers worldwide. He is a big fan of flexible working and is on a mission to "Making Flexible Working the Way of Working".