If you’re feeling overwhelmed by marketing your coworking space while trying to, you know, make the coffee, talk to the members, plan the networking event and keep the lights on – you’re not alone. It’s time to learn how to make your marketing work smarter, not harder.
I’ve been in the coworking industry for years, both running my own spaces in Oregon and helping dozens of others streamline their operations through my agency – Space Savvy Studio.
Through working with so many operators, I’ve developed simple strategies that consistently lead to increased efficiency, happier members and yes, better profitability.
Coworking space operators face a multitude of challenges in marketing their spaces effectively. From time constraints and limited budgets to skills gaps and outdated strategies – many find themselves stretched thin trying to juggle operational tasks while attracting new members.
The result is often a series of mediocre marketing efforts without clear results. Despite running events, sending newsletters and maintaining a social media presence, many operators struggle to cut through the noise and attract enough new members. This overwhelm can lead to frustration and a feeling of shouting into the void, all while trying to maintain the community-focused, personal touch that drew them to coworking in the first place.
Marketing Overhaul
Recently, I worked with a beautiful space in the suburbs, offering everything from ergonomic hot desks to Instagram-worthy meeting rooms. Yet, their marketing efforts were all over the map. They were trying everything–Google ads, sporadic email newsletters, local flyers, giving away free space for local meetups – you name it. But nothing was converting reliably the way it used to.
The owners were exhausted, frustrated, and wondering if they should just give up on flex revenue and just focus on offices. We worked together to come up with a plan:
They realized they couldn’t (and shouldn’t) do it all. So, they hired a local freelancer to manage their socials, they signed up for a phone answering service and we worked together to implement better SOPs so anyone could step in and complete a task. This gave them time back to focus on marketing.
Then we put some simple, user-friendly scorecards in place to track marketing efforts. They could now see week to week what was working and what wasn’t. Pointless events were out, and collaborations with local businesses were in. They spruced up their Google Business Profile, making sure all their info was up-to-date and eye-catching, and they used all the user-friendly features built directly into the platform.
The outcome? It wasn’t instantaneous, but they began to grow in the right direction. Their marketing and sales costs went down, while their close rate went up. Perhaps best of all, they finally had peace of mind and better work/life balance.
5 Tips for Coworking Space Marketing Made Easy
How can you transform your coworking space’s marketing from chaos to clockwork?
Track Stats + Get Insights
Implement simple dashboards and scorecards to monitor performance across different channels. Every stat should have an “owner” who is responsible for reporting on that stat and keeping the scorecard up to date. Lead sources, tours, marketing events and the cost of all these initiatives! – you can track everything week to week to see patterns emerge.
This does two magical things:
- Keeps everyone accountable (no more “I think it’s working?”).
- Helps you discover what’s actually working so you can do more of that.
Focus on the Heavy Hitters
Not all marketing channels are created equal. For coworking spaces, these tend to be the most effective:
- Your website: SEO is your friend. Make Google love you.
- Google Business Profile
- Email newsletters to nurture long-term leads and champions who generate referrals
- Online brokers and third-party lead generators
- Paid traffic (ads on Facebook, Google and Craigslist, depending on your market)
Stop Doing What Isn’t Working
If a marketing tactic isn’t pulling its weight, be willing to cut it out. Concentrate your resources on what’s actually working. It might be hard to give up on something that you’ve “always done” but use those scorecards to discover what’s really making this all worth it.
Experiment (Wisely)
Innovation is great, but don’t try to reinvent the wheel all at once. Instead:
- Decide annually or quarterly how many new tactics you want to test.
- Base these decisions on past data and current marketing trends.
- Keep a stable base of proven strategies while you dabble in new territories.
Remember, the goal is to adapt and create new things and give yourself a chance to see what’s working.
Outsource Like a Boss
You wouldn’t try to fix the plumbing yourself (unless you’re a plumber, in which case, kudos!), so why struggle with specialized marketing tasks? Consider outsourcing:
- Graphic design: Let the pros make your space look as good online as it does in person with well-designed ads, newsletters and digital real estate!
- Copywriting: Because staring at a blank page for two hours isn’t the best use of your time.
- Advanced analytics: If you’re overwhelmed by dashboards, use some help to get clear on the numbers.
- Instagram management: Hand this over to trusted community members or a freelancer who get your vibe and knows the algorithm.
Why? This frees up your internal team to do what they do best – creating those high-touch experiences and genuine community interactions that make your space special.
The Rewards of Smart Marketing
First up, you’ll see a major boost in visibility and market standout. By outsourcing specialized tasks, you’re ensuring professional, high-quality content that truly represents your space and reaches new audiences. Coupled with a focused effort on key channels, you’ll drive your presence in search results and local listings. This directly increases your visibility, making it easier for potential members to find and fall in love with your space.
Smart marketing also means using your resources wisely. Those dashboards we talked about? They’re not just pretty charts. They ensure you’re not wasting resources on strategies that don’t work. By focusing on the most impactful channels, you’re getting the best return on your investment, and you can forecast revenue in the future based on knowing what works and how much it cost!
Perhaps most importantly, this approach leads to sustainable growth with fewer headaches. Having a solid plan and executing it well with reliable partners brings a sense of ease and balance to your operations.
Ready to master marketing in your coworking space?
If you’re ready to transform your coworking space with better systems and marketing, I’m here to guide you. For a limited time, I’m offering a free strategy session to help you identify marketing gaps and develop a tailored implementation plan to get you back on track. Book your session now.
Abigail Schilling Bio
Abigail Schilling is a seasoned coworking space expert — and your personal competitive advantage as you build and grow your own space. With over twenty years in leadership with expertise in business and marketing, and as the owner/operator of three coworking spaces in Oregon, she saw firsthand the struggles facing coworking space operators.
Abigail founded Space Savvy Studio, a coworking operations agency offering services like administrative support, marketing and custom tech solutions, focusing on improving operations and member experiences in coworking spaces. Known for her strategic vision and dynamic leadership, she is committed to empowering others in the coworking industry with her experience and creative solutions.