Coworking space is growing in popularity, fueled by our increasingly digital world and flexible workforce. But, how can operators generate more leads and get more people through the doors?
Certainly, this can be a difficult nut to crack because lead generation is multi-faceted and does not rely on one single method or tool.
So, before you start to invest your time or money into a specific approach or technology, analyze your marketing data to determine where most of your leads currently come from; this could better inform your lead generation strategy.
You might also consider investing in a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. CRMs help manage and track your lead generation channels so you can analyze their performance. For instance, Yardi Kube is a powerful coworking software that can enhance your lead generation and online marketing efforts, as well as automatize and streamline your accounts and billing.
Below are the best methods to generate online leads for your coworking space:
1. Online Referrals
There are plenty of online referral tools available to generate leads—and for good reason. Research reveals that referrals and word of mouth are the most trusted forms of advertising.
The premise is pretty simple: you incentivize your existing members to bring new leads to your space by offering a reward. For example, you could offer 25% off their membership fee when they refer a friend.
Consequently, you incentivize your happy customers to promote your coworking space, which also increases your customer acquisition and retention rates. Essentially, you’re rewarding your customers for doing the work of finding leads for you.
Also, make sure you promote your referral offer on social media outlets. A tool like Social Mention can even show you who’s making references about your coworking space—or any topic, for that matter. This can help you identify your brand advocates and make them aware of your referral offer.
2. Listing Websites
To widen your online reach, list your coworking space on a third-party website, like CommercialCafe. These listing websites are an important resource to help potential customers find you and attract more visitors to your website. Plus, they could help your SEO efforts, too.
There are many platforms to choose from, each of which differs in the services it offers. Some simply allow you to list your coworking space and basic details, while others let users directly book a spot at your space through their platform.
3. Email Engagement and Sales Campaigns
Emails are another must-have tool to boost your user engagement and lead generation. Use email to send a monthly newsletter or alert your users when your coworking space has a special offer or announcement. When done correctly, these emails can bring potential leads to your site.
Online sales campaigns are another useful tool, but make sure you use the best platform for your coworking space. For example, LinkedIn Sponsored Updates allows you to create targeted campaigns based on a user’s job title, function and location. As a result, you can get your website in front of a select group of professionals.
4. Web to Lead Options
Once you get a potential lead to your website, keep them moving down the sales funnel, preferably by engaging with them and encouraging them to schedule a tour. There are several ways to achieve this:
- Web Chats: Display a live chat option on your website so users can easily chat with one of your representatives. This also captures their name and e-mail address.
- Contact Us Form: Allow users to contact you after-hours or ask a series of questions that you can respond to by email or phone.
- Newsletter: Offer a newsletter with helpful tips and information; this is often the first step towards getting a lead into your coworking space.
- Phone Number: Make it easy for potential leads to reach out; you don’t have to rely only on online communication. A live answering service is a great way to connect with your potential customers.
5. Downloadable Content
Killer content is a must for your online lead generation, which usually takes the form of a blog or a series of articles on a social media channel. Not only can this approach improve your SEO, but it will also give you plenty of content to include in your newsletter and social media, widening your reach in the online domain.
In fact, downloadable content is a particularly useful tool to convert users into actual leads. For instance, you could consider creating a whitepaper or e-book and putting it behind a web form where users have to provide their name and email address to access the content.
There are many different ways to generate leads for your coworking space. As you try different strategies, you may want to break down your leads by source to see what works and what doesn’t.
