5 Coworking Leaders on Exactly How to Acquire Your First Members

With 2024 planning in full swing, growth is top-of-mind for many operators in our coworking community.

For those in the midst of starting a coworking business, you’re probably thinking about how to get those first few members into your space.

To say it can be challenging would be an understatement – but fear not! We reached out to five coworking leaders who have grown thriving communities to hear exactly how they would go about getting their first members.

Here are the step-by-step playbooks they would use to acquire members at the beginning of the coworking journey.

P.S. We wrote a comprehensive guide to help you go from coworking newcomer to expansion master. Download our free eBook to learn more.

1. Get involved in the community – Adam Liefl 

Adam Liefl is the co-founder at Groundswell Coworking in Ontario, Canada. For him, getting your first members is about taking a boots on the ground approach and leveraging the connections you already have, while becoming a part of the broader community.

Here are the three steps he took to make Groundswell Coworking a household name in Simcoe, Ontario.

1. Start a free local networking group of prospective coworkers.

We purposefully asked a few friends and family members to tap their networks for even just one or two people they knew who worked from home/remote etc. What started with six people in a cafe one night slowly birthed our founding launch of 18 members over 3-4 months leading up.

2. Be a part of your own community.

Make your presence and mission known at prominent local events and inside groups of influencers, such as chambers and service clubs. Even if they themselves are not necessarily your ideal customer, someone always knows someone who knows someone.

3. Leverage your own launch buzz.

People love the anticipation of new and exciting things – even more than the launch itself. Find as many avenues as possible to pump up your space: 

• Get your socials active
• Reach out to local media
• Get posters up in cafes and libraries (where your members are currently working) 

Ride that wave – it only happens once!

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What makes Adam’s approach so successful is it gets you and your business in front of your target audience right from the start, and focuses on creating the community before the space even opens – something that we heard from multiple coworking leaders in our how to create community round-up.

2. Start as early as you can – Kane Willmott

Kane Willmott is the CEO and co-founder at iQ Offices, a luxury coworking company with several locations across Canada. Kane takes a methodical approach to getting your first members, starting with building a customer base as soon as possible.

Here are the five steps Kane would take to build a successful coworking member base.

1. Identify your ideal customer.

2. Market to that customer early

The day after the lease is signed or the building is bought.

3. List on as many online platforms as possible and pay brokers early.

4. Do reservation agreements and put dots on a floor plan to show what has sold.

Start without deposits to get traction and then require deposits once you have a good amount of space reserved – lots of dots look good.

5. Do pre-opening promotions.

6. Try to get free PR. 

A new launch is exciting, share it with local publications.

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Kane’s approach begins with the cornerstone of every successful marketing strategy: your customer. He also taps into the idea of FOMO, or Fear Of Missing Out, by taking reservations before the space opens and advertising what is already taken. It’s a smart way of providing social proof to your concept and get more members on board before the space opens.

3. Create a tailored experience – Christine Andrews

Christine Andrews is the Founder at Acme Works, a vibrant coworking space that has been serving their Toronto community for over a decade. For Christine, the way you attract your first members is the way you attract all your members, even after your space is established – with intention.

Here’s how she thinks about growing your space in the early days and beyond.

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1. Understand your ideal target demographic and be consistent.

As a coworking space operator you must understand who your ideal target demographic is and then you must create and curate a space and community that will appeal to them. Then you must be militant about being consistent in how you communicate your unique user experience.  

There is no right or wrong demographic – you could focus on small to medium companies, enterprise brands, or digital nomads. Perhaps you are female-focused or you are focused on one vertical such as Real Estate, Lawyers, Architects or Designers. 

Who you are targeting doesn’t matter, but knowing what they want and need, what makes them comfortable, and bringing it to life consistently through your communications, branding and marketing is critical.   

2. Create a differentiated experience centered around your ideal member.

A clear user experience that is differentiated from the core benefits, brought to life using images of people – your target member – will allow your demographic to understand easily and quickly that your coworking space is the right one for them. 

You can never be all things to all people. Attempting to attract everyone will surely frustrate the ability to grow a community.  

3. Communicate your value by focusing on the problems that you solve.

In addition, it is always beneficial to remember that your communications are not about you and your space and your beautiful furniture, fast Wi-fi, great coffee, fun events, or location…of course it is, but you can’t sell it that way. 

Your communications must be about your target demographic and the problems you will solve for them – how you will help them achieve the success, satisfaction, and happiness we all seek.  A Herman Miller chair never helped anyone achieve a business goal!

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Christine is all about putting your ideal member at the center of your marketing efforts. Establishing a community comes by getting really clear about who you’re serving, and creating an experience hyper-personalized to them. 

We also love the practice of focusing on solving problems vs. selling amenities.

4.  Get personally involved – Emanuele Sisti

Emanuele Sisti is the CEO and Founder at Innovation Campus, an innovative coworking network with locations across Spain and Italy. Emanuele takes an omnichannel approach to marketing that focuses on you and your personal involvement in the community.

Here is Emanuele’s approach to growing your community in your coworking space.

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1. Become involved in the local entrepreneurial community.

You cannot open a coworking space without knowing the local entrepreneurial community. To succeed, you must immerse yourself in the community by attending events, engaging with its members, and even organizing events yourself. 

This engagement is crucial for creating your brand and expanding your network, which will be the base of your community.

2. Market pre-opening promotions online.

Of course, you also have to focus on online marketing and social media campaigns, in addition to offering pre-opening promotions, to generate leads and secure your first customers.

3. Be personally involved in your coworking community.

However, most importantly, even after your space is open, your personal involvement is essential. 

Regardless of whether you’ve hired an office or community manager, you should be the face of your coworking space because you understand best how to convey your vision to the community. Being there for your members is paramount to your success.

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Emanuele attacks coworking space promotion from all angles. The most interesting, and perhaps one of the most impactful, elements however is getting personally involved in the communities you’re building. Founder-led communities are some of the most successful we’ve seen because of the connection that is created with members.

5.  Be consistent –  Anna Oginsky

Anna Oginsky is the Co-founder at Brighton Light House coworking, a beautiful community-driven coworking space in Brighton, Michigan. 

When it comes to member acquisition, Anna takes a full funnel approach, from generating excitement with an event to staying present with members to cultivate community. Here’s her approach below.

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In thinking about how to get your first members, our best advice comes in three parts.

1. Host a fun grand opening event that showcases your space and your offerings. 

Do everything you can to get the word out and when you give tours or answer questions, be excited about your space! Your passion for spacemaking will shine through, and it is contagious.

2. Stay present and check-in with your members. 

They will continue to feel welcome and excited to tell their colleagues, friends, and family all about you and your awesome space.

3. Stay the course. 

In a work world filled with variables, your consistency will go a long way in helping you to build a thriving community.

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In building your coworking community, Anna’s tips are incredibly effective at getting your first members. This steadfast approach will help you build a successful and lasting coworking community. 

Member acquisition is an art and a science

As we approach 2024, many of us in the world of coworking and flex are focused on growth. 

Though our leaders differed in their approach, the same sentiment rings true – put your customers first, connect with your broader community as a leader, and generate buzz, be it through PR or events, to let your passion for coworking shine through.

Follow their insights to not just attract initial members but to build a thriving coworking community. 

Looking for more resources on member acquisition? Check out our article on how to get clients for your new coworking space.